Should/Will the Flames keep Ward

[Jiri Hrdina]

Same approach as the GM question.

[Sylvanfan]

I don't know.....I was tempted to vote shouldn't and won't.

But it will somewhat depend on which Direction they go with the roster. If they want to go rebuild...might as well keep him. His in game management isn't great, but given some time I think he would teach younger guys better habits in terms of game structure. If they opt to rebuild...the guy who's coaching them when they are a playoff game won't be the same as who's coaching them next year. Rebuilds always result in coaching casualties. If they want to compete...then they have to hire a new coach.

Hartley hockey may have been entertaining...in the long run though, it may have contributed to a group that can't quite figure out how to compete with the top 10 teams in the league and win.

[PepsiFree]

Just give me entertaining hard-nosed hockey. Like Ward the coach, like Ward the person, not interested in seeing him coach this team at this time.

But they probably bring him back.

[Geeoff]

Ward is done

I think if they were gonna perm up Ward, they would've done it already. It was obviously contingent on his success in the playoffs and that was a ####ing debacle

[codynw]

I wouldn't mind Ward going back to where he was before, but I definitely don't want to see him as the head coach next year.

[FlamesAddiction]

I really don't know. Nothing really changed after he took over. The team was lights out the year before in the regular season, then the same team looked kind of bleh under the same head coach, and then Ward this season. That makes me think that coaching is not the issue.

Ward was an assistant coach with a lot of longevity on successful teams in the past, so I think it's safe to say that he is a good assistant at the very least. He strikes me as a guy that players like, which is good for an assistant coach. He is probably a good teacher. I am not sure if he is a good motivator though. It's hard to judge based on the pretty small sample size.

If the Flames could get someone like Laviollette or Gallant, then go for it. If they are destined to find a bargain bin coach, then go with Ward and give him a chance. Either way, it wouldn't be the worst idea to keep him as an assistant at least.

[Yamer]

Demote him back to Associate if he is compatible with what should be the new established, superstar hire at HC.

[ComixZone]

They absolutely should not, but they probably will because it is what they do. They constantly settle for mediocrity and are unwilling to pay for a proper head coach.

[Inferno]

I would be ok with him having his old job back but I want someone else as head coach.

[Wood]

I misread and thought it was will/should they fire Ward. I don't think they should keep him, I think he's done

[GreenLantern2814]

What did Ward do, besides not scream the N-word at a black player in front of his team, that makes him worthy of being this group's full time head coach over Laviolette, Gallant, or Darryl?

9 games over .500 - that's decent.
20th in Goals For
15th in Goals Against
3rd in division.

He had no answers for Heiskanen and Klingberg, and lost a playoff series to Anton Khudobin.

We can do better.

[keenan87]

I just heard the argument on fan960 and its silly. They all said Ward should be the head coach and the Flames have never paid for big-time coaches in the NHL and they definitely won't now due to COVID and economic recession because guys like Gallant and Laviolette depend big money.

I don't get it. Aren't all NHL teams affected by this virus? Who even needs coaches. Most of all, due to the economic downturn, they will probably demand less money. I am sure none of them are willing to sit out for a year because the economy isn't moving anywhere fast.

In other words, yes the Flames owners don't have a lot of money but that also means that salaries are probably going to decrease and coaches will take less money to stay in the league and be relevant.

[Igottago]

No way. I'm not even anti Ward, I think he did a reasonably good job as interim coach. But if this organization doesn't finally go out and get a proven head coach with a track record, it'll be infuriating. Enough with the unknowns.

[getbak]

If you can get one of the "name" coaches that are out there, like Gallant, Laviolette, Boudreau, or even the return of Darryl, you do it.

If it's the choice between Ward or a different unproven guy, I wouldn't be opposed to bringing him back.

If he's willing to take the step back to Associate or Assistant, I'd be okay with that too.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by keenan87

I just heard the argument on fan960 and its silly. They all said Ward should be the head coach and the Flames have never paid for big-time coaches in the NHL and they definitely won't now due to COVID and economic recession because guys like Gallant and Laviolette depend big money.

I don't get it. Aren't all NHL teams affected by this virus? Who even needs coaches. Most of all, due to the economic downturn, they will probably demand less money. I am sure none of them are willing to sit out for a year because the economy isn't moving anywhere fast.

In other words, yes the Flames owners don't have a lot of money but that also means that salaries are probably going to decrease and coaches will take less money to stay in the league and be relevant.

I'll say this much - if you're going to do an honest to goodness rebuild, Ward may not be the worst choice. You're not hiring Gallant or Laviolette to coach a bunch of teenagers, you hire those guys to get you over the hump.

[bubbsy]

Of all the craptasic decisions made about this team that I moan and groan about, Ward is hardly the issue.

I'd be fine if the flames kept him around, but only as long they change the gm and the team around him.

[mile]

The fact that Ward still has the Interim tag, plus the fact that he wasn't chosen by Treliving during his coaching search in 2016 gives me hope that he won't be made permanent head coach.

Wouldn't be surprised if they kept him full-time though, I'm 55/45 on the Flames hiring someone else.

[Dion]

I like what he did for team during his short tenure. The issues with this team go way beyond coaching and would be happy if they gave him the fulltime position.

[bubbsy]

...

[Poe969]

The team underperformed and Ward made some dumb decisions...not only will they keep him, they'll give him a long term extension! Why pay for quality when you can get...not quality for cheaper!