[POLL] Calgary Flames coaching change mega-thread—with poll

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

If Gulutzan wants to blame "one bad month" for his demise, he should look at October rather than March.

It was December for me. When Philly on a 10 game losing streak came into Western Canada and easily beat all 3 teams, that showed how bad all 3 teams were. Once the Flames were lumped in with the Canucks and Oilers, it was over.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I'm not so sure. He talks like just making the playoffs two seasons in a row was good enough. I don't think he would have been hired in the first place if during his interview process he told Treliving that his goal was to do a good enough job just to sneak into the playoffs. I think he sold the GM higher expectations and he didn't deliver. I also think Treliving is a smart man and could see a lot of the same questionable decision making as the rest of us.

That's what annoyed me the most about that article.

“So trade deadline, we’re looking at hitting it for two in a row. That month, we get injuries, and now you’re gone. That’s how short your leash can be.”

Yeah, two in a row, but if you consider limping into the playoffs and getting swept a win, then that's an indication of something wrong.

Also, this ironic statement.

“They want to take blame — like any good man does — and they all feel bad,” Gulutzan said.

[Pipty]

Please not another coach that has done nothing but lose with another team.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

My memory of the whole year includes 3M struggles for most of the year, without a single attempt to see if maybe that line had run its course and perhaps some shuffling could help the team.

This is something that didn't get enough play. That line was not very good this season and he never made any adjustments. Just kept it together in hopes that they would magically regain their form from the season before even though it was painfully obvious that Frolik was dragging that line down all season and Tkachuk wasn't being fully utilized playing with two slumping players.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Table 5

This was a mediocre, lily-livered, team all season long...the last couple of months just emphasized how much. But this team had major issues that went way beyond injuries.

Even if we somehow tripped backwards into the playoffs, can anyone imagine this Gulutzan-led team elevating their play to the standards needed for the post-season?

I agree that the Flames would have gotten destroyed in the playoffs. But that's on the players too. It's a problem if key players need a coach to motivate them in big games. If they care more about padding their stats than doing the difficult things it takes to win.

This isn't an either/or problem. The Flames coach and the players are at fault for wilting when the going gets tough.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by Bingo

In all fairness he did say that he himself had trouble managing expectations, there's some culpability in that.

As far as the "trust your GM" issue being discussed, to me it comes down to the man.

Had complete faith in Fletcher.
Risebrough was a mess.
Coates wasn't a GM
I liked Button
Sutter was two men (the guy that couldn't lose, then the guy that panicked)
Feaster was terrifying
Treliving I have confidence in.

That's the start of where I go with these things. If I trust the guy I assume he knows what he's doing.

But they all make mistakes.

I'm still on the fence with Treliving. Some good moves, but the results are very iffy. Two flat out bad seasons and one mediocre is a pretty bad track record, especially considering how many draft picks we burned to get here.

I really hope his hard work finally starts to pay off next season.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

This is something that didn't get enough play. That line was not very good this season and he never made any adjustments. Just kept it together in hopes that they would magically regain their form from the season before even though it was painfully obvious that Frolik was dragging that line down all season and Tkachuk wasn't being fully utilized playing with two slumping players.

I would have liked to see what Jankowski and Shore could do on the wing. Something along the lines of:

Gaudreau-Monahan-Ferland
Jankowski-Backlund-Shore
Tkachuk-Bennett-Foo
Frolik-Stajan-Lazar

alas, too late now. Even missing the playoffs wasn't enough for Gully to experiment.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Itse

I'm still on the fence with Treliving. Some good moves, but the results are very iffy. Two flat out bad seasons and one mediocre is a pretty bad track record, especially considering how many draft picks we burned to get here.

I really hope his hard work finally starts to pay off next season.

He's had four seasons, but I guess you aren't counting his first because he didn't take part in the draft?

[Itse]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

He's had four seasons, but I guess you aren't counting his first because he didn't take part in the draft?

I'm counting that in Feasters track record for the most part. It was his team mostly, with his coach.

