Unless Keenan has turned back into "Iron Mike" instead of Rusty Iron Mike like we had him in Calgary, I would pass.
What did Keenan do? He didn't practice the PP. He didn't have a 'system'. He just allowed the highest-paid players to play the most, essentially how they wanted them to. Remember Regehr hated Keenan. Warrener shared that story about Phaneuf and how him and Regeher wanted to teach Phaneuf the finer points about actual defending, and Phaneuf didn't think it was important - and Keenan did nothing to intervene when approached.
Keenan was semi-retired it seemed. Didn't he often run practices by just watching from the stands - if he showed at all?
Say what you will about Hartley, but Hartley didn't have a Kipper and a Regehr to help defend. You have to look all the way down to the 6th d-man spot to find a reliable defensive-defencemen - the rest of Calgary's defence is all puck-moving types (though I argue that they are all solid defensively, just not of the same type). I can't imagine Keenan taking over this team and it going well, unless he has changed.
He also finally spoke up a couple of years after his firing on the fan960. He stated that in today's NHL, you can't be too tough on your stars as it is easier to replace the coach than the star player. While I agree that there is a line at times, that is not the type of coach I want. I am not advocating for a 'hard-line' coach like Darryl Sutter, or a 'Player's Coach' like Boudreau. However, regardless of what coach is hired, I don't want a guy who is afraid to take a stance and put a player in his place if he needs to be benched for part of the game, or scratched repeatedly, even if he happens to be a star.
Huska to me is way too green. Troy Ward had way more experience as a pro coach, and it can be argued he also had a lot more success, but I wouldn't even be comfortable with Ward.
To me, there are a number of interesting 'gambles' that are worth looking into, but again, a lack of experience can really end up terribly wrong for the Flames. Names like Hawerchuk who many people think is a definite up-and-comer, Boughner who has been linked to the last rumors (or pure media speculation) for the last head coaching hire here, Dale Hunter who had a decent run with Washington, but wanted to return to junior coaching, etc. They all seem like guys who should get a good look anyways. I imagine there are a few good candidates in the NCAA ranks as well.
Someone mentioned Kisio in another thread - I look at him more of a GM than a coach though. If the Flames wanted to add another assistant GM, I would be happy with him. Not sure about coaching though.
I would take Playfair over Keenan 10/10 though, and I am not sure Playfair is the right fit either. I am sure he has learned a lot in the Phoenix organization - that is two very good and respected coaches he has worked under (Sutter and Tippett) - I would think he would get an interview if he was interested, and it may be a good move too (again, he may have really developed in the last few years being an associate coach with Tippett - I really have no idea).
I would rather look for a younger guy who has maybe bombed somewhat as a coach, but then went on to work under more experienced and respected coaches for a few years (so Playfair grudgingly fits) rather than an older coach who has bombed the last few jobs in the NHL (* cough* Keenan *cough*). Some new coaches just take a few positions and figure things out and develop themselves, and what new coach hasn't been fired? Babcock was fired, and Bowman was too.
Yeo might be a great coach 5 years down the road, but I think he is too 'recently fired' and seemed overwhelmed there in Minnesota. I think he would make a good assistant/associate coach for an experienced coach for a while. Maybe bounced around a little bit more, and then he could potentially become someone we hope the Flames hire. I don't think he is that today.
I don't think Carlyle is the right candidate either. With that being said, the last coaching hire I think he was the favorite on this board for the Flames to hire. Things can change. Was he really that terrible, or was it just a bad situation in Toronto? Did this time off have any bearing on his thoughts regarding coaching?
It is always difficult to judge. Remember when Darryl was first hired in LA? Most of us here on this board thought it was a smart move by LA and thought he would have success, but the majority of the media outlets labeled him an 'outdated dinosaur', and that they found it amazing someone would give him another chance. Could that potentially be Carlyle, Wilson, etc? I don't know. I wouldn't think so, but seeing it from that perspective, I would at least keep an open mind regardless of how I initially feel about the hire.
I almost think this poll should be re-run with the multiple votes feature turned on.
Sure you get the odd idiot that picks all of them and such, but it might be more interesting if everyone picked the three to five they like and see where it comes out.
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He dropped the ball when he fired an already very good coach.
This. Hartley had earned another year with BT providing him with competent goaltending. I seriously believe it was a knee jerk reaction to get Boudreau and now that that ain't happening, he's put himself in a bad situation. I'd love to be eating crow next season, but I don't see anyone left available that's an improvement on Hartley.
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This. Hartley had earned another year with BT providing him with competent goaltending. I seriously believe it was a knee jerk reaction to get Boudreau and now that that ain't happening, he's put himself in a bad situation. I'd love to be eating crow next season, but I don't see anyone left available that's an improvement on Hartley.
Totally agree, if he hires guys like Ron Wilson, Yeo or Carlyle, I'll puke.
Yeah even Keenan's Flames played with more defensive structure than Hartley's. They were simply a mess but Hartley had enough skill to work with on the blue line to maximize offense from the back end and enable the team to generate more offense than the average team. I like the guy and hope he gets another job but I kind of feel that may be tough given his approach is pretty outdated in today's NHL.
This. Hartley had earned another year with BT providing him with competent goaltending. I seriously believe it was a knee jerk reaction to get Boudreau and now that that ain't happening, he's put himself in a bad situation. I'd love to be eating crow next season, but I don't see anyone left available that's an improvement on Hartley.
I think it's pure fantasy to believe that.
If Treliving's list of quality coaches was:
1. Boudreau
2. Hartley
3. Everyone else
There is zero chance that he's going to fire his second choice without having his first choice lined up already. That would be so profoundly idiotic that, if true and if you really believe it, you better start banging the drum and calling for his head repeatedly right now.
Based on what he's done so far and what he's said about this situation and the process, it's more likely Boudreau was a random name on the list at best. I believe he's going after the perfect fit, not the most NHL games.
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Prefacing this with "I Am Not A Hartley Hater."........
Here I have sorted the teams that allowed High-Danger chances at 5-on-5, from least to most at the bottom, Playoff Teams Highlighted:
Spoiler!
Here I have sorted the teams that allowed Scoring chances at 5-on-5, from least to most at the bottom, Playoff Teams Highlighted:
Spoiler!
Here I have sorted the teams that allowed High-Danger chances while short-handed, from least to most at the bottom, Playoff Teams Highlighted:
Spoiler!
Here I have sorted the teams that allowed Scoring chances while short-handed, from least to most at the bottom, Playoff Teams Highlighted:
Spoiler!
Goaltending matters, but goaltenders need support, too. Look where the Flames were in each category.
Yeah it wasn't all about the goal tending that sunk the Flames. Team defence let the goalies down as well. Making the goalies look terrible gnaws on their confidence. I agree it's time for Hiller to move on but it can be argued he wasn't as bad as he was made out to be.
If Boudreau was his first choice, I think Treliving (IMO the hardest working GM in the league) would've spent more effort to get talks going with the man.
Instead of, you know, totally not doing anything about it and affirming that there was no interest in him.
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Has Brad said anything about his personal deadline for a hire? Does he hope to have a man selected before the draft?
Not that I know of. All I've read was that they've told all the applicants that the list is huge.
Since Treliving is all about "The Process" , I can see this going beyond the draft. They'll want a staff in place before prospect camp I think though. Unless they're going to run the kids through Hartley's system via Huska.
