Info on Previous Flames Coaches

[Tabaracci_31]

Hey CP!

I haven't posted a thread (or at all, really!) in awhile. Lately, I've been curious about some of the previous Flames coaches. I'm wondering if any of you pals can provide some background info on the following coaches. Details like fan reception to their hiring/firing, how players/fans liked them during their tenure, what they were known for, if there were any other serious candidates in the running before their hire, etc. Thank you kindly for any info! I'm thinking of:

- Johnson (more the reaction/circumstances around him leaving)
- Crisp
- Risebrough (coaching only, haha!)
- King
- Page

Thanks for any contribution! Stay rad, CP!

[Northendzone]

I would have to think that everytime a coach is fired, the fan reaction is mixed as some fans will love the coach and think the team made a mistake firing him, and others are ready to go to his house and help him pack

for the most part, I think players will rarely speak publically about their real reaction, other than blaming themselves. I believe Sarich's recent comments on Hartley, represent one of the few times where a hockey player stated publically his true feelings on a coach, without pulling out the old "I was misquoted" comments 36 hours later.

[Tabaracci_31]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

I would have to think that everytime a coach is fired, the fan reaction is mixed as some fans will love the coach and think the team made a mistake firing him, and others are ready to go to his house and help him pack

for the most part, I think players will rarely speak publically about their real reaction, other than blaming themselves. I believe Sarich's recent comments on Hartley, represent one of the few times where a hockey player stated publically his true feelings on a coach, without pulling out the old "I was misquoted" comments 36 hours later.

Yeah, totally fair! Thanks for the response.

Perhaps I'll re-tool the thread a little bit. Looking at the team's run of regular season success in the 80's into the mid-90's, I'm most curious about the hires of Crisp, Risebrough and King. Were there other names seriously in the mix? What was each coaches style, as it were? Anyone have specific memories/experiences they'd want to share?

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Tabaracci_31

Hey CP!

I haven't posted a thread (or at all, really!) in awhile. Lately, I've been curious about some of the previous Flames coaches. I'm wondering if any of you pals can provide some background info on the following coaches. Details like fan reception to their hiring/firing, how players/fans liked them during their tenure, what they were known for, if there were any other serious candidates in the running before their hire, etc. Thank you kindly for any info! I'm thinking of:

- Johnson (more the reaction/circumstances around him leaving)
- Crisp
- Risebrough (coaching only, haha!)
- King
- Page

Thanks for any contribution! Stay rad, CP!

Johnson was a terrific coach but for some reason some vets didn't like him. Lanny and Peplinski in particular. That said, I'm not sure if that was a reason or there was something else other than he really wanted to run Hockey USA.

Crisp was the minor league affiliate head coach and had done very well there. So he was a fairly obvious candidate. I can't recall if there was a big search for a coach, or they just wanted him all along. He was fired because of the poor PO results when the Flames thought they had a dynasty on their hands.

Risebrough was an assistant and was really popular with the players. I remember Macinnis saying something like "we'd skate through a wall for Riser". The wall won, they didn't do well in the POs (again). Plus, he was promoted to AGM as well, and the GM when Fletcher left. His resignation was more to do with the perception that both jobs were too much for him (realding to the Gilmour trade).

King IIRC was actually the result of an actual deliberation and not just the "promote from within" mentality that put Crisp and Risebrough in. King was widely regarded as one of the best coaches not in the NHL. They gave him his full contract to try and do better, but they never won a PO round. So they didn't renew.

Risebrough hired Page who had once been an AC with Calgary, in the pre-cup years. He'd been a head coach for a couple teams. I think they wanted an Xs and Os guy and supposedly he was one. He had one good season and then they missed the POs so he was fired.

Brian Sutter was a veteran coach, a home town guy, with a lousy team to coach. Wasn't fired, just wasn't renewed.

Don Hay was a terrific junior coach and then a terrible NHL coach and then a terrific junior coach. Gilbert was his assistant so I am really not sure why they thought he'd be better than Hay. Anyway, he took over as interim coach when Hay was fired and somehow got the job the next year Gilbert's team actually got off to a great start (which I think coincided with the really good run Turek had). But then they sucked and he fought with Marc Savard, and after the following year got off to a brutal start he was fired. Then along came Darryl.

Really, I think the Flames have only had two top level coaches. I know I sound like a GG defender at times but he's only OK in my books. He's a Dave King/Brent Sutter/Pierre Page

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Tabaracci_31

Yeah, totally fair! Thanks for the response.

Perhaps I'll re-tool the thread a little bit. Looking at the team's run of regular season success in the 80's into the mid-90's, I'm most curious about the hires of Crisp, Risebrough and King. Were there other names seriously in the mix? What was each coaches style, as it were? Anyone have specific memories/experiences they'd want to share?

I don't think you will find much available information about coaching candidates and job-searches from the 80s and 90s. Before the dawn of the internet and social media NHL teams operated under a great deal more privacy and anonymity.

