Bruins fire Julien

[troutman]

Do not want.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

As much as I want Julien or Hitchcock, it just seems so cold-blooded to fire a coach mid-season who's doing ok in most respects, and has improved many of the team's shortcomings from a year ago. To fire a guy who is doing exactly what was asked of him seems disingenuous, and I think it would reflect poorly on the Flames management group to do something like that without good cause.

Now if you can get Julien as a "special advisor" or some other bull#### title, just to get him into the franchise, do it ASAP.

While advanced stats may be better the results in the standings are almost identical despite better goaltending. It can't be understated that last season's Flames were saddled with historically bad goaltending. Not Winnipeg Jets bad, but historically bad to which you have to go back decades to see a team that had goaltending that bad. Now the goaltending this season hasn't been great but it's nowhere close to historically bad like last season so the fact this team is nearly identical in the standings is pretty discouraging and I'm pretty sure the owners can't be happy that they are paying Hartley to sit at home while his replacement is doing no better.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Trading away guys like Tyler Seguin and Dougie Hamilton for magic beans, and other great moves, probably has something to do with it.

Not only that but they still depend on a 39 year old Chara (ice time leader) like he was in his prime. That organization is a mess.

[FBI]

Originally Posted by kukkudo

If the Flames lose tonight they could be in a bad spot come next Monday. Bringing in a new coach over the break gives them a mini training camp of 5 days before the last push.

Now you have 25 or so games left for the players to learn the system before the season ends. When 2017-2018 training camp starts they should be ready off the get go you would think..

Flames can't practice over the 5 days.

[Igottago]

Go get him Flames. Keep Gulutzan on as assistant.

[nik-]

I doubt this happens. I don't think they've decided that Gulutzan isn't the coach yet. I wish they would. I'd much rather the growing pains of a new coach happen at the end of a middling season than during the first two months of a fresh one.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

It's funny how many are complaining Boudreau wasn't hired. IIRC, the opinions on CP were about 70-30 against hiring him and going for a younger guy.

On Julien, I guess the question is why the Bruins are floundering and why they haven't made the POs in the last 2.5 years.

Unhappy/angry people are usually the most vocal

[CaptainCrunch]

They're not going to fire GG

He has the Flames in or close to a Wildcard playoff spot, and except for that horrible stretch pre all star game had guided the Flames to a incredibly good record after the slow start.

The special teams are better.

There's no grounds for dismissal and GG will get every chance to finish this season and probably get next season as well unless the flames stumble badly at the start of next season.

As for CJ he's going to end up being the guy in Las Vegas, plus he's got two years left in his contract so he's not going to rush out and join any team.

[nemanja2306]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

They're not going to fire GG

He has the Flames in or close to a Wildcard playoff spot, and except for that horrible stretch pre all star game had guided the Flames to a incredibly good record after the slow start.

The special teams are better.

There's no grounds for dismissal and GG will get every chance to finish this season and probably get next season as well unless the flames stumble badly at the start of next season.

As for CJ he's going to end up being the guy in Las Vegas, plus he's got two years left in his contract so he's not going to rush out and join any team.

I wouldn't call it incredible good.

Average at best.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by nemanja2306

I wouldn't call it incredible good.

Average at best.

I think it was the 5th hottest in the NHL at one time. But I could be wrong.

[Computerjungle]

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

While advanced stats may be better the results in the standings are almost identical despite better goaltending. It can't be understated that last season's Flames were saddled with historically bad goaltending. Not Winnipeg Jets bad, but historically bad to which you have to go back decades to see a team that had goaltending that bad. Now the goaltending this season hasn't been great but it's nowhere close to historically bad like last season so the fact this team is nearly identical in the standings is pretty discouraging and I'm pretty sure the owners can't be happy that they are paying Hartley to sit at home while his replacement is doing no better.

Underperformance has been the biggest issue, but instead of the goalie's single-handedly ruining the team's place in the standings, this has been a collective effort, mostly from our top players both at forward and defense.

I somewhat expected that to happen this year, as it's the first time these young players have ever had to play a structured system instead of free-wheeling and doing whatever they wanted. It was clear through training camp that most of the player's were struggling with the adjustment.

Crucify Gulutzan for that failure if you want, but overall I see the team making the transition from a Maple Leafs style of team, that's all about high flying plays based purely on skill, to a team that has learned how to play a winning style of hockey, and is poised to make a serious playoff run once they get a couple more key pieces in the lineup.

I was under no illusions that this team would be any better than a playoff bubble team this year, and they're right where I expected them to be, with the added bonus of looking much better in just about every aspect of the game (team defense, neutral zone play, power play, penalty killing, face-offs, possession, etc.). The only thing that has suffered a little this year is 5 on 5 offense, but I'm happy to trade that for progress in all the other areas I mentioned.


Oh, and don't forget, the team tanked right after Ramo got injured right around this time last year because Hiller was just that terrible. With halfway decent goaltending down the stretch I imagine they would have been fighting for a playoff spot.

[Computerjungle]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkY4fXdkzXg

this should help with the switch

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

They're not going to fire GG

He has the Flames in or close to a Wildcard playoff spot, and except for that horrible stretch pre all star game had guided the Flames to a incredibly good record after the slow start.

The special teams are better.

There's no grounds for dismissal and GG will get every chance to finish this season and probably get next season as well unless the flames stumble badly at the start of next season.

As for CJ he's going to end up being the guy in Las Vegas, plus he's got two years left in his contract so he's not going to rush out and join any team.

I agree with you that GG is not about to get canned but let's not cherry pick the Flames record. Every team looks great if you take out their bad stretches. 50+ games into the season the Flames are about a .500 team.

[Igottago]

The only question the team should be asking is, which coach has the best chance of taking this team to the next level in the next couple of seasons. If they genuinely feel Gulutzan is that guy, then fine, stick with him. But don't do it just because optics and timing are bad, or because the team is doing fine. There's a big difference between doing fine and becoming an elite team. The organization should be asking itself if it currently has the personnel to get there. If not, they have to be opportunistic when these situations arise.

[polak]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

They're not going to fire GG

He has the Flames in or close to a Wildcard playoff spot, and except for that horrible stretch pre all star game had guided the Flames to a incredibly good record after the slow start.

And if you take out that one good stretch, the team has been historically bad....

[topfiverecords]

Any coach that kept the Canucks from winning a cup is always welcome on my Flames. Especially one who did it using a Chia adjusted roster.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by SixPoundBurrito

And if you take out that one good stretch, the team has been historically bad....

That's not even remotely true.

[the2bears]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

I agree with you that GG is not about to get canned but let's not cherry pick the Flames record. Every team looks great if you take out their bad stretches. 50+ games into the season the Flames are about a .500 team.

Funny thing, though, if he made the bad start the emphasis no one complains about "cherry picking". As it was, he clearly mentioned the bad start and talked about the record since.

[BigFlameDog]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

It's funny how many are complaining Boudreau wasn't hired. IIRC, the opinions on CP were about 70-30 against hiring him and going for a younger guy.

On Julien, I guess the question is why the Bruins are floundering and why they haven't made the POs in the last 2.5 years.

It's not many...it's the same 30% they just never shut up about it.

I always try to go back a few pages when I get super frustrated on CP, then I realize it's the same posters saying the same thing over and over making it feel like a mob.