The trials and tribulations of Glen Gulutzan

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by VilleN

The parity in the west right now is ridiculous. There are 8 teams within (at most) 6 points of each other battling it out for a playoff spot. If the Flames had won 3 games more over the course of this year we'd have the 4th best record in the west. 3 games. I can easily count 3 games we lost that could have gone the other way.

I get the complaints about the team, but there are only 3 arguably elite teams in the west right now. This season isn't really that big of a failure, it's just the result of the parity in the league right now. Either you're a legit, top contender, a bubble team, or a bottom dweller. Like most of the teams in the league, we are a bubble team. In the west the elite teams are Nashville, Vegas and Winnipeg.Last season Nashville barely squeaked in (bubble team), Winnipeg just missed (bubble team) and Vegas didn't exist.

I think this is the frustration...the Flames have shot themselves in the foot so many times its ridiculous.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by DazzlinDino

I think the Flames miscalculated and qualifying for the playoffs last season may have played into it. Overall the team is not ready and the required pieces are just not there. Level of experienced coaching has to take some responsibility too. Sutter's low scoring teams seemed to have a lot more confidence in holding leads than what we are seeing with this current group. This team just does not have not have an established identity from one night to the next.

The coach builds the identity. And what he built was hands in the pockets, staring down at the ground with no idea what to do. It should be no surprise that the on ice product mimics that.

Smith should have been pulled at 5-3. Gulutzan also has a time out he routinely forgets he has. He could use it. Refocus his players. Settle them down. Tear them down. Build them up. Whatever the situation requires. Whatever a coach capable of reading the flow of the game would do.

He does none of that. Instead, he throws effing Troy Brouwer out on the most important 5 on 3 of the season, watches it fail predictably, then spends a half hour staring dumbly into space as yet another winnable game slowly drifts by.

[Manhattanboy]

And now, the time has come...,

[bubbsy]

Originally Posted by DazzlinDino

I think the Flames miscalculated and qualifying for the playoffs last season may have played into it. Overall the team is not ready and the required pieces are just not there. Level of experienced coaching has to take some responsibility too. Sutter's low scoring teams seemed to have a lot more confidence in holding leads than what we are seeing with this current group. This team just does not have not have an established identity from one night to the next.

Frankly, that points to a weak and completely put of touch gm and management group. I think the gm is about as brutal as the coaching staff. He thought the rebuild was done, and that the flames are a hamonic away from being a true contender, at the cost of a 1st rounder and 2 x 2nd rounders.

I actually would be content to see both gm and coach out of here soon. They aren't going to get this team anywhere.

[TheAlpineOracle]

As a season ticket holder I’m done unless they fire this clown and his staff prior to renewals. I know I’m not the only either. That’s the general consensus on my section as a whole. A loser in Dallas, a loser in Vancouver, and now a loser in Calgary.

I’m not even mad at Smith for tonight. Without him, We are close to a bottom 5 team this year. I’m mad st the idiot behind our bench that kept him in the game until it was too late while the 21k in attendance could clearly see something was off with Smith as soon as the puck was dropped.

Quite frankly I wouldn’t mind Treliving going either. He’s the one that allowed this coaching staff to continue on rather than swallowing his pride.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by dino7c

I think this is the frustration...the Flames have shot themselves in the foot so many times its ridiculous.

Shot themselves in the foot more than the opposition have shot them in the foot
#Corsi

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle

As a season ticket holder I’m done unless they fire this clown and his staff prior to renewals. I know I’m not the only either. That’s the general consensus on my section as a whole.

You must be in section 102, 210 or 224 because those sections have the same consensus

[calgarywinning]

Originally Posted by VilleN

The parity in the west right now is ridiculous. There are 8 teams within (at most) 6 points of each other battling it out for a playoff spot. If the Flames had won 3 games more over the course of this year we'd have the 4th best record in the west. 3 games. I can easily count 3 games we lost that could have gone the other way.

I get the complaints about the team, but there are only 3 arguably elite teams in the west right now. This season isn't really that big of a failure, it's just the result of the parity in the league right now. Either you're a legit, top contender, a bubble team, or a bottom dweller. Like most of the teams in the league, we are a bubble team. In the west the elite teams are Nashville, Vegas and Winnipeg.Last season Nashville barely squeaked in (bubble team), Winnipeg just missed (bubble team) and Vegas didn't exist.

Vegas existing shows that hockey by a pro group that's had a 5 year rebuild can't match somebodies first stab with castaways.

As far as parity goes 50-50 hockey puts you middle of the pack. Flames fans need to stop talking parity and talking 55-45 or 60-40 hockey. That should be a basic stat we pursue, not this parity stuff.

[atb]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

The coach builds the identity. And what he built was hands in the pockets, staring down at the ground with no idea what to do. It should be no surprise that the on ice product mimics that.

Smith should have been pulled at 5-3. Gulutzan also has a time out he routinely forgets he has. He could use it. Refocus his players. Settle them down. Tear them down. Build them up. Whatever the situation requires. Whatever a coach capable of reading the flow of the game would do.

He does none of that. Instead, he throws effing Troy Brouwer out on the most important 5 on 3 of the season, watches it fail predictably, then spends a half hour staring dumbly into space as yet another winnable game slowly drifts by.

That was so frustrating, the 2nd intermission would have been a perfect time to pull Smith, spark the team and hopefully tie it up. I imagine the majority of coaches would have pulled Smith then or sooner seeing he was having an off night. Just a brutal coaching decision.

