The trials and tribulations of Glen Gulutzan

[Toonage]

960 just replayed it. I caught:

"we did a lot of good things put pucks to the net, just need more bodies around the net just keep working hard and trying hard and things will turn"

[Moneyhands23]

Originally Posted by Toonage

960 just replayed it. I caught:

"we did a lot of good things put pucks to the net, just need more bodies around the net just keep working hard and trying hard and things will turn"

What a joke. Bassicly just keep doing the same thing that doesnt work and hoping for different results. Bunch of duds

[Pointman]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Tippett's actually a pretty good coach. He was in Arizona far too long as every coach has a shelf life but I have no doubt he could turn this team around and I don't think it would be boring hockey. People tend to forget he had two 50+ win seasons in Dallas and averaged 45 wins a season over his six seasons there. Hell he had a 50 win season in Phoenix. That's right a 50 win season for the Coyotes. Anyone here go look up the last time the Flames won 50 games in a season. Really go look. Amazing how many people here have such short memories and as good as Darryl Sutter has been he's never coaches a team to a 50 win season so Tippett isn't exactly chopped liver.

1988-89 appears to be the only season in the Flames history with 50+ wins.

https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/CGY/

[CliffFletcher]

The hate for Dave Tippet on this board is weird. The guy is almost certainly going to get another head coaching job in the NHL. I have my doubts Sutter will.

I have a feeling that we'd be pleasantly surprised if Tippet was made coach, in the way a lot of people have been pleasantly surprised by Smith. Not everything the Coyotes did in the last 10 years was a tire fire.

[Geeoff]

IMO we should not hire Troy Brouwer to be the next coach.

[drewtastic]

Missed the segment, but did they say anything about the D Corps/Team D?

Sure Brouwer’s comments are frustrating, but fixing him ain’t gonna fix this team.

[Bourque's Twin]

The window of opportunity to win a cup in this league is short, unless you have 2 of the top 5 players in the league (Pittsburgh).

Teams like Vancouver, Chicago, Boston, LA, Washington, St. Louis, NYR, Philadelphia, and San Jose were all in the mix for the past 5 - 7 years. Any of these teams could still win a cup, but they are not going to be contenders year after year.

I feel like, on paper, this is the first year that Calgary could be a contender. They have a true top line, an elite 2nd line, a supposedly top-3 D core in the league, and an uncontested #1 goalie.

The last time the Flames were contenders was the mid 2000's. Iginla in his prime, Kipper in his prime, Langkow, Huselius, Tanguay, etc. Bad coaching hires ruined that team's chance. I'd hate for the same mistake to be made this time around.

Upper management needs to hire a proven coach who can keep the player's motivated and on track.

[nemanja2306]

Hiring coaches is a tricky business. Sometimes the guy you don't think will do good, does great on another team. IE, Mike Yeo. I remember two years ago, none of us wanted him as our coach and the Wild fans hated his guts. Yet, he's doing a great job with STL this year. So, it's really a coin flip sometimes.

I'd think Tippet would do good here, but I still prefer Sutter though.

[Toonage]

I am so fed up with what I've seen since the start of last season (when most fans were mocked by media for seeing the sames things the team is doing now) that I would accept an interim head coaching stint from Dave Cameron for a few weeks just to get Gulutzan away from the team. Even if the Flames go on another win streak (like last year) the truth is that they've started slow 2 years in a row and are still making the same systemic mistakes and can't seem to grip what they're being told to do. Making the playoffs can still happen, the season isn't lost or anything, but its such a slog getting there with this team that its a given next season would be more of the same.

[cannon7]

Would be surprised if Darryl Sutter would want to come back to this organization.

Agree that Tippett isn't the answer either. His only success was during the clutch and grab era, since then he's been a disaster.

Lindy Ruff is interesting, he coached a few Buffalo Sabres rosters with similar player makeups to the Flames and took them deep into the postseason. Although he hasn't done much since the Chris Drury edition of the Sabres. Game may have passed him by, too.

