[News] Flames name Geoff Ward and Ryan Huska as assistant coaches

[dammage79]

Wait a second. Since when is GG a babcock disciple?

[Manhattanboy]

Well those hires sure inspire some confidence.

Your Calgary Flames. Mired in mediocrity for the next 25 years.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

Well those hires sure inspire some confidence.

Your Calgary Flames. Mired in mediocrity for the next 25 years.

Just the same as the last 25 years! If you liked those, well let me tell you we got 25 more coming straight out the oven! Mama Mia !

[Da_Chief]

Originally Posted by Nelson

Who would you have hired?

Duh, Scotty Bowman, Mike Babcock and Bill Bellichek.

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

It's cool though, I get that the majority of you are happy with mediocrity, that is what this fan base has had for years. Whatever, I will bow out of the discussion, we shall see

Being measurable or optimistic is a choice. Good to see you lighten up a bit.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

It's cool though, I get that the majority of you are happy with mediocrity, that is what this fan base has had for years. Whatever, I will bow out of the discussion, we shall see

Do you care more about being right or the Flames doing well?

[Manhattanboy]

Originally Posted by Da_Chief

Duh, Scotty Bowman, Mike Babcock and Bill Bellichek.

Coach Kleats.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by dammage79

And from the Rockets? Or is his record there a raw sell job?

It's tough to say. Really as simple as that. I do think calling Huska a "defenseman whisperer" is probably gross hyperbole. In junior, Kelowne was indeed known as a defenseman factory while he was there but we don't know if that's because they had superior recruiting / trading or not.

As far as the AHL goes, I think Huska fumbled Kulak early on and we were fortunate Kulak persevered and developed because sending skaters to the ECHL is generally a death sentence on their careers. I don't know what to make of Culkin as he looked primed for an NHL stint and then fell off the face of the earth. Kylington's developed decently and I give both Huska and Todd Gill credit for that, but I am also concerned as Kylington isn't put in charge of the power play, where Wotherspoon is. Speaking of Wotherspoon, he's plateaued hard and maybe that was his ceiling, but it's still a bit confounding. Finally that leaves Andersson. Again I don't know what Huska did for Andersson. I do know Andersson is an NHLer's son who was a pretty polished prospect even when he was drafted, who had a very nice junior career in Barrie and his biggest issues were off the ice.

I know that's a whole lot of "inconclusive" but that's really how I view Huska. Overall the biggest measure of Huska's success with defensemen has to be Oliver Kylington as that's the guy he's coached the most exclusively and he hasn't graduated yet - so again, no conclusion.


TL;DR I don't buy that Huska is a "defenseman whisperer" based on his body of work. I also was never impressed by his PKs.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Wait a second. Since when is GG a babcock disciple?

He's always had the same philosophies on breakouts, defencemen, etc. And:

http://calgarysun.com/sports/hockey/...ack-a-long-way

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Do you care more about being right or the Flames doing well?

I will answer this and then I will bow out because I am high on NyQuil and this flu bug is kicking my butt. I want to be wrong, dead wrong. I have been a Flames fan my whole life and have always been passionate about them, probably too much. Nothing would make me happier than this coaching staff to make me look like an idiot. I am just tired of the mediocrity and losing and these guys don't exactly inspire confidence. I apologize for my ranting.

[Manhattanboy]

I get the Flames m.o. here. Announce these hires during the cup finals when they think we’re not paying attention.

[Samonadreau]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Do you care more about being right or the Flames doing well?

[bubbsy]

Meh....

Credit treliving for really being 'ballsy' in his entire coaching staff hires yet again. By electing to build a staff around unproven, unheralded guys, he really points the blame completely upon himself if this doesn't work again.

Im not going to give my personal opinion on any of the hires as i have no real knowledge of any of the new staff.

That being said, i had hoped the flames invested in an experienced staff that has any kind of nhl level success. Clearly that was barely a criteria in filling these positions.

[dissentowner]

Oh, one more thing. Paragraphs are so overrated! I hate them, they are the bane of my universe. Now I can crash.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

Meh....

Credit treliving for really being 'ballsy' in his entire coaching staff hires yet again. By electing to build a staff around unproven, unheralded guys, he really points the blame completely upon himself if this doesn't work again.

Im not going to give my personal opinion on any of the hires as i have no real knowledge of any of the new staff.

That being said, i had hoped the flames invested in an experienced staff that has any kind of nhl level success. Clearly that was barely a criteria in filling these positions.

With the Flames not really willing to pay a lot for coaches (as mentioned on 960) he doesn’t really have a choice.

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Oh, one more thing. Paragraphs are so overrated! I hate them, they are the bane of my universe. Now I can crash.

It's hard to be positive when your sick, get some rest you'll feel better!

[Manhattanboy]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Oh, one more thing. Paragraphs are so overrated! I hate them, they are the bane of my universe. Now I can crash.

Dude flu season is over! It’s duck season. Get well.

[PepsiFree]

I think what’s important to remember here is that coaching hires are not simply “Get the best person available” for every team.

For many teams, Calgary included, there are two factors that impact your choice: Do they want to come here? And, What will owners approve for salary?

Those two factors inevitably eliminate a lot of candidates, regardless of who the fans or even Treliving himself wants.

[kukkudo]

Meh on the entire coaching staff, lets see how the season plays out lots of moves to be made.

[Buck Murdock]

Who's going to be the head coach in Stockton? Pittser?