Quote:
Originally Posted by Daradon
So all coaches for teams at a certain point in the rankings, we'll use your example of bottom five, should turf their coaches? That seems to be what you're saying. If you finish bottom five you don't deserve another year, even if you have the worst roster.
I see positives. We all knew rankings this year would be low and mean almost nothing. I think if we see some positives and growth that's really all you can ask for. Sports are result oriented, of course. But, in all truthfulness we've met or exceeded our expectations, or the results we were looking for. Putting up an arbitrary line in the standings doesn't make much sense to me. Sure if your on the cusp looking for the next level, or mired in a long slump. But not in our situation. If we know we just started a rebuild, why would be surprised by a bottom five finish, or deem it not good enough?
Secondly, I worry about sending the wrong message to the players. Don't want them ruling the roost, AND we need to give them a little consistency right now. It's already been suggested that the constant coaching changes has hurt Calgary to a certain extent. Why make it worse? Let's keep the team on the same page for a while.
Lastly why get in that cycle? Fire Hartley for being bottom five this year. Fire the next coach for being bottom five next year. Where does it end?
I do think the writing may be on the wall for Hartley though. I do agree that a GM will probably want to bring in his own guy. And I'm not entirely confident Burke is sold on Hartley either,. But I don't agree that Hartley hasn't shown he is a good (or good enough) coach to any incoming GM. If what your saying is that a new GM might use that reasoning (low finish in in standings) to bring in his own guy, I understand it, but I think it's a mistake, and would really only be used as an 'excuse' for the GM to bring in a guy he wants more. I don't the rankings are a good indication of expectation, or the job Hartley's done. I do hope we keep him, and I think it would be a mistake to fire him in the offseason.
|
While i do agree with a lot of the things you wrote you are also leaving out an important piece..... last year. That is certainly part of the grade process. He was brought in to get every last drop out of the veterans and failed miserably. If not for 2 fluke goals, that should never happen in the NHL, the flames would have finished 3rd to last. So if he can't teach a veteran team, and the new GM does not think he can teach a young team, then what's the point?
Like i said in another post the next 20 games or so are going to be big for Hartely. Right now the Flames and Edmonton are playing the worst hockey in the NHL. Even Buffalo in their last 10 have gotten going at 5-3-2. If flames get 3 wins in the next 20 to go along with what they have done in the last 10 its going to be hard for him to retain a job for next year.