[News] Brent Sutter interview on Global Sports Tonight

[PeteLFan]

What did Brent say?

If he talked about personal decisions and asking for changes then he is a big time liar v

[SHOGUN]

Isn't Cloutier who controls the defence? I think Hartley + Sutter will be a nice balance.

[sun]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

Brent Sutter got a raw deal

How so?

[Vulcan]

Roughly what he said: When you have a consistent decline it was bound to happen. Eventually it catches up to you when you just want to be a playoff team. You want to be the best not just a playoff team. That's upstairs problem now. Three tough years and as a coach you feel responsible. With the amount of coaching changes in Calgary everything is put on the coach. You move on and with the ranch and Rebels, I keep busy. No ill feelings.

I took this to mean there was not enough long term planning.

[fatso]

Brent Sutter can take a hike.

He was a terrible coach who couldn't motivate or adapt to the roster he had. That seems to me to be the bare minimum skill an NHL coach should have. He wasted three years of a reasonably talented, though aging, core with his lock-step approach to coaching. The team would be so tightly wound and fearful of making a mistake they would fall apart the moment they fell behind in a game, hence all the blown leads. The fact that he'd even publicly comment on the current state of the organization suggests to me he's a guy who still fails to take accountability for his failings as a coach and the time he wasted.

Good riddance.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by fatso

Brent Sutter can take a hike.

He was a terrible coach who couldn't motivate or adapt to the roster he had. That seems to me to be the bare minimum skill an NHL coach should have. He wasted three years of a reasonably talented, though aging, core with his lock-step approach to coaching. The team would be so tightly wound and fearful of making a mistake they would fall apart the moment they fell behind in a game, hence all the blown leads. The fact that he'd even publicly comment on the current state of the organization suggests to me he's a guy who still fails to take accountability for his failings as a coach and the time he wasted.

Good riddance.

I wasn't happy with Brent's coaching either but I respect all the Sutters as hockey men and considering the Flames current situation, I was interested in what he had to say. I wanted some dirt but of course didn't get much. The Sutters are like that.

[jayswin]

Also, of note, but not really worthy of it's own thread, was Keenan on the sportsnet trade deadline show. Anyone else catch what he said? It's been hinted at, but never stated as bluntly as Keenan did during that show.

They were discussing old school coaching methods, and obviously asked Keenan for his input. Firsts Theo Fleury told an old story about being coached by Keenan at the Canada Cup, and saying how back then you were scared for your job and scared to step out of line under guys like Keenan, and because of that you played your balls off every shift, and how everyone was held accountable from the stars to the rookies.

Then Keenan added to that, and ended by saying things are different now with the star players making huge money. And when discussing Calgary, he blatantly said "when you have a $7mil player who has more influence in the organization than you (or something to that effect), you can't really hold them accountable.

Which is basically what's been speculated all along, but it was the first time I've heard a former Flames coach say it so blatantly. Basically saying when you coach the Flames, you're kind of working for Iginla in a way, and you can't coach him against his will or you'll be putting your job on the line.

Obviously, there were other issues with Mike, but still an interesting bit of info.

[Vinny01]

Keenan has also stated that Iginla was a very coachable player

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by flameswin

Also, of note, but not really worthy of it's own thread, was Keenan on the sportsnet trade deadline show. Anyone else catch what he said? It's been hinted at, but never stated as bluntly as Keenan did during that show.

They were discussing old school coaching methods, and obviously asked Keenan for his input. Firsts Theo Fleury told an old story about being coached by Keenan at the Canada Cup, and saying how back then you were scared for your job and scared to step out of line under guys like Keenan, and because of that you played your balls off every shift, and how everyone was held accountable from the stars to the rookies.

Then Keenan added to that, and ended by saying things are different now with the star players making huge money. And when discussing Calgary, he blatantly said "when you have a $7mil player who has more influence in the organization than you (or something to that effect), you can't really hold them accountable.

Which is basically what's been speculated all along, but it was the first time I've heard a former Flames coach say it so blatantly. Basically saying when you coach the Flames, you're kind of working for Iginla in a way, and you can't coach him against his will or you'll be putting your job on the line.

Obviously, there were other issues with Mike, but still an interesting bit of info.

Yeah, I saw that too and tried to find the video. I remember it as saying when you have a $8M dollar player sitting on the bench, you know it's not you running the show. An indictment of Iginla, eh but if he was accorded that power I can't see any player not taking it. Keenan's been pretty forthcoming about his Calgary coaching situation. He was the one who also said that when he was fired, it wasn't Sutter's decision, leading to the rumours of owner interference.

[Beatle17]

I think in all major pro sports that the coaches have lost control because of the high dollar/long term contracts. Once the team decides to make the commitment to the player then the coach has to adapt. As Fleury said, in his first years in the league the players only got one or two year contracts and they either bought into the coaches system or got buried in the minors. Once free agency hit sports, beginning with baseball, the power switched from the teams to the players.

