Flames fire Geoff Ward, name Darryl Sutter head coach

[Mobiandi]

It's going to be nice to have accountability in the locker room for the first time since Hartley. Unlike Bob, Darryl will command respect and won't resort to mean-spirited bullying to send messages to players.

This was a shot across the bow to the core players. This guy's got more term than you so either you get with the program or you're out because we're not firing coaches anymore. That said, still don't really know if Treliving wanted to make this move yet.

I'm very curious to see what Sutter does with Monahan, Tkachuk, Hanifin, and Bennett. People are saying that Gaudreau will break under him but John's got the right mentality for the Flames - he thinks like a winner, just needs to shake off the bad games better.

 

[Mobiandi]

He hired Gulutzan on the back of guys like Cooper finding a lot of success. A young coach with not a lot of experience, but that was an analytics and philosophy guy. He just didn't work.

I think Boudreau and Green were his first picks but that Gulutzan was the best of the rest. Ward and Reirden were also in consideration for the job too.

Peters was an awful hire. The Canes organization was kind of a joke at that time and the fact that they just handed him over to us should've rang some alarm bells.

 

[DecadeofDarkness22]

Long overdue... Finally get to see with a experienced coach who performs and who doesn't.
Unfinished business!!!!!!

 

[BobColesNasalCavity]

It's going to be nice to have accountability in the locker room for the first time since Hartley. Unlike Bob, Darryl will command respect and won't resort to mean-spirited bullying to send messages to players.

This was a shot across the bow to the core players. This guy's got more term than you so either you get with the program or you're out because we're not firing coaches anymore. That said, still don't really know if Treliving wanted to make this move yet.

I'm very curious to see what Sutter does with Monahan, Tkachuk, Hanifin, and Bennett. People are saying that Gaudreau will break under him but John's got the right mentality for the Flames - he thinks like a winner, just needs to shake off the bad games better.

I think Tkachuk will take that next step.

It’s last chance for Bennett. If he can’t get it together under Sutter than the bust label becomes universal.

Monahan is the guy I’m curious about. I see it going either way. Inconsistency won’t be tolerated under Darryl.

 

[Volica]

In looking at the goalies, was there an injury issue that Markstrom and Rittich have split time fairly evenly? Their numbers look fairly similar. Is that more a reflection of the team in front of them as neither stands out? I know Markstrom was good last summer for Vancouver.

Markstrom's missed the last 5 games or so.
Rittich has been solid for Calgary. He's played about as good as you can ask from a backup with the lack of commitment in front of him.

 

[TheHudlinator]

I mean, he beat an equally bad Vancouver in the first round.
I think they're all bad coaches to various degrees. Treliving isn't escaping without a lot of criticism here, his job day 1 should have bene to hire a legitimate NHL coach.

I get what he was doing though.

Hartley had no structure to his game, in a league that was moving completely to puck possession.
He hired Gulutzan on the back of guys like Cooper finding a lot of success. A young coach with not a lot of experience, but that was an analytics and philosophy guy. He just didn't work.
You bring in Peters who I think got the most out of this roster in year 1. They were tough to play against, they had crazy structure, they dominated teams most nights. The second year was just bleh. Almost like he got tuned out.
He gets cancelled and you just kind of shoehorn in Ward, who is a beloved guy in the locker room/outside of the rink; he gets the guys playing well you give him an extended look to see if he's the guy who could kind of be that hidden gem. Clearly he's not, either his coaching style doesn't work, or the guys didn't care enough.

In terms of my opinion.
Treliving holds the most blame for Calgary's failure the past 3-4 years. The core group then have the next amount of responsibility in terms of blame. Coaches are just the easiest guys to move on from.

Again he had no Gio on that playoff run he got that team to buy in and play hard that only Peters got of the coaches. Hartley was a much better coach than he is given credit for. There is no system outside of Hartley's counter attack style that could work with Russell and Wideman in your top 4.

Ironically Hartley's playoff team had a 5v5 PDO of 100.8 Peters playoff team had a 5v5 PDO of 100.8.

