[POLL] Calgary Flames coaching change mega-thread—with poll

[Delthefunky]

Sutter wasn't tuned out here though. He was fine as a coach, it was when he was GM where he kind of made a mess of things.

[Roof-Daddy]

What talk has there been that Gulutzan is going to be fired other than from fans?

Anything credible?

[kyuss275]

I really hope posters are not banking on Quinvelle or AV becoming the next flames coach. See a lot of posts with those 2 names in them. I think it's a long shot either pick the flames as their next coaching gig. Not even sure they would be let go from their teams.

Sadly my guess it will be Tippet as next flames coach. Get ready for more boring hockey. Don't think they will go with an unknown .

[midniteowl]

Originally Posted by sempuki

Few people I've seen mentioned are even available. There's a trend this season where coaches are getting a longer leash, and it's vindicated by people like Paul Maurice, Jared Bednar, and Bruce Cassidy suddenly looking like geniuses. The only way Joel Quenville or Alain Vigneault are available is if they choose to be. Darryl Sutter is the only one available, and a Calgary team has already tuned him out once before.

Did they? Wasn't that the reason Darryl step aside to focus on GM duties? Besides, the majority of the team has changed anyway.

I'd love to have Darryl back cracking the whip.

[iamca]

Ryan Huska
Huska, a native of Cranbrook, British Columbia, is coming off his third season as a professional hockey coach after spending his previous 12 seasons with the Kelowna Rockets, serving five seasons as an assistant coach and seven seasons as their head coach. He played his junior hockey with the Kamloops Blazers before being drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the third round (76th overall) in the 1993 NHL Draft. He played over 300 professional games in the AHL and the IHL with Indianapolis, Lowell and Springfield.

Huska is one of the most decorated junior hockey men in Canada with four Memorial Cup championship rings to his name, three times as a player with the Kamloops Blazers (1992, 1994 and 1995) and once as an assistant coach with the Kelowna Rockets (2004). He has been to the Memorial Cup an additional three times, in 2003 and 2005 as an assistant coach with the Rockets and won the WHL Championship and lost in the Memorial Cup finals in 2009 as the head coach. Internationally, he has captured a bronze and a silver medal as an assistant coach with Team Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championships.

Originally joining the Calgary organization in 2014, Huska took the reigns of the Adirondack Flames, where his team went 35-33-8, finishing fourth in the North Division and 12th in the Western Conference. Huska oversaw 17 players play in the NHL and the AHL during his first season at the helm of an American Hockey League team.

After the formation of the AHL’s Pacific Division was announced, Huska transitioned from New York to California to start his second pro season with the Stockton Heat. His team would go all the way to the final week of the season before just narrowly missing the playoffs, going 32-32-4 in the inaugural season of Heat hockey.

Huska oversaw the growth and eventual call-ups of 15 players including five players who made their NHL debuts during the 2015-16 season. In 2016-17 Coach Huska surpassed a number of milestones, including his 700th game as a coach, which happened on March 8 (a win), his 200th game behind an AHL bench which occurred on March 17 (a win), his 100th AHL win on April 8 vs. San Jose, and led the Heat to their first postseason appearance, taking the Heat to a decisive overtime in Game 5 against the top team in the Western Conference.

[I_H8_Crawford]

Originally Posted by Delthefunky

Sutter wasn't tuned out here though. He was fine as a coach, it was when he was GM where he kind of made a mess of things.

No, he was tuned out. The way the Flames laid down in Game 7 vs Ana you could see they were done with him. He himself saw that, which is why he moved upstairs.

[midniteowl]

Originally Posted by I_H8_Crawford

No, he was tuned out. The way the Flames laid down in Game 7 vs Ana you could see they were done with him. He himself saw that, which is why he moved upstairs.

But majority of that team is gone though, he might be able to whip this team to a Stanley Cup final appearance.

[Flames Fan, Ph.D.]

My concern with D. Sutter would be centered around the team we have. Our nucleus isn't similar to the one that he was successful with in LA.

Quenneville would be my preference because our team make-up is similar to what he had with the Hawks. Only problem is he's employed and I'm not banking on him getting fired.

[Yoho]

No thanks to Huska.
This is very much like the goaltending search we’ve had the last few years before going out and getting Mike Smith.

Let’s get a known quantity established veteran NHL coach with past success.

[David Struch]

Dave King and his Left Wing Lock.

[Incogneto]

Huska is a good choice, but my choice would be Dave Lowry. Successful at all levels, a proven leader, and a good guy to show these kids how to win. Currently he is an Assistant in LA.

[tvp2003]

Random fact I just learned this past week — Marty Gelinas’ junior coach with Hull was Alain Vigneault.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Jesus...pump the brakes a little.

He hasn't been fired, there aren't even rumors of him being fired, yet we are all assuming it's a foregone conclusion.

I honestly wouldn't be shocked to see him stay on and a new group of assistants brought in to supplement his game plan.

Be mad if you want, but I think this is a legitimate possibility.

[I_H8_Crawford]

Originally Posted by midniteowl

But majority of that team is gone though, he might be able to whip this team to a Stanley Cup final appearance.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love him to coach now. Was just responding that the 2006 team was done with him.

[jlh2640]

Dave Tippett or Joel Q

[dissentowner]

GG is not going anywhere, he will still be our coach next year.

[midniteowl]

Originally Posted by I_H8_Crawford

Don't get me wrong, I'd love him to coach now. Was just responding that the 2006 team was done with him.

I'm not bickering with you, I do now recall that team did tune him out. That's the downside of having a demanding coach, players tend to tune him out. The same way the Kings tuned him out after winning 2 cups. But he'll have success for a few years, and I'm hopeful a cup win in those few years.

[Yoho]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

GG is not going anywhere, he will still be our coach next year.

Can just feel the excitement growing for next season if that’s the case.

[Delthefunky]

Originally Posted by I_H8_Crawford

No, he was tuned out. The way the Flames laid down in Game 7 vs Ana you could see they were done with him. He himself saw that, which is why he moved upstairs.

Flames finished first in the division that year with 103 points. They were awesome. Just because they lost in game 7 doesn't mean they tuned the coach out.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by sempuki

Few people I've seen mentioned are even available. There's a trend this season where coaches are getting a longer leash, and it's vindicated by people like Paul Maurice, Jared Bednar, and Bruce Cassidy suddenly looking like geniuses. The only way Joel Quenville or Alain Vigneault are available is if they choose to be. Darryl Sutter is the only one available, and a Calgary team has already tuned him out once before.

Well Bruce Cassidy had his team playing at a 112 point pace last year and this year has them playing at a 114 point pace so I would say he has always looked like a genius. Bednar had one bad season when he was hired 2 weeks before training camp, GG has had 4 mediocre seasons. That being said I suspect it is a better than 50/50 chance that GG gets a fifth kick at the can to be better than mediocre.