Flames extend Huska for 2 more years

[mdubz]

2 more years of boring, low scoring, dump and chase hockey!

[Aarongavey]

Well deserved and a piece of good news that all Flames fans can celebrate.

[1qqaaz]

Don't the Flames have a terrible track record when it comes to extended coaches near or at the beginning of seasons?

[indes]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

don't the flames have a terrible track record when it comes to extended coaches near or at the beginning of seasons?

fyp and the answer is yes. Jury still out on Huska.

[Rhett44]

He should be thanking Wolf for this contract.

[united]

Wonderful news.

When you are facing a skill deficit in the majority of your games, you want to increase variance as much as possible by decreasing pace. Huska understood this perfectly last year. Couple low-event hockey with an elite goaltender and you have the recipe to keep many games tight regardless of opponent. Also, low-event hockey sets the table for the young core to become responsible two-way players for the rest of their careers which will serve the Flames handsomely come time to seriously contend, and for lengthy playoff runs where run-and-gun is ineffective. How Huska reacts tactically when the team's roster starts improving a few years' time is to be determined, but that can be judged when the time comes. For now, this is a solid move.

Contrast to the Hartley years that while some of the most exciting and memorable hockey we've seen, set the young core back years as their development on the defensive side of the game was stalled and even deteriorated (Gulultzan debacle that following notwithstanding), taking years to recover from and ultimately resulting in a team that was brushed aside come playoff time.

Eye on the long-term prize. This is the process.

[GranteedEV]

he's pretty mid, but I guess they didn't want a lame duck

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

he's pretty mid, but I guess they didn't want a lame duck

Mid coach took a mid team to mid 90s in points.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

He should be thanking Wolf for this contract.

Hockey is not a one person sport.
Expand your perspective on this stuff.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Yeah_Baby

T&Ps to dissentower

(love you buddy!)

Meh, the team is not ready to win a Cup yet anyhow. Great news for team tank. Bad news for us that have to watch his brand of boring skill killing hockey. Another two seasons after this of gain the zone, throw it back to the point for an unscreened shot. Can't wait.

[zukes]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Meh, the team is not ready to win a Cup yet anyhow. Great news for team tank. Bad news for us that have to watch his brand of boring skill killing hockey. Another two seasons after this of gain the zone, throw it back to the point for an unscreened shot. Can't wait.

What coaching strategy would you employ with this team? This coach actually has this team playing a style that can compete. I am also of the belief that Huska is smart enough to open things up if the team and talent warrants it.

This fan base is so divided and has very little patience. The Flames are returning a team that tied for the most points ever to miss the playoffs, and you can reasonably expect more improvement than decline.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

He plays such a boring style. Ughhh.

Originally Posted by mdubz

2 more years of boring, low scoring, dump and chase hockey!

This just comes across as lazy to me.

I mean could be ... but do we honestly think there is a firewagon of offensive explosion on this team that Huska is neutering?

Rhett44 even suggested the team was trash but elevated by Wolf in the game thread from last night but now the coach with the declining vets coaches a boring style?

[Locke]

Yes, yes, but did they get him that bowling-ball polishing machine for his office??

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

He got them to 96 last year only to miss on a technicality. Credit where due.

I'll never be kumbaya with coaches who are allergic to offense, as the product is much less exciting because of the highly structured approach. But you can't hate on the win/loss record at the end of the day.

And, sadly, until the flames have the weapons to win any other way, this is how they have to play.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by topfiverecords

Mid coach took a mid team to mid 90s in points.

Because points are a measure of a coach?

The Flames had the 3rd best 5v5 SV% (SVAdj) in the NHL last year, even with Vladar being unspectacular. That's why the eked out points in games they were outclassed.

[kehatch]

I am not a Huska fan for a team trying to win a cup. But he is fine for a rebuilding club.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by zukes

What coaching strategy would you employ with this team? This coach actually has this team playing a style that can compete. I am also of the belief that Huska is smart enough to open things up if the team and talent warrants it.

This fan base is so divided and has very little patience. The Flames are returning a team that tied for the most points ever to miss the playoffs, and you can reasonably expect more improvement than decline.