[browna]

Would be remiss not to mention here, the story or rumor, probably from a bunch of years back in the old board, when Ted Nolan interviews here, he wasn't prepared enough to know who most of the players were or the basic system the Flames played.

He just assumed his reputation from Buffalo was going to be enough to get him the job here.

Crisp hired probably because Johnson was a fair bit laid back and methodical as a coach, and then losing to the Jets and the Oilers in back to back playoff years sealed it.
Crisp hired because he was emotional and not x and o guy. He got fired in owner fueled disgust from losing in round 1 the year after the cup, a few days after losing. That made it clear to Fletcher that he was next if the owners were going to be that trigger happy, and that set off the events of him planning his move to Toronto, which then meant the Riseborough being next GM and Gilmour trade and the Flames were basically on the path to mediocrity by the mid 90s after 4 failed first round exits and one year not making the playoffs.

[joejoe3]

I've always liked D.Sutter. If he didn't wear two hats as both GM and Coach, and just remain as a coach, I think flames would've gone further with that group during his tenure.

[taynton]

Originally Posted by joejoe3

I've always liked D.Sutter. If he didn't wear two hats as both GM and Coach, and just remain as a coach, I think flames would've gone further with that group during his tenure.

He did some great trades though. Kipper and Gio (signing) in particular. Less lucky in the draft.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by taynton

He did some great trades though. Kipper and Gio (signing) in particular. Less lucky in the draft.

IMO his trading record was mixed.

Kipper was a great trade, done with inside info. Gio signing was good, but he also almost messed that up by refusing to give him a one way and having him jump to the KHL. We got lucky he came back.

He traded Phaneuf (good) for a bunch of guys who didn't contribute and Stajan. I like Stajan but it was a sucky return for a still highly regarded defenceman.

He had some good pickups. Bourque, Aucoin, Tanguay, Vandermeer, Langkow, Nilson, Simon, Neimenen, Warrener. His best history IMO was in filling the bottom end of the roster.

But Higgins/Kotalik for Jokinen/Prust? Stralman for a 3rd (Max Reinhart)?

[CaptainCrunch]

Crisp was one of the last pure motivational coaches that we ever had, Frankly he was a bit like Iron Mike but he was actually liked by his players.

He was fired after they lost in the first year, but there were complaints about him by the more urbane fans at the Dome because nobody was thinking of the children when he was swearing.

Also the first coach to ever be caught on hockey night in Canada blowing his nose with his tie.

[Strange Brew]

One memory I have about Crisp’s firing. In the middle of their first round loss to the Kings, Crisp was caught on camera blowing his nose in his tie. In LA I believe. Flames fell behind 3 - 1 in the series and one of the local writers, Eric D. Or Steve Simmons, called for his firing on the spot, before the Series was over. Not purely related to the snot blowing incident. Seems like more of a Simmons call than an Eric D. One but I can’t be sure. Anyway he was fired and it was widely believed that he had totally lost the team. They hated him.

Does anyone remember this differently?

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

IMO his trading record was mixed.

Kipper was a great trade, done with inside info. Gio signing was good, but he also almost messed that up by refusing to give him a one way and having him jump to the KHL. We got lucky he came back.

He traded Phaneuf (good) for a bunch of guys who didn't contribute and Stajan. I like Stajan but it was a sucky return for a still highly regarded defenceman.

He had some good pickups. Bourque, Aucoin, Tanguay, Vandermeer, Langkow, Nilson, Simon, Neimenen, Warrener. His best history IMO was in filling the bottom end of the roster.

But Higgins/Kotalik for Jokinen/Prust? Stralman for a 3rd (Max Reinhart)?

Sutter’s record as GM was certainly mixed but in the end, I am a big fan of what he did. He built that team (although inherited 12). It was incredibly fun to watch, even post 2004, and Flames simply haven’t been as interesting since.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

IMO his trading record was mixed.

Kipper was a great trade, done with inside info. Gio signing was good, but he also almost messed that up by refusing to give him a one way and having him jump to the KHL. We got lucky he came back.

He traded Phaneuf (good) for a bunch of guys who didn't contribute and Stajan. I like Stajan but it was a sucky return for a still highly regarded defenceman.

He had some good pickups. Bourque, Aucoin, Tanguay, Vandermeer, Langkow, Nilson, Simon, Neimenen, Warrener. His best history IMO was in filling the bottom end of the roster.

But Higgins/Kotalik for Jokinen/Prust? Stralman for a 3rd (Max Reinhart)?

Fun Fact:

The 2nd round pick Sutter added to get Wayne Primeau off the team and relieve some of the self-inflicted cap pressure turned into Brandon Saad.

The other component of that trade, Anton Stralman, was moved for a 3rd round pick that eventually became Max Reinhart.

