Poll: How satisfied are you with the Flames coaching

[Flamescuprun2018]

This coaching staff gets high praise from me. Very prepared staff using lots of videos; demands strong work ethic every night and line matches exceptionally well leading to decent home ice record despite an overall lack of talent.

In general the work ethic of the team far exceeds many others in the league with far more talent than us.

Not great for the tank when it can lead to 2-1 and 3-2 wins as a result but so be it. Sure beats the coaching carousel that The Wizard ran us through in his era.

Every time I find myself critiquing Huska for a move where he limits playing time/or benches a young player. I frequently end up retracting my view after the same young player plays better the next time having learned some lesson Huska was giving him.

Huska is a 21st century NHL head coach who offers a balance of being tough, but fair and yet seems very well liked by his players.

Would I like to see Zary at center more, yes. But has Zary really excelled at center when given a chance, no.

[dissentowner]

Does ChatGTP count as being very prepared?

[Flame On]

I think Huska is good at some stuff like getting the team prepared and not giving up and stuff. I just don't really want him here developing a more young and skilled base of players. That's really an anecdotal feeling I have. I dislike the way a vet can go months without any kind of repercussions if they have poor play. Obviously he's tragic too, with things like the Power Play.
Although I do have to give him kudos for the PK this year.

[dino7c]

won 3 of 4 vs the Oilers with this roster, change your votes losers

[Goriders]

Only so much you can do with this roster of forwards. They do well with what they have.

They beat the Oilers 3 out of 4. End of the day what else could you ask for.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

I went with a 9. It's extremely difficult to get consistent work ethic out of NHLers, especially when wins are hard to come by. The mere fact that the team still plays hard and responsible defensively every night is a minor miracle. If Huska were given decent talent, the Flames would be a perennial playoff team and potential cup threat. They play a style of game that wins in the playoffs. I'm all for that.

I think he's quite good at handling young players and developing them to become effective NHLers. I have no concerns at all about him coaching young players during a rebuild. He gives freedom but also requires accountability. He knows when to pull them back and when to give them free reign. It's a tough balancing act, but he seems to have a strong sense of how to do it.

The only reason I didn't give a 10 is because I am simply unsure how adaptable he is to different styles of play. You do need some flexibility in coaching depending on the opponent you're facing.

[flamesgod]

Originally Posted by Matty81

Mike Keenan was absolutely terrible for me. He was coaching like it was 20 years earlier, just didn't update his methods at all and for me those teams had talent and had shown they could win in the playoffs and he flopped. That team should have been good both years.

I get the critique of Huska's system and I would share the criticism if he is still playing like that with 2 or 3 skillers up front, but he's got a bunch of plough horses right now. The system suits the mandates and the plugs he has got. If he sticks with the north south system once he has 3 or 4 young stars then give him the boot, but right now playing a more creative style would be suicidal

Keenan had the 08/09 team rolling until the blueline was absolutely decimated by injuries, at the worst possible time.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

Strange, would've thought more people would care about seeing young players getting regular games, adequate ice time and opportunities at important times.

I guess over the years the organization has lulled a segment of people into having a low bar. Being so familiar with mediocrity and an underwhelming product, I guess more just seems palatable instead of irksome, as it would be in markets that are used to a competitive team.

No playoffs in his entire tenure, rigid and often meager usage of young talents until just very recently. Offense and PP just complete duds.

Not sure why that garners and 8/10, but so be it.

Sounds like you are advocating the Flames follow the Oilers 2010 - 2015 blueprint of just handing out big minutes to young players that weren’t deserving or ready. I guess some fans either don’t follow history or think that just because throwing out young players to sink or swim didn’t work for the Oilers or Sabres that it may work for the Flames. That Arrested Development GIF will continue to be timeless as long as people like you exist.

[VilleN]

Originally Posted by HighLifeMan

I'd argue that the only u27 roster player that has improved since last season is Kevin Bahl. That's where the list begins and ends.




We rank;
32nd in GF
30th in points
30th in goal differential

I think many of you are overstating how "competitive" we have been this year. We have an entire roster chalked full of underperforming talent and the stats and individual regressions bare that out. This by and large is the same roster that had 96 points just last season, so yes, Huska absolutely deserves criticism for the teams immense drop off in my opinion.

Most fan's want to see this team bottom out which is fine and it looks necessary, but I am not going to pretend this coach has really ever shown anything to suggest he's capable of winning or developing offense at this level. He's a fine enough placeholder but not the guy I expect to turn the ship around when needed.

Realistically, I don't think even Scotty Bowman would get much more out of this group. We have a ####ty team. I don't really even see a point in evaluating the coach, or at this point why anyone really cares - if you think Huska sucks, what do you think the top end of this group is? 27th in the league instead of 30th? What are we even talking about?

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by flamesgod

Keenan had the 08/09 team rolling until the blueline was absolutely decimated by injuries, at the worst possible time.

Keenan was the figurehead playing mind games with the players, but it was Jim Playfair that was doing the actual coaching.

[Calgary4LIfe]

It is kind of weird when you think about it.


Playfair was an assistant that got promoted to head coach after Sutter started focusing exclusively on his GM duties. The players didn't really accept him as a coach and certainly didn't respect him.


Huska was an assistant that got promoted to head coach after Sutter was fired, but the players seem to respect him.


It makes me wonder if it was the team or if it was the coach that was the issue in 2006-07. With Playfair having that 'super tantrum' in the AHL after a bad call, and with him never again getting a head coaching gig, I am going to go with Playfair not having what it takes to be a head coach, but I also do remember Sutter stating that: "This team is hard to coach", which people interpreted back then as "coach killers". I just thought that they didn't have good coaches other than Darryl Sutter. Playfair (undetermined), Keenan (semi-retired on the job) and Brent Sutter (wrong system and unwilling to adapt it) were all poor fits IMO.