Calgary Flames Coach Ranking #1

[Flashpoint]

Terry Crisp won the Cup over the 2nd best team in the NHL. Beat Roy, Chelios, Lemieux. It almost feels like he’s taken for granted because of the talent on the team. But getting that talent to buy in is part of the job - and everyone was pulling the right way.

He wasn’t just riding the talent and keeping them happy either. He scratched McDonald for Fleury. The players weren’t too keen to see the captain sitting, but it injected something special into the roster late in the season.

It was a long time ago. But he was the guy who won.

[Puppet Guy]

Badger was decades ahead of his time, and completely crazy in the best possible way.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

These sorts of back-handed jabs at the Board and anonymous segments of its membership are tiresome and unfunny.

Knock it off.

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Um... what?

No idea what you are upset about

[Red_Baron]

I think it should be a vote for the 5 best and the 5 worst.

[Strange Brew]

Three great NHL coaches have coached the Calgary Flames. Bob Johnson, Darryl Sutter and Mike Keenan.

Keenan's Flames stint was uneventful.

Sutter's stint was impactful, but extremely short at only 3 years. The talent on the 2004 team is also underrated. The players acquired during the year were key pieces and by the time the playoffs came, that was a strong team for the NHL of that era.

Johnson coached 5 years and made a huge impact on the organization. He had a very talented team though and other than one year, struggled mightily in the playoffs.

Although not as good a coach as these others, Crisp deserves serious consideration for getting the job done. Full stop.

I'm actually torn between Sutter, Johnson and Crisp.

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I went Darryl Sutter.

Bob Johnson was my assumption coming in, but then the team's that Johnson coached when on to win a cup without him. He was huge in building up the team, getting them able to beat Edmonton, and he's my favourite coach.

But best coach? Darryl Sutter took a lunch bucket team to the Stanley Cup Final. The second he removed himself form behind the bench the team lost their drive. He was the face of the franchise.

To be fair, the 1988/89 roster >>> The 1986/87 roster (Badger's last season in Calgary).

Subtract: Paul Reinhart, Carey Wilson, Mike Bullard, John Tonelli, Reggie Lemelin
Add: Joe Nieuwendyk (HOF), Doug Gilmour (HOF), Gary Roberts, Jiri Hrdina, Mark Hunter, Rob Ramage, Rick Wamsley, Theo Fleury.

Those are some pretty big upgrades.

As for Badger versus Darryl -- both had incredible Cinderella runs to the Finals. Both extracted every ounce of talent out of their team and motivated them to seemingly do the impossible. I'd give the slight edge to Badger, who managed to conquer the Oilers at the height of their dynasty.

Not entirely relevant, but Badger also went on to win a Cup with (a stacked) Pittsburgh team as well.

[DeluxeMoustache]

^ Also Darryl won 2 cups with LA

[looooob]

Originally Posted by tvp2003

To be fair, the 1988/89 roster >>> The 1986/87 roster (Badger's last season in Calgary).

Subtract: Paul Reinhart, Carey Wilson, Mike Bullard, John Tonelli, Reggie Lemelin
Add: Joe Nieuwendyk (HOF), Doug Gilmour (HOF), Gary Roberts, Jiri Hrdina, Mark Hunter, Rob Ramage, Rick Wamsley, Theo Fleury.

Those are some pretty big upgrades.

.

and McCrimmon?

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

These sorts of back-handed jabs at the Board and anonymous segments of its membership are tiresome and unfunny.

Knock it off.

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Well I chuckled. How people vote in a hockey opinion poll isn't all that sacred is it?

[bludawg]

If we go with the 5 best and the 5 worst, can I put Gulutzan in all 5 of the worst?

[getbak]

Tough call between Johnson and Darryl, but I went with Sutter.

Johnson built the team up and figured out a way to win against the one team that it really mattered for the Flames to beat. Still, it took some time and Fletcher's savvy moves to assemble the right talent.

Sutter found a way to win with a roster that wasn't that great on paper. He got the most out of his players in a way that the coaches who followed him couldn't do with a more-talented lineup.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

^ Also Darryl won 2 cups with LA

Badger Bob got one with Pittsburgh.

He was also the only coach to beat the Sather Oilers in a 7 game series.

[Dion]

I like to think of myself as a pirate and you're just walking that person out on the plank. And then you pull them back when you get what you want. Of course, sometimes, in the beginning, you're going to push a little too far.

Bob Johnson

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

The talent on the 2004 team is also underrated.

I would argue the exact opposite. Looking back at that roster I'm even more amazed how close they came to winning it all.

Making the playoffs and getting past the first round was getting water from a stone. Winning the cup would have been filling a bathtub from a pebble.

While Badger changed the culture at the time, hard to argue Sutter didn't do the same. They were coming off an incredible period of futility, and no one believed in that organization at the time of Sutter's hiring. He flipped things around, and extremely fast.

Plus, Sutter didn't just get handed the greatest goalie in the league, he identified him as a 3rd stringer and brought him over.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Bill Bumface

...Plus, Sutter didn't just get handed the greatest goalie in the league, he identified him as a 3rd stringer and brought him over.

Sutter himself has disputed this. He readily admitted that he didn't believe he was getting even SJ's best goalie, and Kiprusiff was never at the time meant to be anything more than a stop-gap. So, in a way, he kind of did have Kiprusoff handed to him.

It was a tremendous trade, but Sutter most definitely got lucky.

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[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Sutter himself has disputed this. He readily admitted that he didn't believe he was getting even SJ's best goalie, and Kiprusiff was never at the time meant to be anything more than a stop-gap. So, in a way, he kind of did have Kiprusoff handed to him.

It was a tremendous trade, but Sutter most definitely got lucky.

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Yeah SJ had a goalie log jam and he capitalized.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

Yeah SJ had a goalie log jam and he capitalized.

Agreed. What Sutter deserves all the credit in the world for is targeting SJ. No matter which goalie he ended up getting it is almost certain he would have been the Flames starter when the season ended. Walking away with the best one was lucky, but he was winning that trade by a mile regardless.

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[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Agreed. What Sutter deserves all the credit in the world for is targeting SJ. No matter which goalie he ended up getting it is almost certain he would have been the Flames starter when the season ended. Walking away with the best one was lucky, but he was winning that trade by a mile regardless.

No what Sutter deserves credit for is the system he had the team playing in front of Kiprusoff. In his first few games he mostly had to make routine saves to win, gained some confidence and took off. Prior to that he had Jamie McLennan winning games and shutting teams out, but he wasn't able to play every game. I remember being livid at ownership because the team was finally showing promise but Dany Sabourin clearly was not a NHL goal tender. It was the Turek insurance money IIRC that allowed the team to be able to afford Kiprusoff.

I'm not at all surprised to see this poll as close as it is. To me the top 3 are pretty clear with Crisp being behind the top two.

After that, the poll is probably more fun if it's pick the worst coach out of this bunch.

[FanIn80]

I still contend that SJ would be a franchise with at least 2-3 cups under their belts with Kipper in net during those years.

[loob job]

I think we should have a vote to see if whomever voted for Greg Gilbert is allowed to stay as a contributor to this site?