[browna]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

One memory I have about Crisp’s firing. In the middle of their first round loss to the Kings, Crisp was caught on camera blowing his nose in his tie. In LA I believe. Flames fell behind 3 - 1 in the series and one of the local writers, Eric D. Or Steve Simmons, called for his firing on the spot, before the Series was over. Not purely related to the snot blowing incident. Seems like more of a Simmons call than an Eric D. One but I can’t be sure. Anyway he was fired and it was widely believed that he had totally lost the team. They hated him.

Does anyone remember this differently?

Alan Maki I think was the guy. Yeah the press thought they ran the show a bit then, and came back to bite them. Mullen was too old that offseason so was shuffled for a mid round pick but won 2 more cups and played 6 more seasons and scored a ton more goals.

Roberts was all but done so got traded to Hartford a few years later.

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

Fun Fact:

The 2nd round pick Sutter added to get Wayne Primeau off the team and relieve some of the self-inflicted cap pressure turned into Brandon Saad.

The other component of that trade, Anton Stralman, was moved for a 3rd round pick that eventually became Max Reinhart.

Stralman, to be fair, had personal issues come up and had to go back to the States almost immediately just before that season started IIRC, so any return would’ve had to do.

Sutter dug himself a few holes, but his time as coach, and certainly GM (and wanted to be coach after the Playfair experiment failed, but he wasn’t allowed) with his no BS attitude, got the reputation of the Flames enhanced greatly in player and agent circles, and for the first time since the free agent era kicked in in the early 90s, Calgary was a destination for free agents and guys that had ntc’s because of the way the organization was up front and honest.

[Flash Walken]

browna, in your opinion was Keenan a Sutter hire or an Ownership hire?

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by browna

Stralman, to be fair, had personal issues come up and had to go back to the States almost immediately just before that season started IIRC, so any return would’ve had to do.

I don't think this is accurate. If so, I do not believe I heard about it.

His wife had just moved and had a baby in Calgary. He was shocked to have been traded to Columbus. While I don't know about his wife, he is Swedish and had not played in the States prior to the trade. So I think you're mistaken.

However, Primeau was part of another trade that brought the Flames a defenseman over in Brad Stuart. He had personal issues (in the form of seeing his kids) that made him unlikely to sign anywhere but the States.

[browna]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

browna, in your opinion was Keenan a Sutter hire or an Ownership hire?

Sutter. IMO. If he wasnt allowed by the owners to hold dual roles and to be the hardass in the room, he wanted someone to do it by proxy. Keenan certainly wasn’t the same Iron Mike persona, but compared to Playfair the year before, he was more respected in the room for sure.

Originally Posted by Oling_Roaching

I don't think this is accurate. If so, I do not believe I heard about it.

His wife had just moved and had a baby in Calgary. He was shocked to have been traded to Columbus. While I don't know about his wife, he is Swedish and had not played in the States prior to the trade. So I think you're mistaken.

However, Primeau was part of another trade that brought the Flames a defenseman over in Brad Stuart. He had personal issues (in the form of seeing his kids) that made him unlikely to sign anywhere but the States.

Yeah I knew about the Stuart one. I thought the Flames had facilitated a trade for Stralman as well because of a personal situation, but looks as if the personal situation started (he and his wife got married here so she could be a US citizen and follow him to CLB) post trade, so I was wrong.
Flames had a stacked blue line, though he was grateful to be out of Toronto and come here.

[Tabaracci_31]

Thank you guys for some great replies so far! Much appreciated.

[calgaryred]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

One memory I have about Crisp’s firing. In the middle of their first round loss to the Kings, Crisp was caught on camera blowing his nose in his tie. In LA I believe. Flames fell behind 3 - 1 in the series and one of the local writers, Eric D. Or Steve Simmons, called for his firing on the spot, before the Series was over. Not purely related to the snot blowing incident. Seems like more of a Simmons call than an Eric D. One but I can’t be sure. Anyway he was fired and it was widely believed that he had totally lost the team. They hated him.

Does anyone remember this differently?

It was Allan Maki that made the article calling for Crisp to be fired, they even talked to him on Sports at 11 about the story. He said the players tuned him out, and that's why the Flames lost to a terrible team in the first round. After the article came out Crisp was gone in days.

[krynski]

Originally Posted by Oling_Roachinen

I don't think this is accurate. If so, I do not believe I heard about it.

His wife had just moved and had a baby in Calgary. He was shocked to have been traded to Columbus. While I don't know about his wife, he is Swedish and had not played in the States prior to the trade. So I think you're mistaken.

However, Primeau was part of another trade that brought the Flames a defenseman over in Brad Stuart. He had personal issues (in the form of seeing his kids) that made him unlikely to sign anywhere but the States.

Every time I see Stralman play, I wonder what it would have been like if we held on to him.

I thought that he had done really well in training camp and showed promise, but I believe our d-roster was full. We had Pardy, Sarich, Gio, Phaneuf, Bouw, and Regehr. He went on to have a pretty darn good season in Columbus.

The issues with his significant other not being allowed into the states, so he was in Columbus while his SO remained in YYC for a bit until they could sort things out.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/...501/story.html