Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community - View Single Post - [News] Oilers hire Gulutzan and Yawney as Assistant Coaches UPD: Viveiros hired as well

Calgary4LIfe · 05-24-2018, 12:31 PM

Oilers actually made a shrewd hire today... Yawney should actually be able to help them where they need it most - how to play defence.

Gulutzan on the other hand...

I disagree with a number of posters so far. I don't think Gulutzan is a good coach - head coach OR as an assistant. What body of work leads anyone to conclude this? He failed in Dallas. He failed in Vancouver. He failed in Calgary. Maybe at the ECHL or perhaps the AHL level he is competent, but he sure seems very slow to adapt to situations, and doesn't seem to have a clue about individual players strengths, much less team strengths and weaknesses. I just don't see him as competent.

Yawney really interested me for Calgary, however. It seems he was exactly what the Flames needed for their defence. I think the last two seasons that we have all seen a very good defensive corps make crucial mistake after crucial mistake in the defensive zone. I don't think it is the personnel. I think that for the most part, it has been a lack of strong defensive coaching here.

Over the last two seasons, the only consistently strong defenders have been Giordano (once again, incredibly underrated league-wide) and probably Engelland (who I think the Flames miss on the backend). Hamilton's defensive deficiencies I think are overblown, but they exist. Brodie all season has been fricken amazing in his own zone, and then makes a series of blunders. Hamonic was slow to adapt, but I think was fairly strong in the second half of the season. Stone has been spotty - strong some nights, while others he has been walked around. Kulak is still developing, so I can't fault him (though I have to say that his poise gives me reason to believe he is on the fast-track to becoming a top 4 defender).

I hope Peters hires a guy with a strong track-record of getting the defence playing well in their own zone. We know this group can move the puck up very well (and I hope that Peters' system takes that into account!), but they need to tighten up defensively. This should be a juggernaut of a defensive corps, but it hasn't been - offensively or defensively.

Knowing the Oiles, Yawney will be in charge of the offence, and Gulutzan the defence. That would make me laugh.

05-24-2018, 12:31 PM	#73
Calgary4LIfe Franchise Player Join Date: Jun 2010 Exp:	Oilers actually made a shrewd hire today... Yawney should actually be able to help them where they need it most - how to play defence. Gulutzan on the other hand... I disagree with a number of posters so far. I don't think Gulutzan is a good coach - head coach OR as an assistant. What body of work leads anyone to conclude this? He failed in Dallas. He failed in Vancouver. He failed in Calgary. Maybe at the ECHL or perhaps the AHL level he is competent, but he sure seems very slow to adapt to situations, and doesn't seem to have a clue about individual players strengths, much less team strengths and weaknesses. I just don't see him as competent. Yawney really interested me for Calgary, however. It seems he was exactly what the Flames needed for their defence. I think the last two seasons that we have all seen a very good defensive corps make crucial mistake after crucial mistake in the defensive zone. I don't think it is the personnel. I think that for the most part, it has been a lack of strong defensive coaching here. Over the last two seasons, the only consistently strong defenders have been Giordano (once again, incredibly underrated league-wide) and probably Engelland (who I think the Flames miss on the backend). Hamilton's defensive deficiencies I think are overblown, but they exist. Brodie all season has been fricken amazing in his own zone, and then makes a series of blunders. Hamonic was slow to adapt, but I think was fairly strong in the second half of the season. Stone has been spotty - strong some nights, while others he has been walked around. Kulak is still developing, so I can't fault him (though I have to say that his poise gives me reason to believe he is on the fast-track to becoming a top 4 defender). I hope Peters hires a guy with a strong track-record of getting the defence playing well in their own zone. We know this group can move the puck up very well (and I hope that Peters' system takes that into account!), but they need to tighten up defensively. This should be a juggernaut of a defensive corps, but it hasn't been - offensively or defensively. Knowing the Oiles, Yawney will be in charge of the offence, and Gulutzan the defence. That would make me laugh.