Quote:
Originally Posted by Table 5
Success in one industry doesn't translate to success in another. I mean we saw how detail-oriented the Flames were with CalgaryNext.
When you look at past history, the Flames have pretty much always hired the cheap young coach (or GM for that matter), or retread looking for one last chance.
MacNeil
Johnson
Crisp
Risebrough
King
Page
B. Sutter
Hay
Gilbert
Sutter
Playfair
Keenan
D. Sutter
Hartley
Gulutzan
Out of this list, the vast majority are first-time coaches. And out of this list, only 4 men went on to have a head coaching position with another team. Not really a great track record.
I would say only the two Sutters could be considered established quality NHL coaches when they were hired by the Flames. Keenan was way past his prime, and we pulled Hartley out of Switzerland after half a decade away from the NHL. MacNeil was hired 8 years after his his last tenure as head coach.
To me that certainly suggest a certain penchant for pinching pennies at the position. I would assume the same thing happened with GMs and scouting.
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In fairness, Dave King was a very prominent coach at the time. Just not in the NHL. Badger Bob was a very well known coach for the same reasons as Herb Brooks and Dave King. Crisp, Risebrough, Playfair and Page were organizational promotions, which happen all the time.
Al MacNeil was an Atlanta hire, so different ownership group.
So that leaves Hay (who had been an NHL coach, but wasn't a good one), Hartley (who'd won a cup) and Keenan (who had actually had less time out of the NHL than Hartley).
The Flames may be going cheap, but I'm not sure there were better, but more expensive options. And I'm sure Darryl didn't bring Brent in on the cheap but it didn't turn out well.