Quote:
Originally Posted by Erick Estrada
Keenan got Iginla and Kipper in more prime years and had a better roster although the roster in Sutter's first season looked good until Darryl went mad and made the Phaneuf trade which started a downturn in overall talent. Those teams under Brent really weren't great rosters but he got them to winning records every season. If Iginla would have bought in things could have been different but it was not to be.
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It was the very next season - you can't argue that Iginla and Kipper were prime years under Keenan, but not under Brent Sutter. It was only one year.
Darryl also didn't lose his mind until the team was doing very poorly. The Phaneuf deal was very much an attempt to patch some holes on the roster and trying to get the team into the playoffs. It didn't happen in October.
I loved some of the things that Brent Sutter said. I just didn't like how the system fit the team.
Hartley's system may not have been great (and BTW, it is exactly the same system as Dallas uses), but at least it took advantage of the team's strengths more. The one strength this team has had for the last few years was capable offensive-defencemen who could move the puck quickly. As tough as Hartley was, he was also a very good teacher - how often did he get acknowledged for that from other team's media? Tonnes. They were always impressed not only how hard he ran the skates (which they said looked more like a full practice), but were impressed how often he would take guys aside and spend time teaching them things. That was a very hard working team under Hartley for most of his time here, and considering that the team was at a rebuild stage, that's good timing. Right or wrong that he got let go, I think he has added to the rebuild in a positive way.
I am not sure any coach could have saved the Flames post Keenan at that stage - they were getting older. All I know is that Brent Sutter took over a small (smallest or 2nd smallest in the league at that point, IIRC) and and old (2nd or 3rd oldest?) and forced that team to play up along the boards and cycle. If that wasn't a terrible fit for the existing personnel, I don't know what is. He sure said a lot of good things, but for 3 years he tried to pound that system into this team, but this team didn't have the horses to play that kind of a system.
I still don't know what to think about Gulutzan. Until the Flames play more consistently, I am not exactly sure what the system revolves around - at least not completely. I appreciate that he is trying to make this squad a better defensive squad. I don't like how the PP is broken like this - it was fixed last season and was actually one of the NHL's best for ~ the latter half of the season. At this point, you still have to be patient and see what changes happen.
The silver lining in this is that the Flames still have a very good chance at playoffs because of how terrible too many teams in the Pacific have done so far. Hopefully they put it together before everyone gets hot.
I do appreciate Gulutzan coming on and speaking. I do like how he has everyone thinking by themselves at first too, and then coming together to offer their thoughts. Some guys may have some really good ideas.
This team has looked good - great at times, just not consistent enough. We just have to remain patient and see what happens. Until the players start executing the system better, we don't know. If they never do, that will be partly on Gulutzan, as being a motivator and teacher is part and parcel of being a head coach. You may not always expect growing pains under a new coach, but they often happen and we should all have more patience under new coaching changes (even me, who HATED the move to fire Hartley).
