Coaching Changes?

[AcGold]

Originally Posted by Pointman

Several posters in different threads said, that GG is good tactician, analyst and bright hockey mind. Where this reputation comes from? It's not like he invented some brilliant ways to use our players, or has shown anything particularly bright and clever. It almost seems as people want to lambast GG for lack of commanding presence, but they feel the need to appear "fair" and "objective" so they mention that he is smart tactician, although there seems to be no evidence behind it.

Silly rhetoric. He's been giving seminars and lessons for years and is highly regarded in the hockey community. There are many videos of him hosting coaching seminars that were very beneficial for a lot of people. If you would take the time to investigate you would have seen his command of hockey strategy and analytics.

Nice over reaction though.

[Bandwagon In Flames]

I'm more than okay with GG's system as it seems to really benefit players who like to keep it simple. I think it has taken our top end guys some more time to figure out how to succeed within a structured system, but that doesn't make it a bad thing and I do believe this system offers a better chance for long term success.

We probably won't see that high flying team that was 6th in scoring 2 years ago, but I also never want to see what I saw last year from a team that managed to be 11th in scoring. Most frustrating loses I've ever seen and they had no answer and their only reaction was to look down in defeat.

Now this power play just needs to start clicking and we'll be set. It's starting to come around and I think we were unlucky to come out with 0 PP goals against Chicago.

[JTech780]

I think GG has taken a lot of unfair criticism. Is it his fault that Monahan injured himself training, before training camp even started? Is it his fault that Gaudreau waited till the very end of pre-season to sign a contract? Those are two really huge pieces of the offense that missed all of camp and pre-season, and GG had zero time to work with these players.

Hartley basically had no system, he told the players to just back up till they hit the crease in the defensive zone and told the forwards to head out to the neutral zone when it looked like the defense was going to get control of the puck. That isn't winning hockey.

Now Gulutzan has had to retrain most of the players to be able play within a system, it was going to take some time.

The last 3 games is the first stretch where you see everyone doing what they are supposed to do. I really like the increased zone time and pressure. Under Hartley the offense was very much a run and gun offense where the team scored off the rush, it also created a lot of one and done's, allowing quick transition offense for the other team. It was exciting to watch, but again it wasn't winning hockey. We are starting to see more of cycle game out of this team and I think that is a very good thing. Once the players figure out how to score a little more effectively off the cycle this team will take off.

The PP has turned a corner because of this improved cycle game. The puck might not be finding the back of the net as often as we would like to see, but the chances are there.

[Gaskal]

The list of Gulutzan coaching adjustments has shrunk greatly, but there are still things that need to be remedied.

• Special teams still suck
• Too much favoritism towards Vey/Chiasson
• Plays Wideman like 20min a night when he should be in the pressbox most games.
• Still lacking some charismatic leadership

Anyone else think of anything? I'm drawing blanks after that. But he's done a lot of good stuff too, it seems like 3 of our lines are now clicking, and that's with the absence of Johnny. The system actually looks decent when players are executing.

[SportsJunky]

I like that he has moved Bennett to the wing and that it is working.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

I would say this team turned the corner a little bit. Not quite all the way, but if you haven't seen improvement in the last 3 games, then you have to have the hate goggles on.

I was starting to really lean on the 'fire Gulutzan' side as things weren't improving overall with the play on the ice, and to confound the issue, the younger 'core' players all looked like they took a giant step back.

Things are definitely improving lately on both fronts, even with tonight's loss. Let's see what the next handful of games produces both as results and trajectories. I have said this in almost every post about the coaching staff - results don't quite matter as much right now as how the team is developing overall, since this team is not a Cup contender yet. Playoffs would be a great learning environment, but I am just really more concerned with getting this team playing solid systems and improving how they play, and improving the youth on this team as they will be the backbone of tomorrow's cup contenders.

Gulutzan has at least successfully stayed his execution. It will take more than one disorganized clustercrap of a game to make me lean that way once more, as every team has a few of those a season. I like where they Flames are trending - effort and playstyle - and I look forward to the next 5 games and see where those are trending.

Literally everything I was going to say, including the desire to fire them a few days ago. Things looked bad and I thought we may have had Eakins 2.0 as our coach. The team looks much more competent of late.

I actually noticed how eerily similar their style is to the Blackhawks. Not in every way, but many ways their style is exactly the same. Lots of skating, good sticks, not necessarily outmuscling guys, but winning key battles, making the safe play when there isn't a better one, puck support all over the ice, collapsing into the danger areas when the opposition starts to shoot but keeping pressure on the puck carrier until they're in a shooting position. The only major difference is the Flames prefer shots from the point with traffic, whereas the Hawks try to get it in the slot as much as possible.