I agree Treliving deserves most of the blame but I think a lot of that has to do with picking inferior coaches to the one he was given.

 

[BHD]

So, is this the end of the line for Treliving? Hartley was already there when he took the job, but this is coaching change #4.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

Again he had no Gio on that playoff run he got that team to buy in and play hard that only Peters got of the coaches. Hartley was a much better coach than he is given credit for. There is no system outside of Hartley's counter attack style that could work with Russell and Wideman in your top 4.

Ironically Hartley's playoff team had a 5v5 PDO of 100.8 Peters playoff team had a 5v5 PDO of 100.8.

I agree Treliving deserves most of the blame but I think a lot of that has to do with picking inferior coaches to the one he was given.

Hartley has done well in Russia. Does he get another look in the NHL?

 

[TheHudlinator]

Hartley has done well in Russia. Does he get another look in the NHL?

I doubt it he is kinda a notorious asshole.

 

[DFF]

The most shocking thing for me was he mentioned Nordstrom as a good acquisition from Boston

I guess it doesn’t hurt to brown nose your new boss a little, even for Darryl

 

[InfinityIggy]

Long overdue... Finally get to see with a experienced coach who performs and who doesn't.
Unfinished business!!!!!!

You might not like it, but this is what peak performance looks like.

 

[CraigsList]

So, is this the end of the line for Treliving? Hartley was already there when he took the job, but this is coach change #4.

He looked suuuper uncomfortable during the presser.

I’m sure he knows he’s next if anything else falters. Can’t just play coaching chairs and not think you’re in the hot seat.

 

[MoistDadBod]

He looked suuuper uncomfortable during the presser.

I’m sure he knows he’s next if anything else falters. Can’t just play coaching chairs and not think you’re in the hot seat.

Sutter gonna take his job next then hire his own replacement at HC

 

[2023FriendshipTour]

So, is this the end of the line for Treliving? Hartley was already there when he took the job, but this is coaching change #4.

No way he lasts pasts this season if the Flames miss the playoffs. They'll bring a new GM in and have Sutter kind of call the shots for what he wants I would think.

 

[SotasicA]

Darryl is an old school hardass who will NOT pamper his players or treat them with silk gloves. It's his way or the highway. Mike Keenan showed him how to coach and how to earn respect. Interesting to see how the locker room reacts.

My guess is they will try harder and play better for awhile. And it's all fine while the going is good. But today's snowflakes will eventually turn against Darryl.

 

[BobColesNasalCavity]

Hired on Throw Back Thursday too.

 

[96]

Babcock to Calgary next season

 

[Reality Check]

No other sports seems to love retreads quite like the NHL

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

Darryl is an old school hardass who will NOT pamper his players or treat them with silk gloves. It's his way or the highway. Mike Keenan showed him how to coach and how to earn respect. Interesting to see how the locker room reacts.

My guess is they will try harder and play better for awhile. And it's all fine while the going is good. But today's snowflakes will eventually turn against Darryl.

The ‘Beatings will continue til morale improves’ approach doesn’t work on anyone born after +/- 1990, I’m surprised they are going back to a relic like Sutter

 

[M2Beezy]

Is this Brandons dad?

 

[Critical13]

This is bad news for Edmonton, Montreal and Vancouver.

I don't love Sutter as a coach but it could spark them.

 

[Hullois]

 

[Bounces R Way]

Carcillo calling someone else a bad human being is as bout as artery clogging rich as it gets.

 

[Flair Hay]

This is not good news for the other teams in the division

Sutter may be old school, but his record speaks for itself.

He already took one mediocre Flames team to a finals close to 20 years ago. Then turned out to be the missing ingredient for a Kings team that became dominant immediately after his arrival.

It may be too late in his career for him to be the magic fix. It's a desperation move. But I think it is a great one for Calgary to make.

 

[Flair Hay]

Carcillo calling someone else a bad human being is as bout as artery clogging rich as it gets.

Yeah. I get he is trying to make amends and be a better person, make a positive impact, etc.

But this is nothing more than him tearing down a guy he hates.