[News] Darryl Sutter out as Head Coach. Maloney presser at 11:30 AM MT

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by Sandman

A friend of mine has a client who is friends with a person in the Flames org, who claims that Backlund in particular, despises Sutter, and most of the staff (trainers, therapists, equipment, etc) do as well.

That would make sense since it made absolutely no sense that Backlund wasn't named captain at any point these last two seasons.

[Goriders]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

Feels like Sutter lost the room mid season with the baffling roster decisions. Always playing washed up vets and letting the goaltending sewer the season. Still believe they could have made the playoffs with better deployment and playing the backup goalie and rookies more.

It wouldn’t have mattered though in the long run. We would have been the Jets.

There’s something wrong with this team.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

He is right but I still can't stand Francis

I don't agree with Francis. The organization could have extended Treliving more than 2 years and fired Sutter. Did a light bulb suddenly go off with Maloney in 2 weeks to realize Sutter was the problem? Treliving was just as mediocre so it's good to get a fresh start.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Autter is a coach who could take this team all the way. Best coach in franchise history in terms of getting results.

He's also the coach who buried Ruzicka, Phillips, and to a lesser extent Pellettier and Coronato. He had to go.

I wish he had been more open to playing youth regularily and not having a double standard for 24 year olds vs 24 year olds.

Young, hungry, fast teams have an edge over aging, accomplished veteran teams. We see it throughout the season, arguably we saw it when Florida knocked off Boston yesterday too.

The treatment of Phillips, & Pelletier and his relationship with Kadri/Huberdeau, got most of the headlines this year but really the one that might have had the biggest impact on the team was how he just cratered Ruzicka.

To start the year Ruzicka was playing in the top 9.

Toffoli-Lindholm-Ruzicka: +3, 56% Corsi For
Ruzicka-Backlund-Coleman: +2, 58% Corsi For

Prior to January 1st:

GP: 28 G: 6 P: 20 P/60: 3.39 (Led the team) xGF: 63.7 (2nd)

Looking at his TOI with other Flames:

Backlund: 100:42
Lindholm: 95:22
Lewis: 64:28
Kadri: 11:49

So playing mostly with Backlund and Lindholm...some time on the 4th line.

After January 1st:

GP: 16 G: 0 P: 0 P/60:0 xGF: 53.4

Lewis: 98:30
Backlund: 2:22
Kadri: 1:42
Lindholm: 1:31

It's a shocker his offense completely dried up and he lost all confidence once he was rejected to 4th line and press box duty only.

[calculoso]

Originally Posted by JohnnyB

No coach. No, GM. No clear direction.

Sutter leaving may well be for the best, but it feels like this has been the Flames since the final horn sounded on game 82 and the pistol fired to start the offseason.

I guess it is a good thing that the next season (and draft and free agency) isn’t tomorrow…

[Azhouse]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

Needed to be done, but I can't help but feel for Darryl.

I was hoping they could have amicably agreed to him stepping back into a consulting role or something like that.

He's done a lot for this franchise, and to be recruited out of retirement only to be fired two years later..it's an unfortunate ending. He didn't need this gig.

He has $8 million reasons not to be too upset…

[sureLoss]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1653075996596224024

[Toonage]

He's been successful, knows the youth that will be elevated and will be cheap quite frankly. It makes sense. I could also see him as an assistant if the Flames want to spend more on the head coach.

[CaptainCrunch]

Its bitter sweet, I like Sutter, I think he's a good man, I think all he wants is a maximum work ethic.



On the other side, he's certainly stubborn, he has favorites, and he isn't flexible in terms of his system.



I'm also of the mind set that players who are multi-millionaires, lack motivation, and seem to need a kick in the a$$. I'm not holding out hope for a core that put themselves first. The NHL shows that if you have a players coach you get run over. If you have a technical coach the players get confused by the system, if you have a authoratarian coach they rebel when the coach says mean things.



Maybe its time to give Chat GPT a chance to coach an NHL team.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by JohnnyB

No coach. No, GM. No clear direction.

