The Deal With Geoff Ward

[GranteedEV]

You know, it would be a great story if Ward was the man to right the ship and take this team further than expectations. A guy who's been an assistant coach in the NHL for over a decade finally getting his shot in the driver's seat and bringing a group of so-called underperformers together as more than a sum of their pieces. It would be a charming plot.

Is it?

I'm going to preface this with this - Ward isn't the entire coaching staff. Others on the staff - Ryan Huska, Ray Edwards, and Martin Gelinas shouldn't escape this criticism as the four of them are a team. But since Ward has the final say in decisions, he should still take the brunt of the criticism.

Isn't Ward a solution for the Calgary Flames now that he's built a decent body of work to evaluate? I mean, at 18 - 11 - 2 he's basically got this team playing 100 point hockey ... right? And the team's struggles are a result of their own indifference as players... right?

In my opinion - No. That record is essentially so despite Geoff Ward. And while a thorough autopsy of Peters' coaching early on may be needed to make that claim, that's a variable I am electing not to discuss in this post. I'll generalize it to the following though - the Peters wasn't the same coach from the 2019 ASB onwards that he was prior to then, and this year was subpar himself and despite that his record was also a function of shooting percentages bottoming out. But overall Peters stopped being a solution before the beginning of the season.

Anyways - Wards makes a lot of errors. I'm not talking about those rookie mistakes that a budding coach will grow out of. I am talking about deliberate errors on a fundamental level that are causing his impact to be a net negative. What are they?

Veteran Favouritism
Do you remember when Bob Hartley posted "Always Earned, Never Given" on the walls of the locker room? Yeah, it was a bit of a cheesy motto for a team, but there was one thing about it that worked. The fact that Hartley followed through with it. He rewarded players who earned more opportunity. And he was unafraid to butt heads with those whom the game was passing by. He saw the potential and work ethic in then-kids like Paul Byron, Michael Ferland, and Josh Jooris and contrasted that with established veteran players like Matt Stajan, Dennis Wideman, and Curtis Glencross.

Ward does no such thing. Whether it's Milan Lucic dogging it, Travis Hamonic overplayed in the top 4, Mark Giordano getting exhausted on the powerplay, Michael Stone being overwhelmed, or Mikael Backlund looking lost on right wing - he operates on the base assumption that experience indicates performance. Veterans are given every opportunity to work through stretches of subpar play at the expense of the team, while younger players like Sam Bennett, Rasmus Andersson, Oliver Kylington, Andrew Mangiapane, and Dillon Dube were playing well in limited roles. Those roles remained limited even as those veterans were costing the team wins in a league that's built around speed through the middle and short shifts. Yes, Lucic did eventually turn it around - credit to him - but that was after the media called him out to such an extent where he needed to elevate his play to remain prideful. It should have never gotten to that point given the opportunity Lucic was given.

On this team, it is Always Given, Never Earned. There is a fear of inexperience or a fear of the unknown that causes the "Devil You Know" to impact us negatively in the standings.

Inability to read the flow of the game and adjust accordingly
Anyone remember that game about a week or two ago tied after the first period with some new look lines, but the Flames were dominating and Ward randomly busted out the blender and we lost? It was a personification of his poor feel for what a game is calling for. He suffers a lot of these similarities with our old pal Glen Gulutzan, although I'd wager he's got a more talented group that the lack of proper adjustments in-game are not magnified so much. But still - a coach needs to know who's going in a game, who's struggling, what strategies are working, what strategies are struggling - and tweak. It's what got guys like Sullivan and Quennville all the way to the promised land. Bill Peters possessed this ability although he stopped going to it as often after the 2019 All Star Break. Bob Hartley possessed this ability and it was primarily what allowed us to come back in Game 6 down multiple goals to take that series at home. It's a coach imposing his will on the game. Double shifting a guy who's really going. Mixing up the lines when there's something missing. Keeping lines rogether when the only thing missing is finish. Getting a guy with two goals a few extra minutes in special teams to get a hat trick. Shortening the bench when down a goal. All these little things... Geoff Ward either doesn't have the feel for them, or is philosophically opposed to them. And it costs the team more than points in the standing. It costs them in morale.

Inability to evaluate, then make sensible and timely adjustments
As an extension of the in-game adjustments, Ward doesn't implement out-of-game adjustments very well. Brodie has been our best defenseman on the right side and yet got moved to the left while barely logging 20 a night (when he's shown to be capavle of 25+). Hanifin-Hamonic as a defense pair were not working for so long, and nothing was done about it (to the point where by January, Hamonic had the worst expected goals on the team by dar) until an injury forced his hand. Backlund as a right winger wasn't working in any way whatsoever given his skillset and this was only adjusted when the player went into the coach's office and stated the obvious. Jankowksi, after being profoundly snakebitten all season, finally breaks the dam and scores a goal and is benched the very next game. Giordano wasn't doing well on the powerplay. Kylington is proving game-by-game that he can do so much more than Stone every single shift. Bennett's probably been our best and most consistent player since the all star break and there's very little doubt that his usage will continue to suffer until he loses his confidence yet again, instead of being harnessed. There's a stubbornness to stick with things that aren't working far beyond their expiration date that not only affects this team in the regular season, but bodes poorly for the playoffs when game-by-game adjustments are needed to take control of a series - the same issue Bill Peters ran into.

