[News] Head coach Bob Hartley fired; Associate coach Jacques Cloutier not returning

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Poe969

I think the Flames need a coach who can adapt more and has more than just one style of play.

Does this school of thought even exist in the NHL? Any time a team is struggling, all you hear from players/coaches/analysts is that they need to just play the system.

Maybe adaptation is considered an asset and it's just not talked about.

[FireGilbert]

Not very happy. Bob deserved another chance after the horrific goaltending he suffered through this year. I suppose I may change my mind if Boudreau is hired though.

[Mr.Coffee]

depending on replacement, this has high boring potential. And I say that as a guy that's slowly losing interest in the NHL over the long term. I find watching games harder and harder. Can't wait for a structural systems focused coach that potentially implements a boring uninspiring defensive system. Let's hope not, but a departure from Hartley may not be good.

[FlatLandFlamesFan]

With all respect to Bob the time was now.
Thanks for instilling a new culture in the team , and best of luck in your next stop.
not much more to add that hasn't been said but timing is everything at this stage in the rebuild.
and it is time for a new coach that was painfully obvious over the last season.

[debil]

Darryl Sutter contract ended. Just saying ...

[OzSome]

I was a bit surprised about this firing this morning. I am not sure how I feel about it because I like Hartley and I thought he did a great job with this team especially last season. Unfortunately there was a high expectation on this team this season after making the playoff last season. Some people were claiming Hartley got fired because he was difficult to play for. Some people that I talked to today was even claiming Monahan and Gaudreau does not like playing for Hartley and they are both due to sign a long contract. I think those claims were just absolutely crap. If Monahan and Gaudreau hated playing for Hartley how the heck these two just had a career season? Yes it was disappointing that the Flames missed the playoff but you cannot blame everything on Hartley. Treliving and others should get the blame too. I just thought Hartley should have given another chance next season. It is not like suddenly he became a bad coach in a year. Treliving must have seen an opportunity to hire another coach that's why he quickly made the changes. I guess we'll soon find out. I am just hoping Flames do not hire a boring defensive minded coach.

[kyuss275]

Thought he might get the start of next season to prove himself but not surprised that they wanted to start fresh for upcoming season. Hartley was with the flames for 4 years. Flames did well in one season under Hartely, and that was with an unobstainable amount of comebacks. Yes they made it to sencond round, but IMO if they didn't play the over age canucks the first round, they would have been in tough to make second round.

The defensive play coverage was horrible this year. It has to be better and if Hartely was set on running the same game plan as this year, he would have been fired before x-mas. Have to think GM asked Hartley what his gmae plan was for next season in exit interviews. Would love to hear Hartely's answer.

As for being difficult to play for there must be some truth to it. Not all players would feel that way obviously. Been hearing that for a couple of years. Burke said it best on radio today.... Hartely was a hard coach, and that's the way Burke likes his coaches, but admitted hard coach's have a shorter shelf life.

I'm amazed that Gelinas was not given his walking papers, but that will probably be up to new coach.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by kyuss275

Thought he might get the start of next season to prove himself but not surprised that they wanted to start fresh for upcoming season. Hartley was with the flames for 4 years. Flames did well in one season under Hartely, and that was with an unobstainable amount of comebacks. Yes they made it to sencond round, but IMO if they didn't play the over age canucks the first round, they would have been in tough to make second round.

The defensive play coverage was horrible this year. It has to be better and if Hartely was set on running the same game plan as this year, he would have been fired before x-mas. Have to think GM asked Hartley what his gmae plan was for next season in exit interviews. Would love to hear Hartely's answer.

As for being difficult to play for there must be some truth to it. Not all players would feel that way obviously. Been hearing that for a couple of years. Burke said it best on radio today.... Hartely was a hard coach, and that's the way Burke likes his coaches, but admitted hard coach's have a shorter shelf life.

I'm amazed that Gelinas was not given his walking papers, but that will probably be up to new coach.

He may not be retained on the coaching staff, however. In Nashville, he was working on the development side of things, and perhaps that is where he will end up? I haven't heard anything at all, but it could be a plausible reason for why he was retained.

[flamesfever]

Hockey in the dome during the past 2 years, under the coaching of Hartley, has been more enjoyable for me, than the previous 20 years, except for the 04 playoffs. I think he has managed to do wonders with what he had to work with, and wish him all the best in the future.

