St. Louis Blues forward Jordan Kyrou broke down in tears as he faced a merciless chorus of boos from fans at Enterprise Center on Thursday night. The hostile home crowd reaction came after Kyrou made dismissive comments earlier in the day about former Blues coach Craig Berube, who was fired on Tuesday.
When asked about his relationship with Berube before the game, Kyrou bluntly responded, “I’ve got no comment. He’s not my coach anymore.” The 25-year-old’s perceived indifference to Berube’s dismissal after six seasons behind the bench angered many Blues supporters.
As Kyrou’s name was announced during pre-game introductions, the crowd unleashed boos that continued every time he touched the puck during the Blues’ 4-2 win over Ottawa. The harsh treatment brought Kyrou to tears in his post-game media availability.
“It was definitely the toughest game I’ve probably played, to be honest,” he said, pausing to collect himself. “I love playing here. It’s tough to hear the fans booing me.”
Check out Kyrou’s emotional post-game interview below:
Kyrou on getting booed by fans throughout tonight’s game: “I see where they’re coming from with how my comment sounded.”
And he gets emotional when saying: “It’s just tough, right? I love playing here. So, it’s just tough to hear the fans booing me there.” #stlblues pic.twitter.com/FsRZPadaP7
— Bally Sports Midwest (@BallySportsMW) December 15, 2023
Kyrou went on to explain that he meant no disrespect to Berube and was simply trying to focus on the future. “Obviously I respect Chief,” he said, using Berube’s nickname. “He’s been my coach the whole time I’ve been here. I respect everything he’s done. He won a Cup.”
Interim Blues coach Drew Bannister defended Kyrou’s character while acknowledging his struggles. “He cares a lot about his teammates. He cares a lot about this organization and he cares a lot about this fan base,” Bannister said.
The emotional display was an indication of how rapidly Kyrou has fallen from grace in St. Louis. Just last year, he was one of the NHL’s breakout stars with 75 points. But with only 17 points this season, boos have replaced cheers for the Blues’ once-beloved star.
