The trials and tribulations of Glen Gulutzan

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Agreed. People ask why the Flames struggle defensively despite the talent we have on the back end. The answer is the system.

And the really weird part is they played a different defensive system when they went on the roll to end last season.

Mike Fail who really analyses the Flames defensive and Special teams system said the team made drastic changes to our PP, PK, and netural zone and defensive systems to what we were using to end last season.

The fact that they would stick with those systems all year, and not change back to what worked last season is the biggest black mark on this coaching staff IMO.

I feel like GG stubbornly knew the writing was on the wall and said "If I'm going out then I'm going out with the system I want to play and not changing it for the players".

Just weird.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Well take heart. They've done this in Florida this year under Boughner and right now they look pretty near unbeatable. Even though they're technically out at the moment, my bet is they get in and they upset one of the top teams in teh 1st round. Other teams like L.A. have made the change and found success as well. It's not a lost cause if the team needs to adjust over the first 10-15 games. Get the right guy in place, and watch the team take off.

Yeah, yeah, I can hear you already shouting that it should have been done at christmas, but the team looked halfway capable then and they looked to be right in the fight for a spot until the last few weeks.

No idea what happened, but it sure did show the character of both the team and the lack of ability of the coaching staff.

If a team makes good use of the preseason it's not always going to take a month or two for a team to get adjusted. Gulutzan's teams performed poorly in the preseason and also came out of the gates slow but I don't think (or I at least hope) that the next coach is going to go with the square peg in round hole approach of making defense pairings strictly based on LH/RH shooting. Watch the tape in the summer and put players in positions of strength from day one and establish that in the preseason.

[scotty2hotty]

How is it almost lunch and GG is still the coach of this team?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by scotty2hotty

How is it almost lunch and GG is still the coach of this team?

Is there a point to firing him now? Its over man. Game over man.

NSFW!

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Toonage

John Shannon on 960 predicting that April 9th will be Black Monday in the NHL. Thinks as many as 10 (!) coaches could be fired. Pretty sure thats the number he said.

That says something about the NHL if so many teams are unhappy with the results on the ice.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Locke

See, I dont like this.

Look, I get that there is disappointment and that goals werent met and that the NHL is a Results-Based Business.

But I'm not anti-Gulutzan because I dont like the guy, I'm anti-Gulutzan because he does things that I think were poor and naive coaching decisions and cost us a shot at the playoffs.

Firing 10 coaches like that seems ridiculous. Some teams didnt have the same expectations as our management did.

I think thats the key. I'm convinced that our management expected this group to make the playoffs and the lack of that achievement should result in trying again with a new group next season.

So if a team like the Coyotes or something are firing their coaches because 'they didnt make the playoffs' then thats insane because they were never making the playoffs and using that as a condition is wildly unreasonable.

Sometimes you want to see things like growth though and a lot of teams probably feel like the stagnated this year.

In the West:

Vancouver: Doubt they fire Travis Green
Arizona: Rick Tocchet, probably stays especially with the good run to end the season
Chicago: Would be crazy to fire Quennville IMO but I think that GM-Coach relationship is broken.
Edmonton: Feel like somebody has to take the fall for this season and T-Mac is probably the guy.
Calgary: If they would have battled to the end then I think GG may have stayed, but no chance with the way this team crumbled down the stretch
Dallas: Hitchcock always felt like a Hail Mary short term play and if it doesn't work I think they may try something else.
St.Louis: Yeo was already on the coaching staff of a team that failed last year, and they didn't improve at all this year.

So that is probably 5 teams in the West that could see coaches fired. Plus I think Anaheim could make a change if they lose in round 1.

In the East:

Sabres: Have to think Housley gets more than one year with that Broken roster
Ottawa: Guy Boucher seems to have a really short shelf life and wears down his players quickly.
Montreal: Don't think they fire Julien...but he may want out if they go into more of a rebuild cycle
Detroit: Blashill's third year and Zetterberg had some scathing comments about the team's not playing for each other.
Islanders: Weight probably goes since they had a Flames like collapse.
Rangers: AV likely gets the ax here too.
Carolina: My guess is the new GM and Owner will clean house.
Florida: Don't think they'd fire the coach one season in.