Iginla isn't the first player to utilize his power and won't be the last. Look at OV, Sid, Patrick Roy and others like them. I greatly admire teams where the owners commit to the coaches and staff and basically tell the players to fit in or move on, i.e. Pittsburgh Steelers, Nashville Predators etc. Buffalo Sabres used to follow this also but the new owner fell in line with being a "Players Owner" and the team has sucked since, because the coach/GM have no real authority anymore.

I think you are going to see any decent top 6 player now getting 5-6 year contracts as RFA's instead of teams doing the correct thing and signing these supposed star players to a reasonable 2nd term contract (really like how Montreal held their ground with Subban, and they will pay in the future but they didn't overpay for now).

The Sutters are some of the only old school hockey people left, where they expect the players to play the system and if they don't then they will cut back the players ice time. This will eventually lead them to being fired but they won't change their beliefs, like them or not.

[Yamer]

Maybe late to the party, but Hartley was seemingly suited to this team on paper at the start of the season. Sutter is far more suited to the new direction of this team going forward.

[FlamesAddiction]

All I can say is that I would have loved to have seen Hartley coaching a team with a 32 year old Iginla and Regehr, a 33 year old Kipper and with Bouwmeester and Phaneuf. Not to mention a real training camp before the season starts.

You can't compare the results yet because Hartley has a completely different hand dealt to him than what Sutter had, I would say a much worse hand. Not to mention, 40 games vs. 246.

[FanIn80]

Have we not learned anything? Sutter is not the right coach for this team at any time. The last thing we need is Sven learning how to grind it out along the boards on the fourth line with Jackman and McGrattan.

[puckluck2]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Have we not learned anything? Sutter is not the right coach for this team at any time. The last thing we need is Sven learning how to grind it out along the boards on the fourth line with Jackman and McGrattan.

Um isn't that exactly what is happening with Hartley? Baertschi actually got a chance under Brent. Don't you remember 3 goals in 5 games?

[Sakari]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Whatever the Bruins scored 9 goals on us when Brent was in charge. Brent coached a boring style and also took a team that was 5 years straight in the playoffs to 3 straight misses. Remember it how you want but this team was falling apart no matter who coached it. Brent saw that at the end of last season which is why he mutually parted ways with the team.

Brent had this team in the bottom 5-10 in the standings after 35 games a couple of times and was the coach during a 9 game losing streak. On top of that letting 8 in against the Oilers the day of trade deadline with your starting goalie, franchise player, and top Dman recently traded is not surprising. Do you think the players had the game on their mind that day? They all thought they were getting moved

Starting goalie traded? He was just on the bench.

[Erick Estrada]

In the end it was best that Hartley was brought in as it's going to hopefully net the Flames a future franchise player. If Brent coaches this year chances are the Flames are in the running for the 7/8th spots and Iginla and Bouwmeester are still part of the team and the Flames are looking at a single 1st round pick in the teens and no 2nd round pick which would have continued the team on the road to nowhere.

Going forward with a young team it would be nice to have Brent back to get the young players cultured in a team play environment with attention to defense as Hartley has done his job of taking the team to it's current plight to earliest draft pick in team history but after that he's not really of use if we want to create a winning team moving forward as he's clearly no longer NHL coaching material. Guy has no concept of team defense and has been outcoached by the guy on the other side of the bench most nights. He's a terrible coach one of the all-time worst in the franchises history but he has served this team well this season.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Have we not learned anything? Sutter is not the right coach for this team at any time. The last thing we need is Sven learning how to grind it out along the boards on the fourth line with Jackman and McGrattan.

My how so many have a short memory but it was Hartley that has Sven on the 4th line not Brent. Sven scored 3 goals in 5 games under Brent and under Hartley this season had his confidence crushed for the first time in his career.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Sakari

Starting goalie traded? He was just on the bench.

Yeah I meant to say not playing

[FAN]

I don't buy into the idea that Brent is a good coach for a rebuilding NHL team. He knows how to teach fundamentals and he's a good junior coach, but he is very much focused on winning than developing players. It's a little bit easier trying to win in juniors while developing players because mistakes are usually less costly and everyone becomes a veteran some time but in the NHL? Brent is hardly known to play talented mistake-prone youngers over veterans. Neither is Hartley however.

[STAMPEDRED]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

He must be thanking god he is not behind the bench anymore.

Man the Flames suck right now, but I thank God EVERY DAY that Brent is no longer the coach of this team!

I would even wager there is very good reason why he doesn't hold another HC gig in the NHL. He went through how many players in NJ and Calgary? Dude your style and coaching tactics work on junior kids, not grown adults.