Coaching Changes?

[corporatejay]

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.

They should all be fired for this stat alone. This is completely unacceptable.

[Erick Estrada]

The guy's on a one year deal so he's either going to show he's worthy of an extension through increased play or the team will move on to another head coach. Team has had two short stretches of solid play littered around a lot of bad hockey but with just over 60 games left he's got time to convince management he's the guy.

[Fire]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

The guy's on a one year deal so he's either going to show he's worthy of an extension through increased play or the team will move on to another head coach. Team has had two short stretches of solid play littered around a lot of bad hockey but with just over 60 games left he's got time to convince management he's the guy.

He's very likely NOT on a one year deal. Bingo already confirmed with CapFriendly that the 1 year on their site is just a place holder. Most likely GG signed a 3 year deal like almost every coach with similar experience would have done.

[madmike]

5-on-5 the Flames are actually a top-10 team in CF%, which is what management wanted.

At this point it's the atrocious special teams that are killing them.

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by madmike

5-on-5 the Flames are actually a top-10 team in CF%, which is what management wanted.

At this point it's the atrocious special teams that are killing them.

The special teams will come. This PP is already looking a lot better in recent games. They are moving the puck around well and getting good looks. They have been unlucky not to score.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Fire

He's very likely NOT on a one year deal. Bingo already confirmed with CapFriendly that the 1 year on their site is just a place holder. Most likely GG signed a 3 year deal like almost every coach with similar experience would have done.

I'm just going with what they had at the site and I always felt one year was very odd so if he's under contract for 2 or 3 years that makes sense to me. Regardless I don't think he's a slam dunk to return next season unless the team can put their early struggles behind them.

[FlamesAddiction]

GMs have little flexibility these days when it comes to roster changes. Personally, I think coaching is more important now that it ever has been. Due to the cap, the relative parioty and the types of contracts that are common these days, trades and signings are extremely difficult to make. A good coaching staff can be the difference maker.

[Toonage]

While I don't expect them to can Gulutzan this season, I do think (hope) they will replace the assistants. If the season continues to go downhill then one of those assistants can step in as the head coach until the off season. At that time I hope ownership is willing to pay for a coach with a little more experience and a winning pedigree.

[Igottago]

As long as they grind out a few close wins here and there and the system looks "visually" like its working at times the illusion of improvement will keep Treliving and some fans from wanting this coach gone.

But we are what, 21 games in now? All I've noticed is most of the best players struggle, a system that doesn't take advantage of their skills, a team that looks offensively neutered, boring hockey and a lack of results. More important than the stats is I can only point to 2 or 3 games where I thought this team actually looked like they were starting to look like a good hockey team. Even the more recent wins seem more like a team desperately trying not to get any worse than a team that was gaining confidence in its system and abilities.

Also the special teams say it all.

[united]

Originally Posted by madmike

5-on-5 the Flames are actually a top-10 team in CF%, which is what management wanted.

Corsica has them 11th (50.8%)
Puckon . net has them 21st (48.6%)

Depending on adjustment (method) they are getting closer.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Igottago

As long as they grind out a few close wins here and there and the system looks "visually" like its working at times the illusion of improvement will keep Treliving and some fans from wanting this coach gone.

But we are what, 21 games in now? All I've noticed is most of the best players struggle, a system that doesn't take advantage of their skills, a team that looks offensively neutered, boring hockey and a lack of results. More important than the stats is I can only point to 2 or 3 games where I thought this team actually looked like they were starting to look like a good hockey team. Even the more recent wins seem more like a team desperately trying not to get any worse than a team that was gaining confidence in its system and abilities.

Also the special teams say it all.

How many wins came in regulation? I lost track, but it seems like even when they win, they are really struggling to do it.

[automaton 3]

I understand Treliving moving slowly and thoughtfully as part of his "process". Making hasty decisions is generally not a recipe for long term success.

But there comes a point where the evidence is mainly pointing in one direction. I believe there is no point in delaying a decision, the coaching staff hires were a mistake for this team and this needs to be rectified immediately and decisively.

The season "could" still be salvaged at this point but it grows more unlikely with every game.

[Racki]

I bet that the Oilers brass also felt that the players were suddenly going to have a "eureka" moment during Eakins tenure. I'm sure that there was a feeling that at some point it would all come together and the boy wonder's brilliance would shine through, the team would find success. It never happened, never would have. The system was bunk and the team was a mess.

We are repeating history three hours south. I have no more faith that we will suddenly make sense of Gulutzan's system. I just hope that we don't win too much and play ourselves out of a top 5 pick.

[polak]

This is the system you get when all you care about is BS shots to help your corsi or whatever. The sad part is I'm pretty sure it's not working for their corsi either.

[MisterJoji]

Have we ever found out concretely that GG's contract is only 1 year? The team has been playing better as of late, especially defensively, but I can't imagine he gets a new deal in the high likelihood that we miss the playoffs. Then it's time to can everyone. Gulutzan, Jerrard, Cameron, Sigalet, Gelinas, Pringle, van Asten can all go.

