[News Roundup] Flames head coach search. Friedman: Huska is the leading contender

[Reggie Dunlop]

One of the sharpest minds in professional hockey today.

[Toonage]

Just now on the Marek show Friedman says "I heard in multiple places yesterday it was trending towards him" "under the impression Calgary was putting it in place for Huska and if nothing goes sideways he's going to be the guy"

[Major Major]

Feel like since this is leaked now we hear about it today. If it's not announced today, my read will be that Love will be announced Monday.

[stang]

Originally Posted by Major Major

Feel like since this is leaked now we hear about it today. If it's not announced today, my read will be that Love will be announced Monday.

I’m told the Huska deal is already signed. Just waiting to announce. From my cousin with some connections in Calgary but I guess we wait and see.

[Freeway]

The Flames traditionally put out the announcement press releases on Mondays (or Tuesdays after the long weekend) and have the press conferences on the same day.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Love Hurts

[getbak]

Originally Posted by stang

I’m told the Huska deal is already signed. Just waiting to announce. From my cousin with some connections in Calgary but I guess we wait and see.

My guess is Huska is signed to be HC and now that it's done, they're working out the contracts for the ACs, so they can announce everyone at once.

Assuming Love will be involved, it could be a question of title, Associate vs. Assistant. Same with someone like Tanguay. He's currently an Assistant in Detroit, so he might want the promotion to Associate if he's going to move.

[stang]

Originally Posted by getbak

My guess is Huska is signed to be HC and now that it's done, they're working out the contracts for the ACs, so they can announce everyone at once.

Assuming Love will be involved, it could be a question of title, Associate vs. Assistant. Same with someone like Tanguay. He's currently an Assistant in Detroit, so he might want the promotion to Associate if he's going to move.

That makes sense.

I have no knowledge about the AC positions. All I was told was that Huska is HC and that it happened Weds.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan

The notion that you can't have both, especially in professional hockey, is kind of silly isn't it? Is it only trams that employ coaches of questionable character that win? Maybe your definition of "good guys" and mine differ. I would say almost evert NHL team is full of good guys....players and coaches.

The good guy stuff should be secondary.

When you talk about a player you’ve acquired, you want to highlight what they do. What they bring to the table that will win you games when two guys are fighting for one knife in the mud.

Take Curtis Lazar - that guy could not be mentioned in this city without a 30 second preamble about what a great guy he is. Which, good for him and all… Curtis Lazar ####ing sucks.

Matt Tkachuk is a prick, and in a week, he could be a legend.

Corey Perry - prick. Played in the Finals three years in a row after being bought out. Legend.

Evander Kane is scum - the Oilers have won more playoff games in the 18 months he’s been on their roster than the entire rest of the McDavid/Draisaitl era.

Ovechkin has been buddies with Putin his whole career, and he’s gonna break Wayne Gretzky’s goal record.

Mark Messier never met a chin he wouldn’t elbow.

Chris Pronger is not, despite what his gambling adds say, an all around good guy. He’s a philandering psychopath, and one of the greatest players ever.

“If Hitler invaded Hell, I would make at least a favourable reference of the Devil in the House of Commons.” - Churchill

Nice guys finish last. Find more pricks who can play.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Let me be the first to welcome our new Ryan Huska overlords.

[calumniate]

I'm just a bit concerned about what Huska witnessed last year and what he did / didn't do about it. Obviously sutter was in charge.. I'm sure a lot of feedback was provided behind closed doors

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

Love Hurts

What's Love got to do, got to do with it?

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by calumniate

I'm just a bit concerned about what Huska witnessed last year and what he did / didn't do about it. Obviously sutter was in charge.. I'm sure a lot of feedback was provided behind closed doors

When things are toxic as they are rumored then I'm sure there were people pushing back on Sutter...but really what are you going to do, not like Huska can fire Sutter.

[InternationalVillager]

Originally Posted by calumniate

I'm just a bit concerned about what Huska witnessed last year and what he did / didn't do about it. Obviously sutter was in charge.. I'm sure a lot of feedback was provided behind closed doors

I hardly ever make a post like this...but...

I have it on very good authority that Sutter was running the team his way or the highway. Pretty much a solo effort on that front. Everything his AC's, players, management had to say kinda fell on deaf ears.

[Skyceman]

Assuming Craig talked to the players about the coaches in exit interviews, then its very likely Huska was referred as a positive by the players otherwise why hire him?

[All In Good Time]

With all the discussion over the past few weeks, it seems logical that a big focus of this hire would be on the roster having fun and being happy. That's probably a big factor/goal for the upcoming season.
With that in mind, the familiarity on a pro level and the likely discussions with the players on the current roster, this decision would make some sense.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by 868904

So maybe they should put him back in the AHL to develop more players because that is where his value is. Also, this “he developed this player” really undersells the player. Are you suggesting these guys would not have made the NHL if not for Huska being their AHL coach? NHL players find a way.

Anyways, the NHL is not for development, it is all about winning. Huska had 4 years as a head coach in pro hockey and his teams missed the playoffs 3 of 4 years and the one year they made it, they lost in the first round.

Huska might be a good pro coach but his results suggest he is a good “development coach”, because he sure has proven that he can’t win.

I don’t buy this “oh he didn’t have a good team to work with” argument; that is BS, a good coach gets a bad team to win especially at the minor pro level. An legitimate NHL head coach should be able to win in the minors.

All of the “first time” NHL coaches who went on to have success all won at the minor pro level. Cooper, Bednar, even Woodcroft won championships. Huska had a 25% success rate of just making the playoffs!

Love doesn’t have a championship at any level but at least in 6 seasons as a head coach, only one of those seasons has his winning percentage been less than .700

It seems to be the best arguments for Huska is that he’s “paid his dues” and that “he’s a good person”, which is one of the biggest problems with the Flames organization is that they emphasize “good people” too much when really they should be focusing on “winners”.

The job of an NHL head coach is to win, it’s just so odd to hire a guy who can’t win at the pro level.

Yup..

I don't know why we thought Conroy taking the GM's chair would help with the Flames promoting "good people" issue.

If we want a coach who wins, we need one with ample experience guiding teams to wins.

I don't trust relying on a guy to suddenly do something he doesn't have a history of doing.

His details and mind be damned. That doesn't always equate to results on the ice. Likability and smarts are great, but shouldn't be the attributes that make or break the candidate.

[ben voyonsdonc]

Huska is a strong assistant/associate coach but as head coach, I see him as Geoff Ward 2.0. I think Love would bring knowledge of the org while also bringing fresh voice/perspective and I think that the team could use that. Maybe he ends up as Associate Coach but it seems backwards to me.

[Paulie Walnuts]

If you surround yourself with a good staff from the outside it might work out ok, but my fear with Huska is a Playfair 2.0.

The good cop takes over and the team doesn't respect him anymore when he has to put the hammer down and we end up with Mike Keenan.

The players still need to be held accountable, not like that Glen stick flying incident when he embarrassed himself.

Just hope it works out and the cycle of changing coaches ends for a while.

[Mitch]

Cool, hope it works out. I don't really have a preference between Love or Huska. Huska certainly has more experience.

edit: also funny to see posters saying we need a coach with experience when that's what Darryl was.