The trials and tribulations of Glen Gulutzan

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Brick

And, at the moment, the Calgary Flames are a lottery team.

Outstanding. At what point does it actually become a problem for them? When do they try to fix it?

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Brick

And, at the moment, the Calgary Flames are a lottery team.

And unfortunately they don’t have a lottery ticket. sigh...

[MisterJoji]

Originally Posted by Brick

And, at the moment, the Calgary Flames are a lottery team.

With 0 lottery picks.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

I'm just going to copy my thoughts from the PGT of last night's game:

I'll say this about the mental preparation:

Yes, the players are accountable for their own mental preparation and they also need to take cues from the coaching staff on how to mentally prepare and what to focus on. They did a great job of this against St. Louis and they knew exactly how they needed to play to beat that team. But whatever worked against the Blues just didn't work at all against the Habs tonight, and it wasn't just a slight drop in play, it was night and day. THAT is what's concerning to me.

It seems to me that Gulutzan and Co. are probably putting together adequate game plans for most opposing teams, and when the Flames are motivated properly and mentally ready, they can be one of the most effective teams in the league and can beat anybody.

The problem is they are just not ready to play about 1/3rd of the time...maybe more often. Now if it was a game here or there, I could live with it, but it's becoming such a common theme with this team under this coaching staff, going back to the beginning of last year. It's beyond frustrating to see a team be so effective against the top competition in the league and play such thorough and complete games, and then turn around 2 nights later and basically not be able to do anything well and take 50 minutes to find their game again. That makes no sense to me. Even if they had a bad first period, the coaches should know what to do at this point to get the team back on track. The fact that they cannot seem to do that means they are not dialed into these player's mental outlook, individual motivations, tendencies etc. They've spent enough time around these players that they should be able to see signs of bad nights early on and make the necessary adjustments quickly to get them back on track within the same period, never mind the same game.

It's one of two things at this point: 1) The players are tuning out the same message over and over again from the coach because it's not delivered in a way that's very effective, or 2) The coaches have zero idea on how to reach these players and it's never going to get any better.

In either scenario, coaching IS the problem. The coach is still responsible for the final results in a season for the entire team, and the players are responsible for their individual performances. On the balance of the season, I'm betting that most players will probably get a passing grade from management, but I doubt the coaching staff will get that same pass. As always, it's easier to fire 1-3 coaches than replace 23 players.

It sucks, because I LOVE the system that Gulutzan gets them to play and I think it's a Stanley Cup contending team using that system....IF he could get them to play somewhat consistently. Being as that he can't seem to do that, the system's effectiveness is lost, so they may as well not be trying to play that system any way.

I'd take an imperfect system, with excellent effort every night over this. I just don't have the patience for this any longer. I'm now reluctantly on the fire Gulutzan bandwagon. I'll give him until the end of the year to figure this out, but if they don't get one of the top 3 spots in the division, he deserves to lose his job.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

I'll give him until the end of the year to figure this out, but if they don't get one of the top 3 spots in the division, he deserves to lose his job.

This team doesn't have until the end of the year. With no picks in the first three rounds of the upcoming draft, it is clear that the management team was pushing in all of their chips in belief they had a the hand to take the pot. If this team does not earn a top three spot in the division there needs to be a house cleaning of epic proportions. Everyone needs to be fired, from Burke right down to the guy who replaces the urinal cakes. This would be such an epic failure that only a scorched earth policy should be an acceptable response. The reason I say this is because this outcome will only have been achieved by a display of systemic arrogance and pride that would prevent the appropriate decisions from being made to correct specific actions as they have taken place throughout the season. This should be a management team scrambling to correct obvious shortcomings, but they instead navel gaze and try to sell the mantra of "it's a process and it takes time." Feaster and Weisbrod were lambasted for giving off the air that they were the smartest guys in the room, but the only difference I see between them and the guys running the ship right now is the guys right now can't admit they make mistakes or their own failures. They can prove me wrong by firing Gulutzan before the New Year.

[taco.vidal]

Treliving done goofed when he hired the GlueGun. This is a worse hire than Dallas Eakins. Did Treliving think he was outsmarting the NHL by going off the board with GlueGun? Im not sure what potential Treliving saw in the Gluegun.


Ive tuned out the Gluegun when listening to his postgame excuses. I can barely stand to listen to him or look at him. If thats how I feel, I cant imagine how bad it is for the players on the team

[Gaskal]

Taking a look at this 6 game chunk next part of the schedule here. All up against the West, some of them tough divisional rivals. This is likely the period we'll be looking back on at the end of the season as the make or break point.

