Calgary Flames Coach Ranking - #6

[Bingo]

1. Darryl Sutter
2. Bob Johnson
3. Terry Crisp
4. Bob Hartley
5. Dave King

[Fire]

Bill Peters lead this team to first in the Western Conference last season and has the 2nd highest winning percentage of any former Flames coach except for Terry Crisp. He's my pick.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

He also had the worst scandal in franchise history, sullying the good reputation of the Flames brand. Peters is near dead last for me.

Went Keenan this round as he had some good performances out of his teams, but lacked the cohesion of systems necessary to be truly effective (famously never practiced the powerplay). He also softened in his later years, otherwise he may have found a way to get a little extra motivation out of his players at times. Still, a darn good coach who did comparatively well in his time here.

[Itse]

Al McNeil took the Calgary Flames to the conference finals in their first season. Nothing anyone else on that list has done comes close.

[nieuwy-89]

Brian Sutter is a favourite of mine. He had arguably the worst rosters and his teams were always competitive, hard-working, and played as a team.

Keenan, on the other hand, had arguably one of the most talented rosters with a Vezina goalie, and still couldn’t get the team past the first round.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by nieuwy-89

Brian Sutter is a favourite of mine. He had arguably the worst rosters and his teams were always competitive, hard-working, and played as a team.

Keenan, on the other hand, had arguably one of the most talented rosters with a Vezina goalie, and still couldn’t get the team past the first round.

To be fair, after 2004, nobody else could with the same group either.

[Red_Baron]

I guess no one remembers how few defensemen we had going into the 2009 playoffs.

I don't think you can put a first round exit on Keenan for 2009, too bad covid didn't happen that year.

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

To be fair, after 2004, nobody else could with the same group either.

I was going to say how even with Darryl Sutter, the Flames in game 7 in 06 at the Dome put in arguably the most embarrassing performance in a playoff for a team with big expectations that I've ever seen here, but I think the Colorado series last year actually surpassed that.

Personally I'm leaning towards Keenan or possibly Al MacNeil here. I get the argument for Peters, but given what's happened, I get why he's bound to get relegated to the bottom of this list.

EDIT: Yeah MacNeil over Keenan. Taking a team to the Stanley Cup semi-final in their first year in a new city is very impressive. Crazy how Edmonton lost in the other semi-final..how nuts would a BoA Stanley Cup Final in the first year of the Calgary Flames' existence been??

[Yrebmi]

I feel we didn't get to see Playfair at his best and he was dealt some bad luck in his limited tenure.

[WilliPlett]

I had a business meeting with Brian Sutter the day he got fired. He called me to cancel the meeting and said that he was going to Calgary to get fired. I always thought he was so classy to think about our meeting that day with so much else going on in his life that day.

[Buff]

Brian Sutter got a lot out of his players. We should have had a couple picks in the top 5 but he got his players to work hard to win a few more than they should have.

[FunkMasterFlame]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

He also had the worst scandal in franchise history, sullying the good reputation of the Flames brand. Peters is near dead last for me.

Went Keenan this round as he had some good performances out of his teams, but lacked the cohesion of systems necessary to be truly effective (famously never practiced the powerplay). He also softened in his later years, otherwise he may have found a way to get a little extra motivation out of his players at times. Still, a darn good coach who did comparatively well in his time here.

Peters actions took place a decade ago on a different team. The Flames reputation remains unsullied.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by Yrebmi

I feel we didn't get to see Playfair at his best and he was dealt some bad luck in his limited tenure.

My next vote goes to Jim

[Roof-Daddy]

Flames have quite a streak going since Darryl fired himself:

Playfair - never a head coach in the NHL again
Keenan - never a head coach in the NHL again
B. Sutter - never a head coach in the NHL again
Hartley - never a head coach in the NHL again
Gulutzan - probably never a head coach in the NHL again
Peters - probably never a head coach in the NHL again

And before Darryl they had a stretch with Page, Hay and Gilbert too, all guys who never coached in the NHL again.

Since Dave king was let go in 1995, they've had a stretch where 9 out of 11 coaches they had, ever head coached in the NHL again after the Flames fired them. Brian and Darryl Sutter the only two who went on to be a head coach in the league again.

You'd think they'd pull out all the stops and get the real deal one of these times.

[Rejean31]

Originally Posted by Sainters7

I was going to say how even with Darryl Sutter, the Flames in game 7 in 06 at the Dome put in arguably the most embarrassing performance in a playoff for a team with big expectations that I've ever seen here, but I think the Colorado series last year actually surpassed that.

Personally I'm leaning towards Keenan or possibly Al MacNeil here. I get the argument for Peters, but given what's happened, I get why he's bound to get relegated to the bottom of this list.

EDIT: Yeah MacNeil over Keenan. Taking a team to the Stanley Cup semi-final in their first year in a new city is very impressive. Crazy how Edmonton lost in the other semi-final..how nuts would a BoA Stanley Cup Final in the first year of the Calgary Flames' existence been??

Actually, Edmonton lost in the quarterfinals to the NYI that year. The semi-finals were Calgary/Minnesota North Stars and NYI / NYR.

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by Rejean31

Actually, Edmonton lost in the quarterfinals to the NYI that year. The semi-finals were Calgary/Minnesota North Stars and NYI / NYR.

Ahh, right you are sir! I knew they lost to the Isles that year, for some reason I thought it was the SF. On a side note, that 1 vs 16 format was cool, would be interesting to see that again.

[The Original FFIV]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Flames have quite a streak going since Darryl fired himself:

Playfair - never a head coach in the NHL again
Keenan - never a head coach in the NHL again
B. Sutter - never a head coach in the NHL again
Hartley - never a head coach in the NHL again
Gulutzan - probably never a head coach in the NHL again
Peters - probably never a head coach in the NHL again

And before Darryl they had a stretch with Page, Hay and Gilbert too, all guys who never coached in the NHL again.

Since Dave king was let go in 1995, they've had a stretch where 9 out of 11 coaches they had, ever head coached in the NHL again after the Flames fired them. Brian and Darryl Sutter the only two who went on to be a head coach in the league again.

You'd think they'd pull out all the stops and get the real deal one of these times.

Page coached one season with ducks after us, but point taken that we go into the recycling bin or go for up and comers.

Context is that this is not the most attractive place to coach and attract elite level coaches. Small market team, difficulty attracting top free agents, life in a fishbowl, rumors of heavy ownership involvement (at least in the past).

Coaches like AV are good to wait for a more lucrative post, such as Philly. Edmonton had to back up the brinks truck to get Tippett after years of losing and alienating their fan base. Fortunately we aren’t there yet and hope that ward or whoever they pick gives us some stability and a good run.

[agulati]

I voted for MacNeil this round. I’ll probably vote for Keenan next, followed by the two Sutters