[Toonage]

No idea what his term is. Could be 1 could be more. He's a guy that had to uproot his family so maybe they needed to offer some security. At the same time he's a guy looking to get another head coaching job in the NHL and theres only 30 (31 next year) available. So he takes 1 year on a show me sort of deal.

I subscribe to my own conspiracy theory that the Flames owners didn't want to pay big money so my guess is he's on a 1 year deal.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Racki

I bet that the Oilers brass also felt that the players were suddenly going to have a "eureka" moment during Eakins tenure. I'm sure that there was a feeling that at some point it would all come together and the boy wonder's brilliance would shine through, the team would find success. It never happened, never would have. The system was bunk and the team was a mess.

We are repeating history three hours south. I have no more faith that we will suddenly make sense of Gulutzan's system. I just hope that we don't win too much and play ourselves out of a top 5 pick.

That's a bit of a worry I have and a reason I hope the team either gets on track and gets in the playoff mix or totally collapses and finishes at the bottom of the league. At least one way or another you know exactly what you have in the coach. Anything in between you are putting a lot of faith in blind hope.

[polak]

Sucks that Nolan Patrick isn't even that good.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Flames have been looking better 5vs5 in the last segment of games - not just in terms of CORSI (lol), but in actually generating sustained pressure and better shots from higher danger areas.

The first couple of segments (let's arbitrarily call a segment a 5 game stretch) they were only good on CORSI. They would have sustained pressure at times, but nothing SEEMED too dangerous.

That's an improvement. Question is, will it continue to improve? Flatten-out? Was it just 'lucky' lately? Running into teams that are under-performing themselves? Time will tell.

I still stand by that Gulutzan has earned the right to coach for another 10 games (and that right is just in my own mind - no idea if Treliving agrees or disagrees, or whatever his mindset is). I am interested to see where he takes this team now, though I have some very huge reservations and really still don't have much confidence in his abilities thus far.

I have personally written this season off as far as playoffs go - though the Flames are rather lucky being in the division they are and being within striking distance still. All I want to see is improvements.

I will want Gulutzan to stay on as a head coach next year if:

1) The 'core' of this team looks like they are progressing in their game
2) The team has seemingly corrected the PK and PP issues and, erasing the first 2-3 months of the season from the stats, are at least middle of the pack in that area (in my mind, having 'fixed' the issues, but I would expect the overall total stats would remain terrible)
3) Getting the defence to play good defence
4) This team will at least be close to the playoffs - in the pack anyways, not in the pack(s) far from playoffs

If he hasn't fixed the above, I would hope that Treliving tries another coach next season - hopefully sooner than that to better prepare this team. It doesn't have to come at the midpoint of the season, but it would be nice to get a coach in that can see firsthand what the possible issues this squad has, and take the summer to really figure things out.

All of this is pretty meaningless if there are no experienced coaches with a good track record available. I am not sure I want to bring in another rookie coach and start from scratch again, except maybe if it is Nate Leaman (and in this case, I fully admit to me perhaps irrationally and nostalgically comparing him to Bob Johnson).

I don't see anyone available that I would consider would be a coach I would want for 2-3 years. I am not looking for 'better than Gulutzan', but rather the next coach for the next few years. Going through a bunch of coaches will only further hurt the team, IMO.

What I do wish is that, unless Gulutzan has this team completely turned around and performing well (including all the points above), is that Treliving acts quickly if someone with very good qualifications becomes available during the season. Let's say Quenneville gets axed in Chicago, that the Flames swoop in right away. Something like that (yeah, not going to happen, but you get the idea). This team has had less competent coaches than I can count on one hand since they moved to Calgary.

We have been lucky to see what good coaches can do here:

1) Badger Bob and his '7 point plan' on defeating the Oilers - the juggernaut of the NHL at the time.
2) Darryl Sutter taking a rag-tag bunch of scrubs and got them playing like a well-oiled machine all the way to the finals.
3) Hartley - who is both loved and hated on these boards - unexpectedly got this rebuilding squad to play as a team into the 2nd round of the playoffs
4) Crisp for winning the cup - but that was such a veteran and well-coached team from Johnson's years, but he won the cup.

Conversely, we have seen what a terrible professional coach can do - Greg Gilbert, Don Hay (who was the next 'up and coming' guy out of Junior), and the like. Even a Keenan who seemed to be semi-retired here.

Gulutzan MIGHT still end up a good coach, but he hasn't exactly inspired much confidence. This team is still making a tonne of boneheaded decisions, is putrid on special teams, and I have yet to see a game where everyone is on the same page and performing well. The last point is what I notice good coaches getting out of their teams - getting all the lines and defensive pairings playing well.

That is why I like Hartley - call that year a fluke if you like, but all 4 lines and all 3 defensive pairings were playing well. Gulutzan hasn't improved over Hartley thus far - and I don't care about advanced stats, it is the results and the bone-headed defensive plays that happen that I care about - but hopefully there will be an improvement soon.

Just hoping that Treliving has his hand ready over the 'eject' button if a well-respected and established coach with a proven track record (and Stanley cup wins?? Too much to ask??) becomes available.

[The Fonz]

Originally Posted by polak

Sucks that Patrick Nolan isn't even that good.

Such a bad post, for multiple reasons.