@SJ
@ANA
CHI
LA
ANA
@MIN

Gulutzan needs to get 9pts out of these next 6 games (4-1-1) or I think he's shown his walking papers. He's probably assured Treliving this team is performing well and should start winning consistently more than once now this season... I'm guessing one of these conversations happen around the time CP is clamoring towards firing. But we're still sitting out of a playoff spot and steadily running out of rope in a fiercely competitive Western Conference.

[868904]

The most frustrating aspect about this whole situation is that there is a clear upgrade at the coaching position sitting on a farm somewhere in Alberta.

Treliving always talks about always looking to improve the team, well the biggest improvement you can make is available. It's like if there was a prime Brett Hull available to sign as a UFA but the Flames won't sign him because Ferland, Frolik, Hathaway and Brouwer are already there and filling in "decently".

Trading for a top line RWer would improve the team, but it would only improve one aspect of the team and likely weaken another with the assets you'd have to give up.

The Flames have the opportunity to improve the entire team with one easy decision with no asset loss.

GG has been given enough rope already, and he's hung himself with it. Does he honestly look like a coach who can lead a team to a Stanley Cup?

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by taco.vidal

Treliving done goofed when he hired the GlueGun. This is a worse hire than Dallas Eakins. Did Treliving think he was outsmarting the NHL by going off the board with GlueGun? Im not sure what potential Treliving saw in the Gluegun.


Ive tuned out the Gluegun when listening to his postgame excuses. I can barely stand to listen to him or look at him. If thats how I feel, I cant imagine how bad it is for the players on the team

I’d say that if is probably silly to project your emotions as a fan on to the players. I imagine their feelings about their coach are far deeper than “can’t stand to look at him”

[N-E-B]

Gulutzan lost me when he called out Gaudreau after the Sharks game. Nothing he said was wrong, but of all the guys to call out this year he chose his leading scorer and best player? It didn't sit well with me. That's something you say behind closed doors, not to the media.

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

And unfortunately they don’t have a lottery ticket. sigh...

Not a lottery pick, but look no further than Backlund if they want to recoup a 1st round pick. Make the playoffs, and they likely get to work on an extension in the off season. Miss? He gets moved for a 1st rounder. Not a top pick most likely, but I think thats where its headed.

[IamNotKenKing]

Originally Posted by N-E-B

Gulutzan lost me when he called out Gaudreau after the Sharks game. Nothing he said was wrong, but of all the guys to call out this year he chose his leading scorer and best player? It didn't sit well with me. That's something you say behind closed doors, not to the media.

He didn’t really call out Gaudreau. He was asked a specific question about that specific play, and answered it.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Is Johnny above criticism? That was a terrible play that cost his team at least one point. Why can’t that be said?

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Not a lottery pick, but look no further than Backlund if they want to recoup a 1st round pick. Make the playoffs, and they likely get to work on an extension in the off season. Miss? He gets moved for a 1st rounder. Not a top pick most likely, but I think thats where its headed.

Definitely an option. But might be 15 to 20 picks later in the first round. Unless another bubble team wants to take a run at him. So could be the difference between Monahan and Poirier.

[thymebalm]

I fail to understand how GG still has his job when the Flames are not in a playoff spot at Christmas break. It’s about results- I don’t care about the system, preparation, intangibles... we finally have depth and goaltending and it’s being wasted in a year where we don’t have a first round pick.

I’m surprised no coaches have been fired in the NHL so far this year, but Calgary has to be one of the most underperforming teams league wide.

[Backlunds_socks]

Can we get a poll ? Keep or fore GG?

[Vinny01]

Is it me or has it been a really long time since we heard from Treliving?

The season has been a pretty big disappointment. The team has been worse than mediocre on home ice and appear to have taken a step back despite upgrades to key positions and internal improvement of young players.

This is a team that under Gulutzan fails to show up to big games and has been embarrassed several times against the Leafs, Oilers, Habs, Ducks etc.

As much as Elliott costing the team game 3 in the playoffs last year their collapse was classic Gulutzan Flames hockey. There is no mental toughness with this group. Show all the motivating videos you want Glen but it is not getting through to this group.

As much as it sounds like the players despised Hartley by the time he was let go this group has proved to me they can’t move forward with the nice guy coach. If they hire Sutter this team will lock things down defensively and make the playoffs while potentially making a run. He might only be a 3 year coach but Treliving needs to address this and do it soon

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Backlunds_socks

Can we get a poll ? Keep or fore GG?

They probably want to wait until a win to make that poll. (Just kidding) But yeah, I'd like to see one put up. No fancy questions, just - Do you want Gulutzen to continue coaching or do you want a new coach.

[Kybb79]

A poll would be nice.

[N-E-B]

Originally Posted by Wild GM

Is Johnny above criticism? That was a terrible play that cost his team at least one point. Why can’t that be said?

Absolutely not, and I didn't mean to suggest that. But I didn't like the answer he gave to the question. If anyone has earned a break, Johnny is probably the one.