So you have Boucher, Blashill, Weight, AV, Peters....another 5 in the East.

So yeah could easily see 10 coaches fired this offseason - makes sense though since none were fired during the season this year I think.

[Toonage]

While part of me is concerned the Flames won't go big game hunting (as may fear), I'm also buoyed knowing that almost any other coach is going to get more out of this team or at the very least they'll be more entertaining to watch.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Sometimes you want to see things like growth though and a lot of teams probably feel like the stagnated this year.

In the West:

Vancouver: Doubt they fire Travis Green
Arizona: Rick Tocchet, probably stays especially with the good run to end the season
Chicago: Would be crazy to fire Quennville IMO but I think that GM-Coach relationship is broken.
Edmonton: Feel like somebody has to take the fall for this season and T-Mac is probably the guy.
Calgary: If they would have battled to the end then I think GG may have stayed, but no chance with the way this team crumbled down the stretch
Dallas: Hitchcock always felt like a Hail Mary short term play and if it doesn't work I think they may try something else.
St.Louis: Yeo was already on the coaching staff of a team that failed last year, and they didn't improve at all this year.

So that is probably 5 teams in the West that could see coaches fired. Plus I think Anaheim could make a change if they lose in round 1.

In the East:

Sabres: Have to think Housley gets more than one year with that Broken roster
Ottawa: Guy Boucher seems to have a really short shelf life and wears down his players quickly.
Montreal: Don't think they fire Julien...but he may want out if they go into more of a rebuild cycle
Detroit: Blashill's third year and Zetterberg had some scathing comments about the team's not playing for each other.
Islanders: Weight probably goes since they had a Flames like collapse.
Rangers: AV likely gets the ax here too.
Carolina: My guess is the new GM and Owner will clean house.
Florida: Don't think they'd fire the coach one season in.

So you have Boucher, Blashill, Weight, AV, Peters....another 5 in the East.

So yeah could easily see 10 coaches fired this offseason - makes sense though since none were fired during the season this year I think.

Since the all-star break the Panthers are something like 19-5-3, most of that without Luongo. Best team in the league next to Nashville. No chance Boughner goes anywhere getting them to play like they are right now, especially with a roster that does have some significant holes in it. Cross him off the list.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Offensive talent is only half the equation. Two of the Flames top 4 D are poor defensively. Opposing forwards lick their chops when they see they're lined up against Brodie or Hamilton. Fans might want to stop and consider why neither of those guys has ever been in consideration for Olympics/World Cup rosters.

Come on, let's try to avoid making things up to make a point.

Brodie was definitely in consideration for the 2014 Olympic team. He and Giordano had a great year and I remember Babcock (I believe), and others from the Olympic team came to Calgary to scout Brodie for the team. Unfortunately, Brodie had a bad game, and a bad stretch, at the worst time possible, and his chances faded away. But he was without question, considered. And discussed extensively by the media as well.

Hamilton was 20. How he wasn't considered is truly puzzling . And it was a travesty that he wasn't on the under 23 team (likely due to the butt-hurt Oiler influence).

But hey, whatever fits the narrative.

[Toonage]

One more thing I want to bring up, why I want GG out quickly and a new (proven) coach brought in as soon as possible. Obviously you want that person in before the draft but I also want the new coach to have input on the players the team may be looking to move or acquire. Like many here I would hate to see players moved out prior to a new coach being brought in. This needs to be a total team effort from a managerial/coaching perspective.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Toonage

One more thing I want to bring up, why I want GG out quickly and a new (proven) coach brought in as soon as possible. Obviously you want that person in before the draft but I also want the new coach to have input on the players the team may be looking to move or acquire. Like many here I would hate to see players moved out prior to a new coach being brought in. This needs to be a total team effort from a managerial/coaching perspective.

Why? We basically dont have any picks that are likely to amount to anything for many years.