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Man this whole Peters thing is so weird. Not sure it puts him in a good light as far as being a top candidate. Just quit if you don't want to be there as the posturing in hopes you get fired doesn't play out well out in the open. It's not like he's Mike Babcock, AV or other guys with a track record.

This whole thing is weird. What are we missing with this guy? He went to Carolina and the Hurricanes were still what they always are - mediocre. In fact his 4 seasons were about as successful as GG's 4 seasons in the NHL. So... what is the magic that he is going to bring to his next stop?

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

This whole thing is weird. What are we missing with this guy? He went to Carolina and the Hurricanes were still what they always are - mediocre. In fact his 4 seasons were about as successful as GG's 4 seasons in the NHL. So... what is the magic that he is going to bring to his next stop?

There are now 23 people that have voted they actually want him as a coach.

My best guess is that some interpret the poll as who they think may be the next coach.

I still haven’t seen any detailed justification anywhere, and find that he has that many votes truly perplexing

[zamler]

“I was a bit surprised (by the decision), but I have a real good connection with Tre so I obviously knew there were some unhappy people,”

How?

[Ashasx]

Tyler‏ @akaRCN
Pinder confirms source - a current Eastern Conference Coach - tells him he's heard CGY ownership has intetest in bringing Darryl Sutter back.

I really hope ownership isn't forcing a selection that Treliving doesn't want.

[Firebot]

Originally Posted by zamler

How?

Because the team had great Corsi, the only measure for how well a team does

[CroFlames]

Are we turning into the Canadiens West where we only hire Alberta folks to work here? I sure hope not.

Not that I'm against Sutter as coach, but the GM should have 100% autonomy to decide on who will work best for his plans.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Tyler‏ @akaRCN
Pinder confirms source - a current Eastern Conference Coach - tells him he's heard CGY ownership has intetest in bringing Darryl Sutter back.

I really hope ownership isn't forcing a selection that Treliving doesn't want.

I’m not a fan of micro managing either..... but I really hope they are at least challenging him on his process based on his previous attempt.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Tyler‏ @akaRCN
Pinder confirms source - a current Eastern Conference Coach - tells him he's heard CGY ownership has intetest in bringing Darryl Sutter back.

I really hope ownership isn't forcing a selection that Treliving doesn't want.

I don't care as long as they get a good coach.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Tyler‏ @akaRCN
Pinder confirms source - a current Eastern Conference Coach - tells him he's heard CGY ownership has intetest in bringing Darryl Sutter back.

I really hope ownership isn't forcing a selection that Treliving doesn't want.

I imagine Tre has autonomy to sign a coach with a caveat that if the dollar figure is too high then only Darryl gets the chequebook out.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

There are now 23 people that have voted they actually want him as a coach.

My best guess is that some interpret the poll as who they think may be the next coach.

I still haven’t seen any detailed justification anywhere, and find that he has that many votes truly perplexing

I'm one.

1. I like coaches that coach to have the puck.
2. He came under Babcock one of the best coaches all time.
3. His possession game seems to mirror Babcock's
4. Getting picked twice to coach at the World Championships stands out.
5. I've seen some of his wrinkles that are very different, and innovative including the use of the far side winger as a chase vehicle to regain puck control in his own zone.

I say all this with the caveat that I'd want to look into why they didn't win in Carolina. Pretty easy to tag Darling for a lot of it (and Lack the year before that) the numbers jump off the page, but he has a similarly "unlucky" shooting percentage as Gulutzan, so is that a system issue or is it players? Bounces? A mix? His teams have had the 2nd or 3rd lowest payroll in recent years so there's that too.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Tyler‏ @akaRCN
Pinder confirms source - a current Eastern Conference Coach - tells him he's heard CGY ownership has intetest in bringing Darryl Sutter back.

I really hope ownership isn't forcing a selection that Treliving doesn't want.

Well Treliving might have just lost some of the owners’ confidence with the last pick. And you expect he needs approval for major decisions affecting the franchise

If you are a boss, and you have an employee that screws up pretty badly, do you give him the same full autonomy on the next decision?

Most bosses I have seen would be looking very closely

I would not be surprised at all if ownership would at very least require Tre to identify why any candidate he recommends is a better idea than Sutter