Poor line change strategy
Whether it's "Chip & Change" or "D to D", this has to be the worst team in the league with respect to offensive zone line changes. This team has lines capable of hemming opponents into the offensive zone but there is no wave of one-by-one line changes that are the staple of true puck possession teams. Instead players take long offensive zone shifts deep in the zone and the moment there is a turnover are exhausted and cannot backcheck properly. One-by-one line changes is something you have to practice and preach for it to begin to manifest. Our line changes are the opposite, dump the puck in to the other team, and let them begin their rush by the time the next line is onto the ice. It doesn't work. It breaks the defensive structure, it reduces offensive zone time... and it reduces actual goal scoring out of the cycle.

Poor neutral zone strategy
You know what Glen Gulutzan actually was good at? His teams were pretty suffocating in terms of positioning and gap control. Getting past them was no easy task. I'm not sure what Ward's strategy in the neutral zone is because from what I have seen - there is none. This is one third of the game we might be the worst team in the NHL at. I don't know the numbers but I find it difficult to believe the players simply aren't executing - even when they win 6-2 there isn't much by ways of neutral zone suffocation.

Poor zone entry strategy
I'm mostly talking 5 on 5 here, but I'm sure there could be a breakdown of powerplay entries that doesn't do the coach too well. But 5 on 5 our entries are too often performed by wingers who are outnumbered and they dump the puck in. Mangiapane, Gaudreau, Bennett, Tkachuk.. these guys enter and then just throw the puck away. There is no speed to attack the opponent because they are usually pinched in along the boards.Our forecheck is too often our only option to take control of the puck in the offensive zone, and usually it's late because the team was performing a line change. This team isn't the worst at forechecking, but they're not the best either. The team doesn't carry the puck in enough. They've shown to be an elite possession team when they carry the puck, and their puck possession has fallen to average-at-best since they became a dump and chase team. It is insanity.

In my opinion, unless the goal is to tank, Geoff Ward must be replaced by a strong head coach ASAP.
His record is a mirage.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

You know, it would be a great story if Ward was the man to right the ship and take this team further than expectations. A guy who's been an assistant coach in the NHL for over a decade finally getting his shot in the driver's seat and bringing a group of so-called underperformers together as more than a sum of their pieces. It would be a charming plot.

Is it?

I'm going to preface this with this - Ward isn't the entire coaching staff. Others on the staff - Ryan Huska, Ray Edwards, and Martin Gelinas shouldn't escape this criticism as the four of them are a team. But since Ward has the final say in decisions, he should still take the brunt of the criticism.

Isn't Ward a solution for the Calgary Flames now that he's built a decent body of work to evaluate? I mean, at 18 - 11 - 2 he's basically got this team playing 100 point hockey ... right? And the team's struggles are a result of their own indifference as players... right?

In my opinion - No. That record is essentially so despite Geoff Ward. And while a thorough autopsy of Peters' coaching early on may be needed to make that claim, that's a variable I am electing not to discuss in this post. I'll generalize it to the following though - the Peters wasn't the same coach from the 2019 ASB onwards that he was prior to then, and this year was subpar himself and despite that his record was also a function of shooting percentages bottoming out. But overall Peters stopped being a solution before the beginning of the season.

Anyways - Wards makes a lot of errors. I'm not talking about those rookie mistakes that a budding coach will grow out of. I am talking about deliberate errors on a fundamental level that are causing his impact to be a net negative. What are they?

Veteran Favouritism
Do you remember when Bob Hartley posted "Always Earned, Never Given" on the walls of the locker room? Yeah, it was a bit of a cheesy motto for a team, but there was one thing about it that worked. The fact that Hartley followed through with it. He rewarded players who earned more opportunity. And he was unafraid to butt heads with those whom the game was passing by. He saw the potential and work ethic in then-kids like Paul Byron, Michael Ferland, and Josh Jooris and contrasted that with established veteran players like Matt Stajan, Dennis Wideman, and Curtis Glencross.