That is much better than the mandate being they have to keep Sutter and then choosing a GM who was fine with that

[Naitix]

Definitely the right move

[Cole436]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

https://twitter.com/user/status/1653075996596224024

Can we stop with this #### and just hire a real coach? Boudreau is available

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

This move just show's IMO a lot of the heat ownership takes around here (I'm still flabbergasted as to why, other than we are all disappointed in results) aren't completely valid.

They invest in this team on ice at a solid rate. I'm sure it's not an unlimited budget, but I still find it tough to complain about an owner that will spend to the cap, and will eat $8M on a move like this.

Also makes me feel (no inside knowledge) that it couldn't have been a Tre or Sutter decision when Tre walked. Seems like it was more like the owner wasn't willing to let Tre pivot on the coach once again, vs. it being the owner making Sutter untouchable.

I think Sutter gets results, and he made the old core (Johnny and Chucky led) better whether they liked it or not. But unfortunately, if you have this much backlash from so many players (based on what we are hearing) something has to give. I do worry though that it might mean we don't have the right group here to push forward. Coaching carousel continues..........

[TheIronMaiden]

I can't wait for a full season of people saying, "don't worry, Kadri and Huderdeau are just learning a new system"

[ben voyonsdonc]

Originally Posted by Sandman

A friend of mine has a client who is friends with a person in the Flames org, who claims that Backlund in particular, despises Sutter, and most of the staff (trainers, therapists, equipment, etc) do as well.

That’s quite a few degrees of separation. Your friend => their client => their friend works in org. It doesn’t make it untrue though.

I’m glad that Sutter’s time is done. As the team struggled, he seemed to become more brittle and stubborn. I 100% support pushing and challenging players (even publicly) but he seemed committed to alienating them. It’s not a recipe for success.

[OILFAN #81]

Calgary had to do it and a good move for them. Sutter thinks he is funny with his comments in the media about putting players down/sarcastic comments etc but it seems as though it turns the players off so much. If the rumors/reports are true, then some players did not want to come back if he was back. Pretty easy decision.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Red Slinger

He is a good coach who squeezes everything out of his players but I think the Oilers figured out how to play against his system in last years playoffs and many teams did the same this year. So, while a lot of underlying stats looked good the results weren't there. Even so, with league average goaltending the team would comfortably be in the playoffs.

I'd challenge some of those statements.

- The Oilers figured out how to play against a Flames team that was missing Tanev and whose goaltender was playing atrociously, while getting every favourable call imaginable.

- Again this year, the Flames were without Kylington. A huge part of last year's success was the Kylington - Tanev pair's dynamic. Kylington's transition game, speed on the backcheck, and offense worked perfectly with Tanev's steady all-around defensive game. We haven't had that pair since last year's Dallas series.

- Despite that, it was more than just underlying stats that looked good. The 2022-23 Flames were 9th in 5v5 goals and 18th in 5v5 goals against. This is actual goals, and these numbers really are indicative of a team that should be in ~100 point range. Those numbers certainly could have been better (player usage, better goaltending, better individual play, and playing with leads more often all would have contributed positively) but it's disingenous to say the systems were figured out. The Jets, Kings, and Wild all made the playoffs in our conference with worse 5v5 play, purely in terms of goals for and against.

- The greatest failing came down to the powerplay, which is absolutely on Sutter, but not on Sutter's system

Originally Posted by GullFoss

Huby and Kadri are so soft, they couldn't even handle one season with Sutter.

Huby and Kadri have played for Bednar, Babcock, Quennville, Gallant. I doubt that's an accurate depiction of what happened.

More likely, it was frustration over ice time and line construction. That doesn't absolve the players, but I think it's fair to say you're totally removing the nuance from the situation with that assessment.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Bonded

That is much better than the mandate being they have to keep Sutter and then choosing a GM who was fine with that

Yeah, I'll take no clear direction over clearly directed at the ditch.

[liamenator]

The situation is a little bit like when Roy left the Avs. Talented coach, charismatic figure, franchise icon. But with a stubbornness and ego that just don't mesh with the players and prospects the franchise has assembled. We also have a completely different kind of coach waiting in the wings.


It would be great if the end result of this is even half of the success the Avs found going with Bednar over Roy.

[ben voyonsdonc]

By the way, how about we don’t hire a new coach until we have a GM in place who can hire someone that fits their vision?