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by Locke

Why? We basically dont have any picks that are likely to amount to anything for many years.

Because of the personnel moves that accompany that weekend, and to my other point they may make moves prior to the draft to secure picks.

Edit: Sorry Locke, I added a note while you were replying. Not trying to move goalposts.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Because of the personnel moves that accompany that weekend.

I dont think you're going to see many. We dont really have the assets to make any major changes.

I think next year's Calgary Flames are going to look a lot like this year's.

[VilleN]

Originally Posted by Locke

I dont think you're going to see many. We dont really have the assets to make any major changes.

I think next year's Calgary Flames are going to look a lot like this year's.

I think we have the assets on D to go after a significant piece.

[Monahammer]

Turn Brodie into whatever assets we can get for him, same with Ferland, Stone, Frolik, and Brouwer (lol, yeah right).

If someone is willing to pay a 1st (even late) for Bennett I think we should take that and close the book on him. If not might as well hold on and see what happens.

If someone wants to give an overpay for Backlund, hamonic, or Gio, do it.

Those are assets with at least some value. I hope we see them moved to show the core players that we aren't willing to put up with mediocrity anymore. They won't be safe either after another year of play like that.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

Turn Brodie into whatever assets we can get for him, same with Ferland, Stone, Frolik, and Brouwer (lol, yeah right).

If someone is willing to pay a 1st (even late) for Bennett I think we should take that and close the book on him. If not might as well hold on and see what happens.

If someone wants to give an overpay for Backlund or Gio, do it.

Those are assets with at least some value. I hope we see them moved to show the core players that we aren't willing to put up with mediocrity anymore. They won't be safe either after another year of play like that.

This would be a mistake. I'd look at Bennett as a prime candidate to improve under a new coach, and I'd say the same for Brodie except I think he needs to transition back to the right side, and with Hamilton, Andersson and Hamonic poised to take those spots - Brodie could be a good trading chip.

Bennett has shown consistency issues, but a great skill-set, while under less than ideal circumstance. A new coach could be HUGE for him. I want that to be in Calgary, not elsewhere. Especially not for some piss-ass late round 1st, because we don't need to risk another Klimchuk/Poirier.

[Matty81]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

This would be a mistake. I'd look at Bennett as a prime candidate to improve under a new coach, and I'd say the same for Brodie except I think he needs to transition back to the right side, and with Hamilton, Andersson and Hamonic poised to take those spots - Brodie could be a good trading chip.

Bennett has shown consistency issues, but a great skill-set, while under less than ideal circumstance. A new coach could be HUGE for him. I want that to be in Calgary, not elsewhere. Especially not for some piss-ass late round 1st, because we don't need to risk another Klimchuk/Poirier.

Seconded... people need to chill on moving Bennett. He's 21 and inconsistent but at worst it seems like we have a 40 point a year player with some grit at his peak. That's a very solid 3rd liner with lots of value to the team. Best case scenario is like Backlund and he matures later into something even better.

Low odds a late first even makes the NHL let alone becomes a 2nd/3rd liner.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Hamilton was 20. How he wasn't considered is truly puzzling . And it was a travesty that he wasn't on the under 23 team (likely due to the butt-hurt Oiler influence).

A half-dozen NHL GMs and coaches conspired to keep Hamilton off the team. Or... he just isn't good enough.

Tough call.

[Erick Estrada]

I wouldn't rule out Ryan Huska being the replacement for Gulutzan. It appears there will be a lot of competition for any big name coaches and it could come down to money. BT really likes Huska so he's the guy I think may be the replacement but it will come down to Burke and Treliving's willingness to go with another unproven guy.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

A half-dozen NHL GMs and coaches conspired to keep Hamilton off the team. Or... he just isn't good enough.

Tough call.

Well...no.

In fairness that was Chicago, LA and San Jose in their prime so Keith/Seabrook were locks as were Vlasic and Doughty, then the list keeps going.

And Hamilton was 20.

I wouldnt say he never got any consideration but thats not the same as saying that Dougie Hamilton in his youth wasnt selected for the deepest team in the history of the sport.