The Deal With Geoff Ward - Page 47 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Burning Beard · 03-02-2021, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kukkudo

If the media is starting to pump Sutter this could be a good thing! Sutter gets hired Flames go 24-8 to finish and take out the Oilers or Leafs in the playoffs. One can dream.

With a system that suits the players and a coach who holds them accountable and can read a game to make adjustments beside line blenders who knows what this team can do in a relatively weak division.

I don't think there is a coach in the North who you could confidently say is better than Sutter.

At the very least the games might be funner to watch.

nik- · 03-02-2021, 10:59 AM

Just going back to Sutter would be such on brand Flames laziness.

If it was just a concrete "finish this season" type thing, fine. Other than that, find a new direction.

timbit · 03-02-2021, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nik-

Just going back to Sutter would be such on brand Flames laziness.

If it was just a concrete "finish this season" type thing, fine. Other than that, find a new direction.

Sutter would cure the “Flames laziness” in a New York minute.

Erick Estrada · 03-02-2021, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Darryl's god-awful drafting is one of the reasons why this franchise is asset poor.
He was not a good GM. He was a bad GM that made some good moves.
At least that's my view.

Can't go back to Darryl as the GM but I would be open to him coaching the team. I can't imagine Treliving would welcome this as Darryl won't be afraid to question Treliving's process.

ComixZone · 03-02-2021, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nik-

Just going back to Sutter would be such on brand Flames laziness.

If it was just a concrete "finish this season" type thing, fine. Other than that, find a new direction.

I think the more on-brand move is to hire an unproven coach that the rest of the league doesn't believe is head coach quality.

868904 · 03-02-2021, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Darryl's god-awful drafting is one of the reasons why this franchise is asset poor.
He was not a good GM. He was a bad GM that made some good moves.
At least that's my view.

Good thing Tre has built up the scouting department. Tell him hands off. Leave it to Button. Is that so hard to do?

nik- · 03-02-2021, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timbit

Sutter would cure the “Flames laziness” in a New York minute.

I'm not talking about laziness on the ice, I'm talking about the organization.

868904 · 03-02-2021, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nik-

I'm not talking about laziness on the ice, I'm talking about the organization.

Go back to what works in the past, is better than going back to what hasn't which is what Treliving has been doing with his coach hires.

nik- · 03-02-2021, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 868904

Go back to what works in the past, is better than going back to what hasn't which is what Treliving has been doing with his coach hires.

But it didn't really work outside of one miracle run. Other than that it was just an earlier cycle of underachieving. He won in LA, but we don't have LA's roster quality. We have an equal goalie. We don't have the centers, we have one winger, we have one defenseman right now that's Darryl LA quality in Andersson.

timbit · 03-02-2021, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nik-

I'm not talking about laziness on the ice, I'm talking about the organization.

Well aware....play on words.

868904 · 03-02-2021, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nik-

But it didn't really work outside of one miracle run. Other than that it was just an earlier cycle of underachieving. He won in LA, but we don't have LA's roster quality.

Miracle run? The Flames were a top team for years after that when Darryl was in charge.

They also got worse once Darryl stopped coaching which was the one season after 2004. He was only coach for 2.5 years. First year, he inherited a mess half way through and didn't have time to get them into the playoffs. Next season, the "miracle run", the season after that, he coached them to a 628 winning percentage and they lost in the first round. Then he stopped coaching.

We only had him as coach for 2.5 years and had a record of 106 wins - 73 loss record and winning 3 of 5 playoff rounds.

nik- · 03-02-2021, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 868904

Miracle run? The Flames were a top team for years after that when Darryl was in charge.

They also got worse once Darryl stopped coaching which was the one season after 2004. He was only coach for 2.5 years. First year, he inherited a mess half way through and didn't have time to get them into the playoffs. Next season, the "miracle run", the season after that, he coached them to a 628 winning percentage and they lost in the first round. Then he stopped coaching.