I am disappointed with the move, and expect a more boring brand of hockey to come.

[saillias]

Pinder & Warrener just told a story about Brayden Coburn at the 2015 trade deadline when he was traded to the TBL. Coburn apparently has a clause in his contract that he can't be traded to a team coached by Bob Hartley.

[Dr. Doom]

Sutter has got to be a strong candidate here...

Personally I think the main reason why would be Gio. If I recall Sutter basically gave Gio his shot when nobody else really knew who he was. He gave him that contract out of Russia if I believe as well. Also being the captain - and I am totally making assumptions here - I would think that Gio's input had a lot to do with the new coaching direction.

On top of that you have things like...

Sutter's truculent approach
Sutter's D approach
Sutter Alberta connection
Sutter's unfinished business here
The Phaneuf deal (ok I'm stretching it here haha)
Gelinas is still around (another Sutter connection)

Anyways I think it's a greater possibility than people think...

[FlamesAddiction]

I would take Darryl Sutter the coach in a heart beat. I love his pragmatic style. He isn't necessarily about "truculence", as much as he is about utility.

If you are a "truculent" player, you better be out there crashing and banging the best you can every shift because the game plan depends on it. And if you are a savvy playmaker, you better be creating scoring chances. Sutter is the type of coach that likes to play with a full deck and not just a team full of jacks.

[Table 5]

If the Flames tuned out Hartley because of his stubborn no-give personality, I'm not a sure another similar coach like Sutter is the answer. I think guys like Sutter work best when good teams on paper need a kick in the ass to get over the hump. I think the Flames still need someone who is more of a teacher than anything.

I actually find the Krueger suggestion to be the most interesting so far.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Table 5

If the Flames tuned out Hartley because of his stubborn no-give personality, I'm not a sure another similar coach like Sutter is the answer. I think guys like Sutter work best when good teams on paper need a kick in the ass to get over the hump. I think the Flames still need someone who is more of a teacher than anything.

I actually find the Krueger suggestion to be the most interesting so far.

I don't think SUtter and Hartley are different sides of the same coin.

Hartley strikes me a yelling/berating/button pushing coach in the mold of Mike Keenan.

Sutter strikes me as a guy who motivates by alternating praise and outright derision on his players.

[_Q_]

I do think this team is good on paper (minus goaltending obviously, but hopefully that can be fixed). I am intrigued by Sutter.... Not sure, however, if he'd be down to return to Calgary.

[Ashasx]

Renaud Lavoie‎@renlavoietva
With Bob Hartley gone, expect Randy Carlyle to be one of the candidates for the vacant job in Calgary. #flames #tvasports

It literally looks like every link the media has made are coaches with past connections to Burke.

[PeteMoss]

Noooooooo!

If they want possession I can't possible see how Carlyle could be considered.

[Ashasx]

I really don't believe Treliving would expect a hire like Carlyle to be taken well by the fans. I don't see a realistic chance of it being anyone like Carlyle/Eakins/Wilson etc.

Especially if Treliving wants possession hockey. Carlyle has proven to be the opposite. Are the Flames going to go from a coach who was disliked by his players to a coach who has been historically disliked by his players?

The only connection is Burke. Nothing more.

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Renaud Lavoie‎@renlavoietva
With Bob Hartley gone, expect Randy Carlyle to be one of the candidates for the vacant job in Calgary. #flames #tvasports

It literally looks like every link the media has been made are coaches with past connections to Burke.

They are all rushing out their "insight", so that they can be "the guy that called it first". I don't think there is any substance to what any of them say, except, oddly enough, Francis - he seems pretty sure it's Boudreau, and I am guessing he is getting his info from the ownership group. Whatever you think of Francis, he seems to get tidbits from on high...

[saillias]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Renaud Lavoie‎@renlavoietva
With Bob Hartley gone, expect Randy Carlyle to be one of the candidates for the vacant job in Calgary. #flames #tvasports

It literally looks like every link the media has been made are coaches with past connections to Burke.

The media won't have any leaks I think. This Flames regime, they haven't really leaked anything until the moment it happens. And usually that's Mackenzie or Dreger.