First, I think the lack of talent argument is weak and false. It's an excuse to stick up for Huska because he is such a nice guy. Huberdeau, Kadri, Sharangovich, Coronato, Coleman even have all the ability to hit 30 goals. Well Coronato has not but if the system was geared more towards the roster makeup he would. This is a skill group of forwards, funneling everything back to the point would be great if the team was a bunch of Adam Klapka's standing in front of the net. Instead you neuter player creativity for guys like Huby, Zary, Frost, etc... Huska's system is close to Sutter's except Sutter had everyone shooting from the perimeter to get mass shot volume. It didn't work for the roster he had and the only exception was the top line of Gaudreau/Lindholm/Tkachuk that got called out by the coach for being more interested in padding their stats then playing his system. Huska's system is even worse for this because everything gets funneled back to the point rather than shoot from anywhere which at least gives you a snowballs chance in hell of scoring. Combine that with nobody screening the goalie and it's a recipe for a great lack of scoring. Under the Sutter/Huska types of offensive zone system Huberdeau went from an 80-115 consistent player to 50-60. You made one of the most talented passers in the game into a two way 2nd line grinder because he was talented enough to change his game to fit the system. The system doesn't work for this roster, it just doesn't. If we had a large strong forward on each line that went directly to screening the goalie it would work. We don't have that.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

First, I think the lack of talent argument is weak and false. It's an excuse to stick up for Huska because he is such a nice guy. Huberdeau, Kadri, Sharangovich, Coronato, Coleman even have all the ability to hit 30 goals. Well Coronato has not but if the system was geared more towards the roster makeup he would. This is a skill group of forwards, funneling everything back to the point would be great if the team was a bunch of Adam Klapka's standing in front of the net. Instead you neuter player creativity for guys like Huby, Zary, Frost, etc... Huska's system is close to Sutter's except Sutter had everyone shooting from the perimeter to get mass shot volume. It didn't work for the roster he had and the only exception was the top line of Gaudreau/Lindholm/Tkachuk that got called out by the coach for being more interested in padding their stats then playing his system. Huska's system is even worse for this because everything gets funneled back to the point rather than shoot from anywhere which at least gives you a snowballs chance in hell of scoring. Combine that with nobody screening the goalie and it's a recipe for a great lack of scoring. Under the Sutter/Huska types of offensive zone system Huberdeau went from an 80-115 consistent player to 50-60. You made one of the most talented passers in the game into a two way 2nd line grinder because he was talented enough to change his game to fit the system. The system doesn't work for this roster, it just doesn't. If we had a large strong forward on each line that went directly to screening the goalie it would work. We don't have that.

I think you'd be strongly in the minority on both a CP poll and a national poll on those thoughts.

Calgary has a 2nd line, two 3rd lines, and two 4th lines ... three top four defenseman of which two have transition skills and an elite goaltender.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Great news in my mind. He strikes me as a really good balance between the tough coach and the player's coach. He has created a system that plays to this team's strengths, and I look forward to seeing how he modifies it over the years as more talent graduates. If Hartley wasn't so difficult behind the scenes, I always wondered what would happen if he had another couple of years, and what changes he would have implemented.


I really think stability here is key. This is a first time head coach, and he has exceeded expectations thus far. Good with the vets, and good with the young players. He is not a finished product either - the more experience he gains as head coach, the better he will become as well. Maybe in 2 years, he gets extended again. He doesn't seem like the type to wear out his welcome.

[PepsiFree]

Huska coaches to his team’s skillset. If low event hockey is what helps the team succeed that’s what they’ll do. If they have a great goaltender that’s what they’ll rely on. And if they have offensive power they’ll utilize it.

Saying he can’t or won’t is silly. Two of his teams in the WHL were second in goals among the entire league. He won a championship there and made it to the memorial cup final (where he team was the highest scoring in the round robin). Fast forward to the NHL, and he took a team most had resigned to a bottom five finish and finished instead with 96 points, ahead of a playoff team.

I think he’s underrated by some.