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

[getbak]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Be skeptical all you want but to say Gallant or BB would for sure do better is just stupid

Gallant had a stacked Vegas team barely over .500 last season and BB teams have underachived most of his career.

Neither guy has ever actually won but you guys are acting like the Flames turned down Scotty Bowman in his prime.

Ward earned an actual shot at coaching the team IMO...full year from the start no BS. Reality though is the players often make the coach look good/bad.

Yeah, Gallant has been an NHL head coach 3 times and hasn't coached any team for a full 3 seasons. As much as people complain about the Flames' revolving door of coaches, Gallant doesn't seem like a step-up in that regard.

Boudreau had stacked teams and won his Division 8 out of 9 seasons between Washington and Anaheim (including one President's Trophy), and yet his teams only made it past the second round one time -- and that was the year they played the Flames in the second round. If people don't like the Flames playing well in the regular season only to falter in the playoffs, I don't know if Boudreau is the guy to turn that around.



I would have liked to see Laviolette or Sutter brought in if either was interested, but I also wouldn't be surprised if neither one was.

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by Locke

I want to be clear. Geoff Ward is not a bad coach by any means. Hes not great, but hes not Glen Gulutzan.

What he is not, in my opinion, is the one that is going to move this team forward. To move them to a higher rung of the standings and deep into the playoffs.

So if he is not that man, then this team is treading water.

The next 2 years is likely going to suck and then this team is going to get blown apart. Simply because too many of the pieces are ageing.

Exactly, well said. This is my whole thing as well. It's not even that I think Ward is some terrible coach. But is he the guy who can take this team to the next level..that's the ultimate question. The Flames have missed numerous chances to get the coaches with that pedigree, and are banking on the outside chance that maybe Ward is that coach.

[Doctorfever]

I am excited to see what Ward can do with a fresh start to a season. I voted to keep him on.
I guess we stick with Ward or we probably need to replace the bearings on the coaching carousel, but you know... budget cuts. Lol.

I feel the negativity towards Ward is unwarranted, considering the circumstances surrounding his hiring and the fact that his record was above 500

[activeStick]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

This is the move you make if you want to remain mired in mediocrity, which seems to be the default for the team.

Spinning their wheels and finishing every year not at the top nor the bottom is definitely what the organization wants.

Edit: being sarcastic in case it wasn't clear with all the people who are apparently against this

[wpgflamesfan]

If there's any positive to this it's the fact that only 3 coaches (Scotty Bowman, Dick Irvin and Tommy Gorman) have ever one the Stanley Cup with multiple teams.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Originally Posted by getbak

Yeah, Gallant has been an NHL head coach 3 times and hasn't coached any team for a full 3 seasons. As much as people complain about the Flames' revolving door of coaches, Gallant doesn't seem like a step-up in that regard.

Boudreau had stacked teams and won his Division 8 out of 9 seasons between Washington and Anaheim (including one President's Trophy), and yet his teams only made it past the second round one time -- and that was the year they played the Flames in the second round. If people don't like the Flames playing well in the regular season only to falter in the playoffs, I don't know if Boudreau is the guy to turn that around.



I would have liked to see Laviolette or Sutter brought in if either was interested, but I also wouldn't be surprised if neither one was.

Making the 2nd round is like winning the cup for Calgary; one can only dream we'll do that again sometime soon.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

I didn't want to see Ward given the position because I thought he failed in the playoffs. His pitch-it-out, dump-it-in style doesn't suit the roster. And when Dallas locked out their (ridiculously simplistic) break-out, there was no adjustment. Then of course there was the panic move in game 6.

Dallas is also just a better team.

I didn't like the goalie change in game 6 either. The team did need a wake-up call after blowing a 3-0 lead, but that was pretty risky. I think it is worth considering though that in normal circumstances, Rittich would not have been coming into the playoffs that cold. The COVID break played into that IMO, as normally the back-up would have had a few more recent games. It's fair to blame Ward for not reading the situation for what it was, but it was still just one game.

[activeStick]

No news on the assistants so I'll be interested to see what happens there.

[flamesfan1297]

Originally Posted by wpgflamesfan

If there's any positive to this it's the fact that only 3 coaches (Scotty Bowman, Dick Irvin and Tommy Gorman) have ever one the Stanley Cup with multiple teams.

That's actually a cool fact. I would have never guessed it was that low, I wonder what the record looks like for GMs?

[dammage79]

Huska and Sigalet could lose a seat. Gelly ain't going nowhere. Pringle, Snow and the behind the curtain guys are locked in until tree is gone IMO.

Thats all I got.

[Husky]

Not a huge fan. To me this is an avg coach.

[dammage79]

Also, if you told me at any point in my life that Rick effing Bowness would be a head coach of a cup team. I'd have spit my coffee in your face and ask if you needed to see a shrink.

[Toonage]

960 says a media availability will be held at 1:15 (so right now really) but wouldn't be carried live on the radio

[Sainters7]

Late to the party as I was in NFL heaven all day yesterday..I can't believe they made Ward the FT coach. Only thing I can think of is it's just easier with the short off-season to stick with what you already have. I've always liked Treliving, but if this doesn't work out, he can get to steppin too.

[JurassicTunga12]

Maybe we can still hire Boudreau as an assistant, haha.

[bubbsy]

So the flames think they have the best possible coach for the job,all things considered (Ie. Of guys willing to come here).

Fine by me, I really don't know enough to question that.

Curious to see where treliving goes next to improve the team (core forwards, Giordano, Hanafin, goaltending???). I have little to no faith in the flames organization unfortunately....

Maybe it'll be like last year, we'll see some bs tinkering but never hear the end of how they were in talks for Hall, OEL, etc, etc, but didn't pan out.

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Also, if you told me at any point in my life that Rick effing Bowness would be a head coach of a cup team. I'd have spit my coffee in your face and ask if you needed to see a shrink.

Yeah, my major issue with Ward, aside from whatever else has been discussed, is that he got out-coached by Bowness. That's not a positive indicator...

[activeStick]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

Yeah, my major issue with Ward, aside from whatever else has been discussed, is that he got out-coached by Bowness. That's not a positive indicator...

Does that apply to DeBoer if he beats Vegas and then Jon Cooper if he goes on to win the cup?

For me, just like how a single player can't win a team a cup on his own, neither can a coach.

[Beatle17]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Well if you're not changing up the coach then you damn well better shake up the core.

Something need to change with the make up of the top six.

I disagree. If the coach has the system and the ability to hold the players accountable, then you can see major change. Washington backed the coach early with Trotz to allow him make the players buy in. If the player won't buy in then get rid of him. He got them their cup then the GM went back to the coach who was easier on the players, that didn't work too well IMO.

[Dragomir]

I’m not mad, after another 9th place finish or first round exit Ward will be good for the rebuild. No point in spending big money on a weak roster, we need to prepare for the inevitable.