[dissentowner]

The thing is we can all gripe about the failings of GG but I would put strong money he will get the year to sink or swim regardless of what you or I think. Realistically the best thing we can hope for is GG figures out how to run his bench better and that in turn will lead to success. It is not GG's system that is the problem, it is the same system the Leafs, Penguins, and Blue Jackets all employ and they don't suck. My biggest concern is just how bad this D group is playing given their talent and I strongly suspect that is on Jerrard more than GG. If that is the case fire Jerrard and bring in a new D coach at least.

[SportsJunky]

Isn't Sutter still being paid by L.A.? They re-upped him a year before he got canned I think.

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Yeah, can’t understand the desire for Ruff or Tippett. Neither are very good coaches.

This team needs leadership, and go back and listen to guys talk about the team under Darryl Sutter - he set the tone. He was the leader. He’s also won two Stanley Cups in the “new” NHL in recent years. Sure, he may have a shelf life associated with him - but Tree has set this first window of opportunity to win as this season and next season - and I can’t think of a better head coach to drive a team hard for the next 2 years than Darryl Sutter.

It’s Darryl Sutter or bust, as far as I’m concerned. That’s who I want.

Thing is even if he has a short shelf life he would teach this team how to play to win. You would see an effort every night.

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

The thing is we can all gripe about the failings of GG but I would put strong money he will get the year to sink or swim regardless of what you or I think. Realistically the best thing we can hope for is GG figures out how to run his bench better and that in turn will lead to success. It is not GG's system that is the problem, it is the same system the Leafs, Penguins, and Blue Jackets all employ and they don't suck. My biggest concern is just how bad this D group is playing given their talent and I strongly suspect that is on Jerrard more than GG. If that is the case fire Jerrard and bring in a new D coach at least.

I don't think so. If the Flames miss the playoffs this season without a pick in the first two rounds, Treliving is guaranteed to be out. He will act before that.

The team simply cannot miss the playoffs and have not shown to be headed in a positive direction under Gulutzan.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

I don't think so. If the Flames miss the playoffs this season without a pick in the first two rounds, Treliving is guaranteed to be out. He will act before that.

I could see one of the assistants going first.

Probably Jerrard since he seems to be the one hand picked by Gulatzan, also coach of the d-core that is underachieving right now.

It would be interesting but I wouldn't be overly surprised if Jim Playfair came in as assistant coach on the backend. Worked with Tre is Phoenix, has ties to this organization, and is a decent defensive coach.

[Toonage]

Who knows, maybe Tippett shows up here as an assistant. Like Crawford in Ottawa.

[Infinit47]

So a quick Google search tells me the Flames had a 32-33 record in regulation play last year, and 32-37 if you include the playoffs. We were 18th in the league in regulation wins.

We have a losing record again this year in regulation.

At what point will this team realize Gulutzan is about a .500 coach who plays not to lose, instead of trying to win.

[bubbsy]

have we ever seen assistant coaches actually fired?!? It's usually the head coach first, assistant is named interim, and are all purged as soon as the next head coach is hired and brings his own staff.

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

have we ever seen assistant coaches actually fired?!? It's usually the head coach first, assistant is named interim, and are all purged as soon as the next head coach is hired and brings his own staff.

Chicago did it

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

I don't think so. If the Flames miss the playoffs this season without a pick in the first two rounds, Treliving is guaranteed to be out. He will act before that.

The team simply cannot miss the playoffs and have not shown to be headed in a positive direction under Gulutzan,

This is what I don't get. Treliving is just making this become his seat as the hot seat. Why the loyalty to a mediocre coach?

This will potentially be a third season where bad "decisions" cost a year of this core. The Wizard moniker is going to start looking pretty silly. I will easily grant though that Elliott wasn't a bad decision, just bad results, but this is a results based league.