[News] UPD: Geoff Ward officially named the franchise's 20th head coach (2 year deal)

[blender]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

Our captain won it because some post 1980s bum decided to gift him an award. If Gio actually deserved an award for his on and off ice dedications this year, based on his play, I hope he built an international airport at the children's hospital to compensate for how dismal of a season and playoffs he had.

Why would a hospital need an airport?

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by blender

Why would a hospital need an airport?

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

You said he had a dismal season. He didn’t. As for how many - two. Also not in the POs: Josi, Ekblad, Carlson, Pietrangelo, Makar, Deangelo, Hughes, Krug, Suter, Ekblad, Hamilton....

I would gladly pack Gios bags to send him out one for one for anyone you listed (especially if we get 2 ekblads like you listed there). The old fart punched above his weight class last year, was a big boatload of indifference this year, and by the eye test in the playoffs, he looked like the southern end of a northbound cow.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

I would gladly pack Gios bags to send him out one for one for anyone you listed. The old fart punched above his weight class last year, was a big boatload of indifference this year, and by the eye test in the playoffs, he looked like the southern end of a northbound cow.

Obviously you trade for them because he’s 36 and they are almost all in their mid twenties.

So you’d do the OEL trade straight up then. LOL.

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Obviously you trade for them because he’s 36 and they are almost all in their mid twenties.

So you’d do the OEL trade straight up then. LOL.

One for one, but not straight up. I'd rather Gio become allergic to his gear and end this era of futility under his leadership.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

One for one, but not straight up. I'd rather Gio become allergic to his gear and end this era of futility under his leadership.

To usher in the next great era of futility under the leadership of whoever is next!

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by Locke

To usher in the next great era of futility under the leadership of whoever is next!

Spoiler!

[Crown Royal]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

I'd rather Gio become allergic to his gear and end this era of futility under his leadership.

This is just disgraceful. I'm embarrassed to be apart of the same fan base as you.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

I would gladly pack Gios bags to send him out one for one for anyone you listed (especially if we get 2 ekblads like you listed there). The old fart punched above his weight class last year, was a big boatload of indifference this year, and by the eye test in the playoffs, he looked like the southern end of a northbound cow.

Not sure which of the many horrible takes to comment on. Wow you must of had a bad day to be this salty about our captain

[btimbit]

I do like Ward, but missing on some of the top tier coaches that are unemployed at the moment would feel like such a waste

[Vinny01]

Geoff Ward was the lead assistant in New Jersey in 2018 when Taylor Hall was the league MVP. We heard about how Lucic really began to turn things around when Ward took over so I do wonder how much the Ward factor plays into the Flames inevitable pitch to Hall to come play here?

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Geoff Ward was the lead assistant in New Jersey in 2018 when Taylor Hall was the league MVP. We heard about how Lucic really began to turn things around when Ward took over so I do wonder how much the Ward factor plays into the Flames inevitable pitch to Hall to come play here?

I am sure it would play a lot into it. Hall spoke highly about Ward IIRC and how he was helping to improve his overall game. I think he spoke quite highly of the entire coaching staff for actually 'teaching' him as opposed to what he experienced in Edmonton, but I do recall that he mentioned Ward specifically.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Crown Royal

Looking at the (incomplete) numbers on capfriendly, 3 million does seem to be about middle of the pack. 6 of the 11 listed amounts are over 3 million, the low is 1 million (Green), the high 5.25 in Quenneville. Trotz only comes in at 4 million, which surprises me. The Kings are giving McLellan 5m, which is laughable to me as I do not think he is a good coach at all.

Yeah, it's kind of silly that every salary is public knowledge, but coaching salaries are either leaked, guessed at or voluntarily made public. Just make them public.

[ComixZone]

Francis on the Fan just now:

- Heard from a source that yes, Ward will be named head coach.
- Bill Peters was hated in the room

Tree has been awful at hiring coaches and finding goalies. Hopefully he stumbled into something this time on the coaching front and addresses the goaltending this summer...

*Edited for optimism as I mildly shift to my endless fandom driven excitement...

[Bingo]

Wow 16 pages and a lot of angry people over something that isn't even confirmed yet. That's impressive!

I think being a fan is passion, so far be it for me to suggest anyone is off side by being so up in arms about things like this but I just don't get it. Probably the last couple of years has me a lot more laid back about pretty much everything though, Flames included.

I think Ward should get a tonne of credit for bringing the team together, and back on to the same page, especially if Peters and his room was toxic. That's not easy to do.

I thought Ward was brilliant in how he changed the Flames defensive system against Winnipeg, pretty much making all of Maurice's bubble preparation useless and a relatively easy series.

It wasn't working against Dallas though, and that's where I had some issues with his coaching. You can't keep going with the same defensive system that beat Winnipeg if Dallas is using it against you, which they did. Additionally I think you have to do something with your top line other than moving Lindholm off if the second line has lost it's play driver. The goalie yank was fine, but the lack of communication with Talbot about going back in was a huge mistake.

A look at the five on five numbers for the last three coaches shows his systems are better in some areas, and not as good in others ... one of those situations that may point to the fact that we are missing some information with the current system of analytics.

CF/60
GG 59.1
BP 60.4
GW 57.0

CA/60
GG 54.3
BP 52.8
GW 58.7

Corsi doesn't take into account quality, but the team generates less and gives up more with Ward. Shots pretty much the same story.

HDCF/60
GG 10.7
BP 10.9
GW 11.0

HDCA/60
GG 9.8
BP 10.2
GW 9.9

Overall Ward's team had the better share of high danger chances five on five.

SH%
GG 7.2%
BP 8.3%
GW 8.6%

The high danger splits result in a better conversion rate.

SV%
GG 91.9
BP 91.6
GG 92.5

Leg up in goalie performance for sure. His HD Save% is 3% above both coaches with pretty much equal goaltenders, so maybe there's something in his system that keeps the 10 bell chances to a minimum.

Anyway I'm a mixed bag. There are some positives in there, and the guy certainly has the support of the players. I would have looked to upgrade as I thought he got outcoached by Dallas (and their retread) but given the financial state of the planet and where the sport is going I certainly get not making big changes.

And as an aside ... any one else catch Burke on 960 the other day talking about the Flames and their ownership cheapness? Said the ownership group has never made the issue about money on any decision he was involved with in hockey operations in his time in Calgary. Said the only time they had a money issue is when he wanted to spend money to change the dressing rooms, and they reduced the plan because the building is going to get torn down.

[Robbob]

shades of Jason Morgan in this thread.

I don't mind bringing him back. I think a lot of good things happened with him at the helm.

[sureLoss]

It is official now

News Update

https://www.nhl.com/flames/news/ward...ch/c-319017250

[FlamesAreOne]

Meh.

[devo22]

it's the wrong call, but was to be expected. Oh well, good luck.

[Roof-Daddy]

"They shouldn't, but they will"

Most popular answer in the poll, (the one I voted for) so we had a pretty good idea this was coming.

All we can do now is hope it was the right call. Please, please, please, let it be the right call.