Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community - View Single Post - Fire Gulutzan/Give him Coach of the year All Purpose Thread

Calgary4LIfe · 11-13-2016, 11:08 PM

I'm leaning on the 'get rid of the coaching staff' side of things more (not full-blown 'fire them at all costs' yet) simply because there hasn't been improvement. Flames may have a period (or even 2!) in a game where they look good, but that's about it. Things aren't looking like they are improving.

Compare it to last season, and there is no improvement. Once again, I am not saying 'bring back Hartley' (that shipped has sailed regardless of how you feel about him). I argue that the rationale for firing Hartley as provided by Treliving and Burke is the exact same rationale that will get Gulutzan fired:

This team is not improving (Hartley could only take this team so far).
Special teams are a mess and last in the league
Management wanted to see a more black and blue team (the whole Bollig conversation)
Rumored misuse of Bennett (benching him for being aggressive while Chiasson takes lazy offensive zone penalties doesn't result in a benching)
Puck possession is 'up', but this team also looks less dangerous and often even less capable in their own zone that under Hartley's passive shot blocking defensive system that I disliked

There isn't any improvement anywhere. This team on paper is better. Sure, I don't think it is anywhere near championship caliber, but it is better than essentially last place in the league.

I am not on board with firing Gelinas or Sigalet, just because there was at least SOME positives coming out of them in the last calendar year (Gelinas DID fix the PP, and Sigalet did fix Ramo - and Ramo said as much). However, I wouldn't be complaining if it was a total housecleaning either.

We can sit here and start blaming the players - like 20 of them on any given night - or we can look at coaching.

If it was on the players, shouldn't that still essentially be on the coach too? Remember Conroy talking about Darryl Sutter and how he made you accountable for your play? Saying something like: "Don't you two princesses worry about getting your hands dirty (or was it breaking a sweat?)" and benching Conroy and Iginla for the rest of the game.

All I see Gulutzan doing is benching Bennett. Repeatedly. I am starting to see a lame duck coach without any answers, and adding to the problems by calling them (he included) as fragile. I don't see any player on the team being held accountable (other than Bennett) for their poor play.

I don't see any leadership from Gulutzan, and I don't see any improvements. That is the issue I have at the moment. I also see a team that is not enjoyable to watch. A team that doesn't battle. They are not only dead in the water in terms of playoffs, but they are belly up and rotting. Hartley had the Dome applauding at times even during losses for their effort. I haven't seen a single game this year where this team has put in that kind of an effort.

Sure, don't don't blame the coach, but blame the players. I still blame the coach because he hasn't made those players accountable. A team's best leader isn't the captain - it is the coach.

This whole team is a mess, and everyone from the owners right down to the trainers need to be held accountable. I just look at Gulutzan as an easy fix. To win a cup in this league, your team has to perform BETTER than they look on paper. This team is underachieving, so it isn't exactly a loss in getting rid of him first before the Flames make a knee-jerk trade. If there was SOME improvement, or some real development going on, then I would be my usual optimistic self. I just look for it, but can't see much if anything.

I have said it many times, this team has a major issue finding competent coaching staff. Heck, they are more rare for the Flames than #1 centers apparently.

11-13-2016, 11:08 PM	#648
Calgary4LIfe Franchise Player Join Date: Jun 2010 Exp:	I'm leaning on the 'get rid of the coaching staff' side of things more (not full-blown 'fire them at all costs' yet) simply because there hasn't been improvement. Flames may have a period (or even 2!) in a game where they look good, but that's about it. Things aren't looking like they are improving. Compare it to last season, and there is no improvement. Once again, I am not saying 'bring back Hartley' (that shipped has sailed regardless of how you feel about him). I argue that the rationale for firing Hartley as provided by Treliving and Burke is the exact same rationale that will get Gulutzan fired: This team is not improving (Hartley could only take this team so far). Special teams are a mess and last in the league Management wanted to see a more black and blue team (the whole Bollig conversation) Rumored misuse of Bennett (benching him for being aggressive while Chiasson takes lazy offensive zone penalties doesn't result in a benching) Puck possession is 'up', but this team also looks less dangerous and often even less capable in their own zone that under Hartley's passive shot blocking defensive system that I disliked There isn't any improvement anywhere. This team on paper is better. Sure, I don't think it is anywhere near championship caliber, but it is better than essentially last place in the league. I am not on board with firing Gelinas or Sigalet, just because there was at least SOME positives coming out of them in the last calendar year (Gelinas DID fix the PP, and Sigalet did fix Ramo - and Ramo said as much). However, I wouldn't be complaining if it was a total housecleaning either. We can sit here and start blaming the players - like 20 of them on any given night - or we can look at coaching. If it was on the players, shouldn't that still essentially be on the coach too? Remember Conroy talking about Darryl Sutter and how he made you accountable for your play? Saying something like: "Don't you two princesses worry about getting your hands dirty (or was it breaking a sweat?)" and benching Conroy and Iginla for the rest of the game. All I see Gulutzan doing is benching Bennett. Repeatedly. I am starting to see a lame duck coach without any answers, and adding to the problems by calling them (he included) as fragile. I don't see any player on the team being held accountable (other than Bennett) for their poor play. I don't see any leadership from Gulutzan, and I don't see any improvements. That is the issue I have at the moment. I also see a team that is not enjoyable to watch. A team that doesn't battle. They are not only dead in the water in terms of playoffs, but they are belly up and rotting. Hartley had the Dome applauding at times even during losses for their effort. I haven't seen a single game this year where this team has put in that kind of an effort. Sure, don't don't blame the coach, but blame the players. I still blame the coach because he hasn't made those players accountable. A team's best leader isn't the captain - it is the coach. This whole team is a mess, and everyone from the owners right down to the trainers need to be held accountable. I just look at Gulutzan as an easy fix. To win a cup in this league, your team has to perform BETTER than they look on paper. This team is underachieving, so it isn't exactly a loss in getting rid of him first before the Flames make a knee-jerk trade. If there was SOME improvement, or some real development going on, then I would be my usual optimistic self. I just look for it, but can't see much if anything. I have said it many times, this team has a major issue finding competent coaching staff. Heck, they are more rare for the Flames than #1 centers apparently.