These days, hockey careers can last awhile, with players often graduating into coaching, management or player development gigs. It’s gotten to the point where some ex-players are known more for their post-playing exploits than what they did on the ice.

Craig Berube is one such individual. A veteran of over 1,000 NHL contests as a player, Berube moved into coaching after he hung up his skates and has built a really strong reputation behind the bench. But before Berube became a championship-winning coach, he had two separate stints with the Calgary lames.

Let’s delve into the history of another two-time Flame!

Over an eight month period in 1991-92, Berube was traded three times:

In May 1991, the Flyers traded Berube, Craig Fisher and Scott Mellanby to Edmonton in exchange for Dave Brown, Corey Foster and Jari Kurri. In September 1991, the Oilers traded Berube, Grant Fuhr and Glenn Anderson to Toronto in exchange for Vincent Damphousse, Peter Ing, Scott Thornton and Luke Richardson.

Finally, in January 1992, the Leafs moved Berube, Michel Petit, Alex Godynyuk, Gary Leeman and Jeff Reese to the Flames in exchange for Doug Gilmour, Kent Manderville, Jamie Macoun, Ric Nattress and Rick Wamsley. In terms of sheer asset volume, the trade was the biggest in NHL history at the time, and has developed a reputation as the worst trade in Flames franchise history.

Berube spent a season and a half with the Flames after his arrival. He posted 17 points over 113 games, but his run was punctuated more by 364 penalty minutes – he was a Hockey Fights favourite during his run with Calgary.

During the 1993 NHL Draft the Flames made a move, sending Berube to the Washington Capitals in exchange for a fifth-round pick in that draft.

Berube spent six seasons with the Capitals, then made brief stops in Philadelphia, Washington (again) and Long Island. He ended up migrating back to southern Alberta in 2001.

Looking to add some veteran depth to the roster, the Flames added Berube as a free agent during the 2001 off-season. He played two seasons with the Flames during that run, posting 10 points over 121 games. (He also racked up 264 penalty minutes, because that was his style.)

Berube’s run with the Flames represented his last NHL games as a player. He caught on with the AHL’s Philadelphia Phantoms on a minor league deal for the 2003-04 season, then retired and transitioned into coaching.

Berube never won a Cup as a player, though he appeared in the 1998 Cup Final with Washington. He ended up winning a Stanley Cup as a head coach with the St. Louis Blues in 2019, though, and he was recently hired as the bench boss with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Berube was never really more than a really effective role player in the NHL, but he’s become a really well-regarded coach in the second act of his hockey career.