We only had him as coach for 2.5 years and had a record of 106 wins - 73 loss record and winning 3 of 5 playoff rounds.

Oh were they? They won a division, and then out first round. Then it was a slide down the standings with more first round exits.

That's a strange definition of top team.

GioforPM · 03-02-2021, 11:16 AM

Sutter checks the right boxes for me. He will figure out what’s wrong in the room, he is an underrated tactician, he would actually come here, he’s got a bigger name than any of the players so he wins a power struggle, he actually knows a couple of the vets (hopefully Gio is not still sore he had to go to Russia). No nonsense, but not mean like a Hartley.

The only negative is he sometimes tried to rein in his offensive players - Doughty for example. Though he didn’t seem to mind going and getting guys like Huselius, Tanguay, Gaborik, Vale Bure or Nylander (though how much they each enjoyed Darryl I don’t know).

genetic_phreek · 03-02-2021, 11:17 AM

One of the things I hate about all coaches and Ward seems to say this a lot is "play the right way". Like what the hell does that even mean? He can't seem to identify our issues so don't hold your breath that he will figure things out.

I don't mind what he has done with moving around bodies but I'm starting to think it wasn't a strategy as much as a panic move.

Igottago · 03-02-2021, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nik-

But it didn't really work outside of one miracle run. Other than that it was just an earlier cycle of underachieving. He won in LA, but we don't have LA's roster quality. We have an equal goalie. We don't have the centers, we have one winger, we have one defenseman right now that's Darryl LA quality in Andersson.

You can't just discard Sutter's success as a head coach. He is elite. Go back and examine his record over his career, even before the Flames. He is one of the best head coaches of his era.

The roster problems are a separate issue. But if you have a chance to get an elite coach, you do it. Unless you are the Flames, apparently.

The Yen Man · 03-02-2021, 11:21 AM

If not firing Ward, I hope they can at least demote him to associate coach, and bring in a guy like Boudreau or Gallant to whip the guys into shape. I'm not excusing the players bad play, but poor coaching has also been a big part of the problem this season. It's pretty clear to see.

868904 · 03-02-2021, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nik-

Oh were they? They won a division, and then out first round. Then it was a slide down the standings with more first round exits.

That's a strange definition of top team.

From 2004 to 2009, Sutter's Flames averaged a winning percentage of .591.

They were winning or battling for the division lead in each of those years. How were they not a top team?

bluejays · 03-02-2021, 11:21 AM

Part of the problem I think with having a rookie coach who is older in age is leadership to support him. Gio and Lucic are there but there really seems to be a disconnect between the young guys and the management. If they go the older vet coach again, they must must must bring in a credible leader on the top two lines who can bridge the relationship between management and players. I’m thinking a guy like Getzlaf or Staal. But the current group has no credible leadership from what I can see.

nik- · 03-02-2021, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 868904

From 2004 to 2009, Sutter's Flames averaged a winning percentage of .591.

They were winning or battling for the division lead in each of those years. How were they not a top team?

Results. A top team isn't a sure first round out. Top teams aren't based on having a decent regular season. Average teams are.

GioforPM · 03-02-2021, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 868904

Miracle run? The Flames were a top team for years after that when Darryl was in charge.

They also got worse once Darryl stopped coaching which was the one season after 2004. He was only coach for 2.5 years. First year, he inherited a mess half way through and didn't have time to get them into the playoffs. Next season, the "miracle run", the season after that, he coached them to a 628 winning percentage and they lost in the first round. Then he stopped coaching.

We only had him as coach for 2.5 years and had a record of 106 wins - 73 loss record and winning 3 of 5 playoff rounds.

Darryl’s record as coach was fine, other than that stupid PO loss. But they were only a “top team” in the year after the lockout, his last year coaching, and it was a bit of smoke and mirrors, like the Flames under Peters. They were the weakest division winner in the league except maybe NJD. They would have finished 3rd in 2 divisions. Other than that year they were a team that would make the POs for 3 years and not do much else. Then they proceeded to miss until he left.