[Barnet Flame]

Originally Posted by DazzlinDino

I think the Flames miscalculated and qualifying for the playoffs last season may have played into it. Overall the team is not ready and the required pieces are just not there. Level of experienced coaching has to take some responsibility too. Sutter's low scoring teams seemed to have a lot more confidence in holding leads than what we are seeing with this current group. This team just does not have not have an established identity from one night to the next.

We’re just not ready.

[calgarywinning]

Originally Posted by atb

That was so frustrating, the 2nd intermission would have been a perfect time to pull Smith, spark the team and hopefully tie it up. I imagine the majority of coaches would have pulled Smith then or sooner seeing he was having an off night. Just a brutal coaching decision.

I think the brutal coaching decision was to pull the goaltender at the 6:00 minute mark and 3:30 mark when possession stats were clearly not in our favour. I think the coach lost his mind and made bad gambling decisions.

[4X4]

The silence is almost deafening from the "not Gulutzan's fault" crowd. I'm sure many are trying to justify another spectacular exhibition of in-game management, but just haven't strung their words together yet.

This thread started two weeks into the season, and the same garbage has been happening since October 24th. Where are all the defenders now? Yep, it's still not his fault for not recognizing that his f-ing goalie is having a bad night. Nope. Play through it. It'll be fine. Just another loss. No point in trying something/ANYTHING.

Coach doesn't do much anyways, according to a few here (some of which hold power, so I better not get too bitchy). So WTF is the point of a coach, if he's too useless to adjust stagnant lines, try new things on a completely powerless powerplay, or pull a goalie that is CLEARLY having a bad night? Nope, let's just wait until he lets in a 6th, FFS.

The guy does not know what he's doing. It is clear as day. Pretty amusing that a couple of the defenders are gently trying to insert "well, he should be replaced" comments in other threads lately, after defending this assclown all year long.

What was obvious to so many back on October 24th, and well before that, is finally becoming clear to the rest. The roster certainly isn't perfect, but without someone managing what you've got, there's no point in shopping for more. Gulutzan is completely useless. The Flames are better off without a coach altogether.

[Angelino]

I don’t really blame Glue gun. It isn’t his fault he was offered a head coaching job in the NHL. He is not a good coach, I don’t think he ever was and most likely never will be. The real problem rests with whoever hired him and thought it was a good decision..

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by 4X4

This thread started two weeks into the season...

To be accurate, this thread was started as one to counter a "Should the Flames fire Gulutzan" poll thread started a few days prior. Scorp was trying to counter the feelings of the masses and try to get some good feelings going about the coach he believed in. "A" for effort, even if the poll was clearly a majority in favor of a canning.

Ironically, there was a "Fire Gulutzan/Give him Coach of the year All Purpose Thread" that was started in 2016. Seems there were more than a few people who were not thrilled with his signing, the "system" he implemented, or the way he handled the team, almost immediately. This thread slipped from the front page in November of 2016 and was never necrobumped.

[bigpete]

Originally Posted by Barnet Flame

We’re just not ready.

We have nice hair though.

Will be an interesting off-season. It may be slim pickings for coaches, we'll see. Gotta make some kind of change though, I don't see any way around it.

[Beninho]

Since GG has been here the Flames have been a mistake waiting to happen. He better be gone in the summer, if he isn’t then I’ve lost all hope for this management team to make the most simple of decisions.

[rooster]

Originally Posted by 4X4

The silence is almost deafening from the "not Gulutzan's fault" crowd. I'm sure many are trying to justify another spectacular exhibition of in-game management, but just haven't strung their words together yet.

This thread started two weeks into the season, and the same garbage has been happening since October 24th. Where are all the defenders now? Yep, it's still not his fault for not recognizing that his f-ing goalie is having a bad night. Nope. Play through it. It'll be fine. Just another loss. No point in trying something/ANYTHING.

Coach doesn't do much anyways, according to a few here (some of which hold power, so I better not get too bitchy). So WTF is the point of a coach, if he's too useless to adjust stagnant lines, try new things on a completely powerless powerplay, or pull a goalie that is CLEARLY having a bad night? Nope, let's just wait until he lets in a 6th, FFS.

The guy does not know what he's doing. It is clear as day. Pretty amusing that a couple of the defenders are gently trying to insert "well, he should be replaced" comments in other threads lately, after defending this assclown all year long.

What was obvious to so many back on October 24th, and well before that, is finally becoming clear to the rest. The roster certainly isn't perfect, but without someone managing what you've got, there's no point in shopping for more. Gulutzan is completely useless. The Flames are better off without a coach altogether.

This is 100% proven by the fact of the home record. When GG can influence the game more they are near worst in the league.

[Pipty]

I cannot understand why this guy refuses to make any changes. No goalie changes ever, no defense pair changes in 2 years other than the bottom pairing, constantly using Brouwer in the same failed spots, leaving the wrong pairing on the first PP unit for most of the year, never using a timeout to refocus the group.

Sooooo frustrating and worst part is I can see Treliving keep him for the start of one more failed season for some strange reason.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Joborule

10 games to go!

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

10 more games.

Originally Posted by kukkudo

Whats the point?

Another Glue Gun special.

"Things arent going well. We should continue on as we are."

People who genuinely dont think coaching does anything would love this game.

"We're getting our asses kicked. We should keep doing what we're doing. Statistically speaking it will work eventually. On a long enough timeline all systems accomplish their objective. Change nothing. Speaking of which, get Troy Brouwer out there. Yes....thats the ticket."

[Resolute 14]

The best was his post-game quote.

"We still have 100 points on the table."

Like, how deluded can you be? He still thinks that doing the same things that haven't worked in 158 games will result in success.