[RedWinger89]

I hope this team doesn't go on a roll, fall back a bit, end up 10th and Ala "status quo" next season. Basically give false hope to the front office. Either finish dead last or be an elite team. No in between. This team caught lightning in a bottle two years ago.

If Glen is fired this season, Brad knows he's on the hot seat.

[tkflames]

Originally Posted by Gaskal

The list of Gulutzan coaching adjustments has shrunk greatly, but there are still things that need to be remedied.

• Special teams still suck
• Too much favoritism towards Vey/Chiasson
• Plays Wideman like 20min a night when he should be in the pressbox most games.
• Still lacking some charismatic leadership

Anyone else think of anything? I'm drawing blanks after that. But he's done a lot of good stuff too, it seems like 3 of our lines are now clicking, and that's with the absence of Johnny. The system actually looks decent when players are executing.

I believe the structural issues with GG are still the same (as you listed above). A PP goal last night in 5 chances vs the worst PK in the league would have changed the whole game. The quality of competition has also been lower than a Chicago/St Louis/San Jose/LA/Anaheim package we were playing the previous 10 days. This has allowed the system to show a bit better.

The other items that makes me a bit nervous is that while we roll 4 lines, our secondary scoring is still very poor. Great goaltending has masked this during the last week. Its great that we get possession up from our bottom two lines, but until Stajan & Hamilton's line can compensate for the top 2 lines (or the defense can start scoring at last years pace), we will continue to be inconsistent.

The biggest improvement I see in the team the last 3 games is between the mental aspect of the game. Against both Chicago & Arizona, they gave up the first goal, but managed to avoid falling appart and giving up the next one giving them a chance to get back into the games. Part of this has to do with CJ giving them some confidence with his stellar goal tending. Part of this should be credited to GG for getting the team to relax and change their body language/mentality.

One general observation--The team needs to play like they have this week in oder to make the playoffs every game. This is part of growing as a rebuilding team. However, if you get a chance to watch a team like Chicago without a vested interest in the outcome, you can very clearly see the difference in the level of effort required. Chicago works hard, but makes almost no mistakes. Their wins look "effortless" as a result and it allows them to run the table while still being "fresh" for the playoffs. The Flames in comparison make a lot more mistakes and when they play like they have this week are able to compensate by using skating and desperation plays to compensate. It will take the same level of effort for our team to make the playoffs until the core gets to the same mental state as Chicago. The risk is that we run out of steam enroute (similar to last year after our winning streak before Christmas).

Could be an interesting road trip coming up, but for the time being I remain in the "make a fundamental change in the special teams department immediately" camp.

[Stupid]

I hope we don't make any changes and let GG ride out the season in it's current capacity. Unless obvious home-runs become available I think we'll see progression this season which is where I set my bar for the Flames this season. Even if we miss the playoffs I think the season can still be a success as long as they're winning at the end of the season with a system that inspires confidence going forward.

I realize I'm in the minority but I think we'll be alright.

[Alberta_Beef]

Flames playing better in the last 3 games?

It's almost like it takes 15-20 games to really start seeing the results of a new system.

[VilleN]

Originally Posted by RedWinger89

I hope this team doesn't go on a roll, fall back a bit, end up 10th and Ala "status quo" next season. Basically give false hope to the front office. Either finish dead last or be an elite team. No in between. This team caught lightning in a bottle two years ago.

If Glen is fired this season, Brad knows he's on the hot seat.

It doesn't work that way. Progress is incremental. You don't go from being the worst team in the league to elite in one season... The Oilers couldn't do it after drafting the best player in over a decade.


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[1qqaaz]

Originally Posted by AcGold

Silly rhetoric. He's been giving seminars and lessons for years and is highly regarded in the hockey community. There are many videos of him hosting coaching seminars that were very beneficial for a lot of people. If you would take the time to investigate you would have seen his command of hockey strategy and analytics.

Nice over reaction though.

If his reputation comes from seminars and lessons, I think we have a problem.

I've seen several of his videos. He is a great speaker, and he does make a lot of good points. The guy clearly knows the details of the game better than almost anyone.

But execution and implementation are complex. You have to take individuals the roster into account. You have to make on the spot decisions. Plus, there are several other leadership qualities that are required.

Who would you rather hire as CEO of a company, a man with a PHD who is widely respected in the industry? Or a man who has been the CEO of 3 different companies, tripling the income of each of them?
Past records of success are much more important than just knowledge and speaking. Past records of success take implementation into account.

