Philippe Bérubé dismissed by Hockey Sherbrooke and suspended by Hockey Canada
Philippe Bérubé, who led Quebec’s M18 female team to a first Canadian championship in 2025, was abruptly dismissed from his post at Hockey Sherbrooke on October 16, 2026.
The dismissal arrived via an email sent to parents of the male M15 AAA Élite Harfangs team at Triolet. Signed by Jean-Guy Rancourt, assistant general manager of the hockey division at Hockey Sherbrooke, the notice stated that Bérubé’s employment link had been broken with immediate effect and that he was no longer associated with the sports-study program or the Harfangs teams.
Shawn Tremblay stepped in as the interim head coach behind the bench for the M15 AAA Harfangs, who have played 12 games so far in the 2026–27 season. Éric Bergeron, president of Hockey Sherbrooke, confirmed that the decision came directly from the organization’s board of directors.
Bergeron declined to discuss the specific reasons behind the firing. He stated that the board’s primary focus remained the happiness and safety of the young athletes, and that the collective decision of the board led to the termination. Bergeron added that he met with Bérubé personally to end his employment.
Following the local dismissal, Hockey Québec and Hockey Canada issued a suspension for administrative reasons. Bergeron stated that measures were established to prevent any break in service for the athletes, noting that a temporary system is running to manage coordination.
The board did not hold an explanatory meeting with the parents of the affected players. Bergeron defended that approach, stating that organizations do not typically meet with clients to explain personnel terminations and reiterating that the children were not in any danger.
Rapid Coaching Ascent Ends Mid-Season
Bérubé built an extensive resume within regional and provincial hockey since joining Hockey Sherbrooke ahead of the 2019–2020 season. He originally started his coaching career in Rimouski as an assistant coach with the Cégep de Rimouski Pionnières. After relocating to Sherbrooke, he climbed through the ranks of the women’s hockey apparatus.
In 2022, Bérubé succeeded Mathieu Boutin as the coordinator of the Harfangs hockey programs. By 2023, he took on the role of head coach for the enriched program in the female Quebec Elite Hockey League, alongside coaching stints with the Champlain College Cougars and the Bishop’s University Gaiters. His administrative footprint also included directing the integrated female structure in Estrie, managing operations for Team Estrie hockey at the Quebec Games, and leading the female hockey team at the 2023 Quebec Games in Sherbrooke.
His tenure reached a peak in 2025 when he became the first head coach to guide Quebec’s female M18 team to a first Canadian championship. Prior to his dismissal, he was slated to coach Quebec’s female hockey team at the 2027 Canada Games in Quebec City.
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