[MisterJoji]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

Well, after 2 seasons it is very plain to see that Gulutzan 'has taken this team as far as he can'. Hartley took this team further with much less, and they were fun to watch as well.

Defensively the Flames have not gotten better. Offensively the Flames have not gotten better. They don't play harder.

They have gotten the best goaltending since Kiprusoff was here.

Too many times the Flames have started flat. Too many times they haven't had an answer for what the other team was doing. Too many times they wilted under pressure instead of pushing back.

There was ONE thing that I thought would last beyond the Hartley years. ONE thing that even Feaster stated at the start of the rebuild that I agreed with. What was it? That this team would play hard and not wilt under pressure.

Feaster called it a 'disease'. How this team would play great, and then suddenly not play great and start losing. How there wasn't this consistency in effort and execution.

Now say what you will about Hartley's tenure, but those Flames didn't roll over and die. They weren't very good, but it was not for a lack of effort. Now we have suddenly reverted back to the Playfair, Keenan and Brent Sutter years of just... being so damn underwhelming, especially when it matters most.

Gulutzan has to go. Treliving has to identify what ails this team and hire a coach that can actually change things. Gulutzan hasn't done much better compared to a rebuilding Hartley Flames. I bet Keenan (who I hate) would have probably got more out of this team.

I look at it this way if I am Treliving:

Team complained that the coach was too rough with them - hires a 'player's coach'.

Team responds by not playing hard consistently, or even being ready to start a damn game for about 30 contests... time to hire a hard-ass again.

I am not sure who out there will be willing to come to the Flames, but in no way shape or form should Gulutzan be returning. It has been two inconsistent years with two nice win streaks that make it look like things are headed in the right direction, only for the wheels to fall off. I don't need a third season to 'see what happens'.

For me, what this team has shown in the last 2 seasons is that they NEED to be kicked in the ass for them to be prepared every day, to work hard every day, and to actually have some damn resiliency. If the players tune-out the next coach because he is 'too hard', then I suggest bringing in someone even harder and say: "Careful what you wish for."

Treliving has a lot of work to do this off-season. Coach and trades/signings.

Hartley was too hard. Gulutzan was too soft. I’m sure you can find a coach out there with an appropriate balance of both.