I do think they should keep Gulutzan, at least until the end of this season. Implementation can take time, and it would be silly to make a coaching swap so quickly. If Gulutzan remains awful for the entire season, the Flames will at least have a high draft pick.

[Strange Brew]

Not sure a 3 game stretch, good or bad, means anything. Very interested to see how Flames play while the season can still be saved. Should tell us a lot about this team (and. It just the coaching staff).

[Justin]

I found comparing the last several games to the games at the start of the year, you can see a big difference in this club. The effort has been there more recently, they seem to be buying into the system of a puck possession 5 man unit as oppose to chasing the puck all game. Lets face it, this is the first season in a while where the Flames have actually matched, outplayed and beaten teams that previously played keep-away for 60 minutes while the flames chased.

I'm cautiously optimistic lately regardless of the wins and losses, the team is finally competing for 60 minutes with the leagues top teams.

[Jetfire]

New article by Darren Haynes today wondering why Gulutzan tries guys like Vey and Chiasson on the power play instead of guys like Frolik, figured this was an appropriate spot to post it rather than start a thread:
http://www.flamesfrom80feet.ca/2016/...erplexing.html

I tend to agree with Haynes, Frolik is playing arguably the best all around hockey on the team right now, you'd think he would be given a chance over 4th line grinders.

[JohnnyT]

Darren Haynes
Darren Haynes – ‏@DarrenWHaynes

In 6 of 7 home losses, #Flames were within 1 goal with < 90 seconds to go. In those 6 games: 0-for-23 on PP, 13-for-22 on PK. That's insane.

[activeStick]

Originally Posted by Jetfire

New article by Darren Haynes today wondering why Gulutzan tries guys like Vey and Chiasson on the power play instead of guys like Frolik, figured this was an appropriate spot to post it rather than start a thread:
http://www.flamesfrom80feet.ca/2016/...erplexing.html

I tend to agree with Haynes, Frolik is playing arguably the best all around hockey on the team right now, you'd think he would be given a chance over 4th line grinders.

I thought the assistants run the PP and decide who's on which units? Is it the head coach?

[Gaskal]

Our top two forward lines last night (who were clicking well)

Bennett-Monahan-Brouwer
Tkachuk-Backlund-Frolik

Our two top forward PP units last night...

Bennett-Monahan-Vey
Tkachuk-Backlund-Brouwer



The hell is Cameron doing? Screws up the chemistry of both forward units that was going well, subtract your top scorer entirely, and hope that the PP scores? Wtf.

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by JohnnyT

Darren Haynes
Darren Haynes – ‏@DarrenWHaynes

In 6 of 7 home losses, #Flames were within 1 goal with < 90 seconds to go. In those 6 games: 0-for-23 on PP, 13-for-22 on PK. That's insane.

Ridiculous

[DeluxeMoustache]

The last few games have been encouraging.

I will say that I was mystified at the difficulty the team had gaining the zone and the failure to improve on it in the first 15 games.

The team had proven quite clearly that they could lose the games they deserved to lose.

They won a couple, then against Chicago found a way to lose a game they arguably should have won. I like how they stuck with it against Detroit.

There have been a lot of differing opinions here as of a few games ago, and many valid. The coaching staff change was made in an effort to improve, of course, and the results to that point were not up to par. Not only in terms of results, but in the seeming failure of the team to make incremental improvements. Zone entry attempts continued to be ineffective, the PP looked confused at best and the D was not containing the second and third chances that drove Ramo and Ortio out of the NHL.

I fully acknowledge that I view the coach as both strategist and motivator, and in light of the performance in games ~8-16 being quite concerned on both fronts. (Games 1-8 I accepted the excuse of new coach and no training camp for JG-Monny)

I suspect that the injury to Johnny may be a bit of a blessing in disguise. He got the payday but he can't generate offence from the press box.

I went to a couple of the Flames training camp sessions and saw GG's focus on coordinated zone exits. Over the first 15, the Flames failed to break out cohesively with speed and you could see how Hartley used speed to effect (at times) with the wingers stretching out the D and widening lanes. However, with GG, I see these coordinated breakouts finally starting to be executed effectively more often and it has been encouraging.

So I will acknowledge that those preaching patience seem to be reaping the rewards, but absolutely don't discount that after 15, there were few signs and legitimate concerns from the skeptics.

Bottom line, many teams in the league would love to be working with a Norris calibre captain like Gio, and a young core of players like Gaudreau, Monahan, Tkachuk, Bennett, Brodie and Hamilton. The excuses of missed training camp, new coaches, and a window to adjust are closed and what we see is the start of what we have. I am encouraged by the play since the time frame for excuses shut.