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

[ComixZone]

Reasons to be excited by the hiring of Geoff Ward:

- Milan Lucic likes him and was notably better playing for him. Getting value out of Lucic goes a long way in this team competing
- He was assistant coach when Boston bested Vancouver for the Stanley Cup, so we owe him forever
- He was assistant coach in New Jersey when Taylor Hall won the Hart Trophy, perhaps he will help us sign the biggest UFA target up front
- We can call him "G-dubya" in the same way Darkwing Duck was called "D-dubya" by Launchpad
- He was very nice to me when I met him in Toronto in January. He stopped and talked to me more than one would expect a professional coach to do with "mildly" intoxicated fan after a game

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Well OK time to move on to the roster now. Frankly if next year is a disaster it will be easier for new GM to bring in their own guy.

As for Peters being hated in the room. Yeah no #### Francis. That's his MO and it was clear the team had quit on the guy. He sounds like a class A jerk before we learned he was a racist and I'm glad he's gone. You can be a hard coach without being a bad person.

Disagree with Bingo that the goalie yank was fine. Rittich was not ready in any way to play and in a tie game, the next goal was critical. The pull itself cost the team a shot at winning the game.

If Rittich wasn’t ready to play, that’s more on Rittich. It’s his job to be ready. And yeah, the next goal was critical and Talbot looked like he didn’t have it (he said so himself). It was a desperation move in a desperate moment, and half the time it works, and Ward looks like a genius. Conversely if he doesn’t do it and Talbot lets in another softy, or misplays another puck, CPers would be up in arms about no goalie pull.

I’m all for criticizing an overall coaching strategy, but IMO picking apart in game moments like that one isn’t a good way to evaluate a coach.

[TOfan]

Not popular, but it is the right decision and probably what the players in the room wanted.

Queue the ‘I’m going to lose it’ rants....

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

If Rittich wasn’t ready to play, that’s more on Rittich. It’s his job to be ready. And yeah, the next goal was critical and Talbot looked like he didn’t have it (he said so himself). It was a desperation move in a desperate moment, and half the time it works, and Ward looks like a genius. Conversely if he doesn’t do it and Talbot lets in another softy, or misplays another puck, CPers would be up in arms about no goalie pull.

I’m all for criticizing an overall coaching strategy, but IMO picking apart in game moments like that one isn’t a good way to evaluate a coach.

At minimum though he didn't handle the moment well based on the confusion over why he was pulled and if he would be going back in. That's on Ward no matter how you slice it.

[Strange Brew]

No idea what ownership is willing to do but this year may be different than any other. Your player expense is tied to HRR. Not your coach salaries unless you can negotiate a clever contract I suppose.

With HRR being way down, I can't blame them for making economics a factor in any decision. It's always easy to spend other people's money after all.

[Bonded]

Not pumped about this decision. I think he should have been canned for pulling Talbot but maybe with the uncertainty surrounding next season and revenues they made the easy choice.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Reasons to be excited by the hiring of Geoff Ward:

- Milan Lucic likes him and was notably better playing for him. Getting value out of Lucic goes a long way in this team competing
- He was assistant coach when Boston bested Vancouver for the Stanley Cup, so we owe him forever
- He was assistant coach in New Jersey when Taylor Hall won the Hart Trophy, perhaps he will help us sign the biggest UFA target up front
- We can call him "G-dubya" in the same way Darkwing Duck was called "D-dubya" by Launchpad

-practice music

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

If Rittich wasn’t ready to play, that’s more on Rittich. It’s his job to be ready.

I think Rittich was ready, the problem was Rittich was playing at the level he was before the pause which is to say, not great. A time out should have been used rather than playing musical goalies at that point.

[Since1984]

I like Geoff Ward and his approach to coaching. I have heard nothing but great things about the man from people who actually live and work within the NHL (media, players, Flames staff) The guy has won a championship as an assistant coach, did a hell of a job saving the team from a terrible start and seems to really know how to deal not only with old school players like Lucic but the millennials like Gaudreau an Monahan.

We all have to remember, at some point every coach was "unproven". At least Wardo has the resume that sure looks like it will trend to be a great head coach in the future but only time will tell...

Congrats Geoff!

[Reggie Dunlop]

I endorse this decision.

[the_only_turek_fan]

This is Brad's 4th coach.

Hartley extension
Gulitzan
Peters
Ward

[activeStick]

I'm completely okay with this decision. His record, though it's a small sample size is solid. He's a good communicator which is very important and the players are on record saying they like him (there's a difference between players saying unprompted they like him vs. saying something after being asked).

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I voted that they would bring him back but shouldn't. What I observed as the team ripped off a big winning streak when the change was made, then went back to being a middling club. And I felt the goalie situation was poorly handled in a critical moment - which is when you need your coaches to be composed and a source of calm and rationale decision making. Instead it seems like the communication totally broke down in the moment, and he played a factor in not giving his team the best chance to turn the game.
But here we are: and indeed perhaps the economic climate played a factor.
Will be interesting to see if that also impacts potential roster moves.

When any new coach is hired it's accompanied by hopes that he will take a team to the next level. This hire feels like more of the same (mediocrity). Like most Flames fans I am well conditioned to not having high expectations so it's par for the course but it still feels like a bit of a missed opportunity given the names available. This could have been an offseason for a team to take a big swing to take advantage of the uncertainty and instead it seems the organization is going to sit back with some other organizations that are taking the conservative approach.

[Inferno]

I'm not happy about this at all. Treliving has made some questionable decisions but this takes the cake for me. I have zero trust in him now.

[Igottago]

Not excited by it at all. Not surprised at all. Exact same way I felt the last two coaching hires. Hope it works.

[Patek23]

I have to admit i'm dissapointed. However one bright spot im hoping for is that this could be the line drawn in the sand that the shake up will be in the core rather then trying again with a new coach.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Toonage

I think Rittich was ready, the problem was Rittich was playing at the level he was before the pause which is to say, not great. A time out should have been used rather than playing musical goalies at that point.

The Flames weren’t playing badly though. Talbot was just not sharp. Does a timeout get him back?

Rittich’s game 6 was well below even his poorer play before the break. But that dude is a guy who, depending on emotion, can play lights out. Was it a gamble? Sure. But Ward thought it was a good shot and maybe it was. Thing about gambling - you lose sometimes.

Like I said, it was a single decision that didn’t work out, and I dislike dwelling on one thing like that. His overall body of work - sure.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

If Rittich wasn’t ready to play, that’s more on Rittich. It’s his job to be ready. And yeah, the next goal was critical and Talbot looked like he didn’t have it (he said so himself). It was a desperation move in a desperate moment, and half the time it works, and Ward looks like a genius. Conversely if he doesn’t do it and Talbot lets in another softy, or misplays another puck, CPers would be up in arms about no goalie pull.

I’m all for criticizing an overall coaching strategy, but IMO picking apart in game moments like that one isn’t a good way to evaluate a coach.

Sure it's on Rittich for not being ready. But that doesn't change the coach's responsibility for making the decision. It was a total misread IMO and reflects poorly on his game management. He's a new head coach so you hope he learns from it.

[kukkudo]

Treliving's last coach hire. Not impressed at all but lets see the roster shakeup now.

If Treliving decided to strip the team down and rebuild I would have no problem with this hire.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Bonded

Not pumped about this decision. I think he should have been canned for pulling Talbot but maybe with the uncertainty surrounding next season and revenues they made the easy choice.

Let's not kid ourselves though, the Flames would've cheaped out and made the same decision regardless of economic uncertainty.