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

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Let's be clear here, we were a bubble team all year, not a playoff team. One look at the snake will tell you that.

Well, by this measure there are only nine or ten "playoff teams" in the entire League.

[Monahan For Mayor]

Yup, I'm with the people who say 2-1 losses are boring. 2-1 wins I'm fine with. The reason I hated Gulutzan hockey was because we didn't score or win games.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Well, by this measure there are only nine or ten "playoff teams" in the entire League.

And? I don't think a successful season is just squeaking into the playoffs in a wildcard spot by a point or 2. 10 teams is basically a third of the league, which at this point in the rebuild or whatever we are calling it, we should be at.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Well, by this measure there are only nine or ten "playoff teams" in the entire League.

I think Fuzz meant that we were either outside of a playoff spot, or only inside because of games played, for most of the season - unlike the 14 or so teams that spent most of the season holding a spot. It's a challenge of Gulutzan's bizarre belief that we only missed because of March.

[Draug]

Why a "mega thread"?

God only knows where I was in the discussion in the original fired thread. Somewhere among 2900 posts. It's impossible to stay current in this thread now.

[colbym72]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

Winning = Entertainment
Nothing else matters.
Vegas won 2 playoff games 1-0. I expect their fans were entertained.

If you are always losing, then definitely scoring helps, but had the Flames lost all those games 6-5 instead of 2-1, it may have been more bearable to watch, but Gully would have still been shown the door.

I 100% agree with this. Thats why I find the sentiment of some comments on CP about wanting "entertaining hockey" being confused with "tired of losing" interesting. There is nothing "exciting" or "fast" about Sutter hockey. But he can win

[The Fonz]

Originally Posted by Draug

Why a "mega thread"?

God only knows where I was in the discussion in the original fired thread. Somewhere among 2900 posts. It's impossible to stay current in this thread now.

Didn't make a lot of sense to have 3 different threads talking about Gulutzan's firing, and who was going to be or should be his replacement. It was all the same conversation.

[Snuffleupagus]

It's frightening that Dallas Eakins has the same amount of votes as Lindy Ruff

[GreenLantern2814]

Our best options are AV and Darryl. Why has one of them not been hired. What are we waiting for. You cannot continue to handicap Johnny Gaudreau with tactically inept coaches. It's entering "get Iggy a #1 centre" territory.

Pick one of them and pay them what they're worth.

[colbym72]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Our best options are AV and Darryl. Why has one of them not been hired. What are we waiting for. You cannot continue to handicap Johnny Gaudreau with tactically inept coaches. It's entering "get Iggy a #1 centre" territory.

Pick one of them and pay them what they're worth.

Because those coaches might be weighing other options too.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

It's frightening that Dallas Eakins has the same amount of votes as Lindy Ruff

3 of the voters are known Flames haters.

The others are probably trolls are trying to be funny.

Ha. Ha.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by colbym72

Because those coaches might be weighing other options too.

Make them an offer they can’t refuse.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

And? I don't think a successful season is just squeaking into the playoffs in a wildcard spot by a point or 2. 10 teams is basically a third of the league, which at this point in the rebuild or whatever we are calling it, we should be at.

The difference between a Wildcard and a Division spot is often a couple points, and a single win in an 82-game season. I don't disagree that the Flames should be expected to start breaking in to the top group, but the margin of error is so slim in this league that the difference between "bubble teams" and "playoff teams" is pretty negligible.

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

I think Fuzz meant that we were either outside of a playoff spot, or only inside because of games played, for most of the season - unlike the 14 or so teams that spent most of the season holding a spot. It's a challenge of Gulutzan's bizarre belief that we only missed because of March.

This is simply not true. Through most of the season the Flames were keeping pace with SJ, LA, and Anaheim and all four were jockeying between #2 in the Division and the #2 WC.

The season ended bad for a variety of reasons, but it is disingenuous to sell short how competitive the Flames were through most of it.

