Flames fire Geoff Ward, hire Darryl Sutter, signs 3 year deal - Page 66 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Knut · 03-08-2021, 11:55 AM

Have to go 20-10 in the last 30 games. So the team better get whipped into shape quickly.

CaptainCrunch · 03-08-2021, 11:55 AM

Here's hoping that this first in person practice is very unpleasant.

VilleN · 03-08-2021, 12:00 PM

I'm excited that the last variable has been removed; we'll finally be able to find out the answer to the question we've all been wondering: Has coaching been the problem or is the core not good enough? If Sutter can't right the ship within the next calendar year, I say tear it down to the ground.

Bonded · 03-08-2021, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knut

Have to go 20-10 in the last 30 games. So the team better get whipped into shape quickly.

Oh man, that so isn't happening

Willi Plett · 03-08-2021, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Textcritic

It's not just Treliving. Sutter himself has confirmed that they have been in regular communication for what seems like a long time now. We know that Treliving was waiting on Peters to become available, but we do not know that he did not have a conversation with Sutter prior to that. Based on comments by both Treliving and Sutter that certainly seems likely. Sutter officially retired from coaching a couple months after Peters was hired, and I think it is possible that he informally took himself out of the running for the Flames job prior to that. In Sutter's interviews from the past several days it seems pretty clear that an incentive for taking the job is the makeup of current roster, so it would then be unsurprising if there was a lower level of interest on his end with different roster configurations—whatever those may have been.

I believe that in the off-season the decision on a head coach was always set on one of either Sutter or Ward. The most popular opinion here seems to be that Ward was Treliving's pick, and Sutter was the owners, and that ownership deferred to Treliving but have now pulled rank to hire their first choice.

However, it is also possible that the situation was reversed: perhaps Treliving's first choice was Sutter, but ownership was more set on Ward as a cost-saving measure while staring down millions of dollars of losses during the pandemic. Perhaps it was a group decision from the beginning to try something, and then to alter course when it was very clearly not working at all. Correcting the mistake of hiring Ward was definitely much easier to swallow than it would have been attempting to correct the mistake of a much higher dollar commitment to Sutter in the first place.

Also possible Sutter was the first choice but declined for whatever reasons. For one, he puts family above all and taking the job in the midst of Covid isn’t great for family. What’s more, the team still has some holes that could be filled in due course. If we can see it, clearly DS can too. Without Covid, most anticipated upward movement of the salary cap. A few million more could have meant a Toffoli like player instead of Leivo or Simon.

Coaches have an impact timeframe and a shelf life. Maybe the group felt extending the timing was the way to go. DS himself said he owed a lot to ownership. To me the rhetoric sounded as if he wasn’t prepared for this at this moment but that it was a necessary last resort and that it was a bit of favor / loyalty.

Goriders · 03-08-2021, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knut

Have to go 20-10 in the last 30 games. So the team better get whipped into shape quickly.

I can’t see that happening. If they can’t catch the oilers they probably shouldn’t be in the playoffs.

Quite frankly over the last month they are the oilers bitch.

Manhattanboy · 03-08-2021, 12:44 PM

Haven’t checked the websites but after this weekend’s debacle (actually the debacle that was the series against OTT) playoff chances have to be less than 10%.

dino7c · 03-08-2021, 12:44 PM

Sutter's best chance is to dominate the rest of the season series with Montreal or Edmonton

Psytic · 03-08-2021, 12:47 PM

I still think this season is a write off and I'm okay with it. Getting a top 15 pick that can skate like Lysell or Hughes. Get a good read on who is on the bus and who's off. Not bad. Or make the playoffs. Happy either way now that Darryl is back.

getbak · 03-08-2021, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flames0910

Is there a press conference or any media availability today? Can't seem to stop refreshing waiting for any tidbits of news

Today's an off day for the team, so he's probably in town and getting his office in order, but we won't likely hear anything until after practice tomorrow morning.

dino7c · 03-08-2021, 12:49 PM

Yeah this really isn't a bad year to suck...short season, no fans, playoffs in the summer not to mention guaranteed changes and maybe a really good deadline.

If Sutter pulls off a miracle though that means the Flames are playing amazing hockey going into the playoffs.

Win/Win really compared to a week ago

Roof-Daddy · 03-08-2021, 01:30 PM

Sutter will probably get this team playing just well enough to miss out on a top pick but still miss the playoffs.

Plus, the Flames have nothing good to sell on this deadline.

dino7c · 03-08-2021, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Sutter will probably get this team playing just well enough to miss out on a top pick but still miss the playoffs.

Plus, the Flames have nothing good to sell on this deadline.

Well that isn't true

CliffFletcher · 03-08-2021, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troutman

I don't trust Treliving to be involved with the restructuring of this team. I feel like he has really over-estimated the quality of this team for too long. Let his last move be the hiring of Sutter. Bring in a new GM like Lombardi.

Lombardi is even more loyal to his players than Treliving. I don’t see him as the right guy to remake a core.

DeluxeMoustache · 03-08-2021, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dino7c

Yeah this really isn't a bad year to suck...short season, no fans, playoffs in the summer not to mention guaranteed changes and maybe a really good deadline.

If Sutter pulls off a miracle though that means the Flames are playing amazing hockey going into the playoffs.

Win/Win really compared to a week ago

It *is* a bad year to suck because with all Canadian division, there are bragging rights on the line!

Any team other than Calgary emerges from this and goes to round 3, there will be too many insufferable fans of theirs.

Roof-Daddy · 03-08-2021, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dino7c

Well that isn't true

I meant for rentals.

Any one with term is going to be hard as hell to move given the flat cap, plus trades are hard to do now already with the covid protocols.

It's a #### year to be selling, especially with no good rentals

dino7c · 03-08-2021, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

I meant for rentals.

Any one with term is going to be hard as hell to move given the flat cap, plus trades are hard to do now already with the covid protocols.

It's a #### year to be selling, especially with no good rentals

The US doesn't really have covid protocols...not rentals but if they wanted to make a massive splash at the deadline they certainly could, lots of teams think they have a legit shot this year.

dino7c · 03-08-2021, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

It *is* a bad year to suck because with all Canadian division, there are bragging rights on the line!

Any team other than Calgary emerges from this and goes to round 3, there will be too many insufferable fans of theirs.

And when they get pounded in round three things will be back to normal lol...especially if its the Leafs playing a team that will be in their own division next season

Toonage · 03-08-2021, 01:48 PM

And picks don't have to quarantine. Plenty of business could be done if the Flames sell.

delayedreflex · 03-08-2021, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toonage

And picks don't have to quarantine. Plenty of business could be done if the Flames sell.

The value you get for the players you are selling could be lower though, if they have to quarantine, since the buying team misses out on a few games of the player they are buying. Teams who are safely on the top of their division might still be comfortable buying but bubble teams might be hesitant ponying up a lot for a player that may not be able to contribute as much during the regular season.

One result might be though is teams deciding they want to be sellers earlier on and activity may peak further in advance of the trade deadline. Seems like that's already a trend that more activity happens before the trade deadline than at it, and this year it could be even more exaggerated.