Huska Interview on the FAN, talks coaching staff

[gvitaly]

I was listening to the interview following the Larsen hire and a few things stuck out:

Coaching Responsibilities:
Brad Larsen — PK, forwards, the go between Huska and the other coaches.
Dan Lambert — defencemen
Cail MacLean — PP, forwards

Brad Larsen

• Huska was really looking for an assistant that already was a HC at the NHL
• Looked for it last year, but that didn't work out, so he went back to it.
• Larsen was a part of the process last year, but he was taking a year off, to focus on his family
• Continued where they left off, had several conversations with Larsen. Then brought Larsen to CGY. He spent the day with Huska, Cail, and Pringle, and was a good fit.
• It's important for Huska to get a coach with a presence — someone that's been there before that has that experience. Someone that knows how to walk into a room and grab hold of it.
• Larsen is going to be the go between Huska and the rest of the staff. There are a lot more coaches, and a much bigger staff now, and you deal with more issues with players on a daily basis.
• Huska is going to lean on Larsen. He has the experience, he would have the confidence to tell Huska he shouldn't be doing something a certain way.
• Torts was really high on Larsen. He mentioned how competitive Larsen is, and his abilities as a coach. Torts felt that Brad made him a better coach, because he had no issue telling him “you shouldn't be doing this”.
• Brad has a lot of respect from his peers around the league.
• Huska expects that Brad would make both him and the rest of the coaching staff better coaches.
• It gives Dan Lambert the opportunity to focus only on defense. During a game when you have another responsibility[PK], sometimes you lose one or the other. Having specific focus lets everyone dial into their responsibilities a little bit more.

Cail MacLean

• Felt he could hire either a great PP coach or a great PK coach, once he settled on Brad, he felt totally comfortable giving MacLean the PP, because of the work that he puts in, and the detail that he has, and the amount of hours that he spends studying the game and working on top players - as to what they're doing and how they're adapting to the ways the game is being played. Knows he's ready for it.
• With MacLean being around the guys for the last little while they know how good of a coach he is.
• Huska is a huge believer in MacLean, and the way he prepares.
• He's always out there during practice, working with the forwards
• He was taking things that the best players in the NHL are doing, and finding ways to incorporate it into the Flames game.
• A lot of the things the Flames were doing in the offensive zone last year, were from ideas generated by Cail.
• MacLean is a very intelligent coach. The details and work he puts in make Huska confident in that the PP will succeed.
• Huska wants the PP guys to go out on the ice with the expectation to make a difference and generate momentum.
• Thought that the PP at the end of the year started to feel that way.
• Some of that had to do with Kuzmenko down low, part with Weegar on top, and part with Sharangovich on the flank. They started to connect better, and the confidence started to grow.
• Cail working with the PP guys would be excellent at challenging the PP guys on a daily basis, and helping them maintain their swagger.

He also mentioned flying to MTL to see Huberdeau, but it seemed like a nothingburger. Just checking up with a player to see that they're on the same page.

[GullFoss]

"Hey Huby, enjoying the Stanley cup finals? Must be excited for your old teammates. We are also happy to Tkachuk and Bennett.

Yes - we realize you also want to win now. This retool? Honestly, it wont take too long. Only another 7 years or so. I'm not sure why so many players have left since you got here. Must just be a coincidence.

Yes - I can let conroy know that you're open to playing in a "win now" location and see if a trade is available. No I'm not sure if a lot of teams are interested in a 50 point player with a $10.5m cap hit.

Okay - well best of luck with the off-season training. It was great seeing you. Don't eat too many poutines."