[Vinny01]

I could really see Trotz being an option. He has coached in the league for a very long time, Western Canadian roots, and has developed a lot of young Dmen in his day.

If the Flames move a veteran or two for help upfront having a coach that successfully developed several blueliners in his day is crucial for Andersson, Valimaki, Kylington, Fox etc

[smiggy77]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

Make them an offer they can’t refuse.

But then you'll complain when ticket prices go up cuz we're paying our coach so much

[zamler]

People realize Barry Trotz still has a job right?

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by smiggy77

But then you'll complain when ticket prices go up cuz we're paying our coach so much

I have never, and will never, complain about ticket prices.

[The Boy Wonder]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

The difference between a Wildcard and a Division spot is often a couple points, and a single win in an 82-game season. I don't disagree that the Flames should be expected to start breaking in to the top group, but the margin of error is so slim in this league that the difference between "bubble teams" and "playoff teams" is pretty negligible.


This is simply not true. Through most of the season the Flames were keeping pace with SJ, LA, and Anaheim and all four were jockeying between #2 in the Division and the #2 WC.

The season ended bad for a variety of reasons, but it is disingenuous to sell short how competitive the Flames were through most of it.

Honestly if I look back at the season there was just a gut feeling every night that one part of our game wouldn’t show up

Let’s say there are 5 aspects of hockey:

Attacking
Defending
Goaltending
Power play
Penalty kill

There were only a handful of games (10 or so) where the flames had 4/5 of these aspects going full cylinder

I think there’s about 4 games arguably where all 5 were clicking at or near 90% or better (90% of potentially as good as possible)


This team was very inconsistent and it changed from game to game which aspects would be o and which would be off.


And I think it’s those games where a team has only 2 or 3 of the facets working properly is where coaching and tactics come in.

This to me is where a better tactician would’ve been able to squeeze more Ws out of this group and where I don’t think they were completely doing a good job. If we’re really sucking at attacking, adjust and try something new, if goaltending sucks, go to the backup, etc.

I dunno if anyone else agrees but his is kinda how I’ve broken down the eye test this season and tried to make sense of what or how the flames played and honestly consistency was the biggest thing lacking and I never really felt like the flames were truly inthe hunt most of the season and the majority of wins felt like they were lucky wins as opposed to being confidence building efforts of total domination

[Hockeyguy15]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

The difference between a Wildcard and a Division spot is often a couple points, and a single win in an 82-game season. I don't disagree that the Flames should be expected to start breaking in to the top group, but the margin of error is so slim in this league that the difference between "bubble teams" and "playoff teams" is pretty negligible.


This is simply not true. Through most of the season the Flames were keeping pace with SJ, LA, and Anaheim and all four were jockeying between #2 in the Division and the #2 WC.

The season ended bad for a variety of reasons, but it is disingenuous to sell short how competitive the Flames were through most of it.

At the end of each month.

October 31 - 6th in the div (4 back of 2nd and 2 on 3rd), tied with last WC
November 30 - 3rd in the div (2 back of 2nd), 1 point up on the last WC
December 31 - 5th in the div (9 back of 2nd, 2 on 3rd), 2 out of last WC
January 31 - 5th in the div (2 back of 2nd, 1 on 3rd, 1 back on last WC
February 28 - 5th in the div (4 back of 2nd, 2 on 3rd) , 1 point behind last WC
March 31 - 5th in the div, blah

October flames were 6-6
November 8-4-1
December 5-6-3
January 6-1-4
February 7-7-1
March 4-9-1

They played good for 2 months really, the rest of the time they played about .500 hockey which isn't getting you playoffs.

[Poison]

I am absolutely floored by the amount of votes to bring Darryl back. The game has passed him by. Its speed and smaller guys ruling the game now. Unless you are thrilled with three lines of big, slow, third liner gritty types, dump and chase and cycling the puck hockey again.
In which case enjoy the darkness for another few years.
Loved the guy when the game was different but his system and hockey sense isnt for todays game.