Ward does no such thing. Whether it's Milan Lucic dogging it, Travis Hamonic overplayed in the top 4, Mark Giordano getting exhausted on the powerplay, Michael Stone being overwhelmed, or Mikael Backlund looking lost on right wing - he operates on the base assumption that experience indicates performance. Veterans are given every opportunity to work through stretches of subpar play at the expense of the team, while younger players like Sam Bennett, Rasmus Andersson, Oliver Kylington, Andrew Mangiapane, and Dillon Dube were playing well in limited roles. Those roles remained limited even as those veterans were costing the team wins in a league that's built around speed through the middle and short shifts. Yes, Lucic did eventually turn it around - credit to him - but that was after the media called him out to such an extent where he needed to elevate his play to remain prideful. It should have never gotten to that point given the opportunity Lucic was given.

On this team, it is Always Given, Never Earned. There is a fear of inexperience or a fear of the unknown that causes the "Devil You Know" to impact us negatively in the standings.

Inability to read the flow of the game and adjust accordingly
Anyone remember that game about a week or two ago tied after the first period with some new look lines, but the Flames were dominating and Ward randomly busted out the blender and we lost? It was a personification of his poor feel for what a game is calling for. He suffers a lot of these similarities with our old pal Glen Gulutzan, although I'd wager he's got a more talented group that the lack of proper adjustments in-game are not magnified so much. But still - a coach needs to know who's going in a game, who's struggling, what strategies are working, what strategies are struggling - and tweak. It's what got guys like Sullivan and Quennville all the way to the promised land. Bill Peters possessed this ability although he stopped going to it as often after the 2019 All Star Break. Bob Hartley possessed this ability and it was primarily what allowed us to come back in Game 6 down multiple goals to take that series at home. It's a coach imposing his will on the game. Double shifting a guy who's really going. Mixing up the lines when there's something missing. Keeping lines rogether when the only thing missing is finish. Getting a guy with two goals a few extra minutes in special teams to get a hat trick. Shortening the bench when down a goal. All these little things... Geoff Ward either doesn't have the feel for them, or is philosophically opposed to them. And it costs the team more than points in the standing. It costs them in morale.

Inability to evaluate, then make sensible and timely adjustments
As an extension of the in-game adjustments, Ward doesn't implement out-of-game adjustments very well. Brodie has been our best defenseman on the right side and yet got moved to the left while barely logging 20 a night (when he's shown to be capavle of 25+). Hanifin-Hamonic as a defense pair were not working for so long, and nothing was done about it (to the point where by January, Hamonic had the worst expected goals on the team by dar) until an injury forced his hand. Backlund as a right winger wasn't working in any way whatsoever given his skillset and this was only adjusted when the player went into the coach's office and stated the obvious. Jankowksi, after being profoundly snakebitten all season, finally breaks the dam and scores a goal and is benched the very next game. Giordano wasn't doing well on the powerplay. Kylington is proving game-by-game that he can do so much more than Stone every single shift. Bennett's probably been our best and most consistent player since the all star break and there's very little doubt that his usage will continue to suffer until he loses his confidence yet again, instead of being harnessed. There's a stubbornness to stick with things that aren't working far beyond their expiration date that not only affects this team in the regular season, but bodes poorly for the playoffs when game-by-game adjustments are needed to take control of a series - the same issue Bill Peters ran into.

Poor line change strategy
Whether it's "Chip & Change" or "D to D", this has to be the worst team in the league with respect to offensive zone line changes. This team has lines capable of hemming opponents into the offensive zone but there is no wave of one-by-one line changes that are the staple of true puck possession teams. Instead players take long offensive zone shifts deep in the zone and the moment there is a turnover are exhausted and cannot backcheck properly. One-by-one line changes is something you have to practice and preach for it to begin to manifest. Our line changes are the opposite, dump the puck in to the other team, and let them begin their rush by the time the next line is onto the ice. It doesn't work. It breaks the defensive structure, it reduces offensive zone time... and it reduces actual goal scoring out of the cycle.

Poor neutral zone strategy
You know what Glen Gulutzan actually was good at? His teams were pretty suffocating in terms of positioning and gap control. Getting past them was no easy task. I'm not sure what Ward's strategy in the neutral zone is because from what I have seen - there is none. This is one third of the game we might be the worst team in the NHL at. I don't know the numbers but I find it difficult to believe the players simply aren't executing - even when they win 6-2 there isn't much by ways of neutral zone suffocation.

Poor zone entry strategy
I'm mostly talking 5 on 5 here, but I'm sure there could be a breakdown of powerplay entries that doesn't do the coach too well. But 5 on 5 our entries are too often performed by wingers who are outnumbered and they dump the puck in. Mangiapane, Gaudreau, Bennett, Tkachuk.. these guys enter and then just throw the puck away. There is no speed to attack the opponent because they are usually pinched in along the boards.Our forecheck is too often our only option to take control of the puck in the offensive zone, and usually it's late because the team was performing a line change. This team isn't the worst at forechecking, but they're not the best either. The team doesn't carry the puck in enough. They've shown to be an elite possession team when they carry the puck, and their puck possession has fallen to average-at-best since they became a dump and chase team. It is insanity.

In my opinion, unless the goal is to tank, Geoff Ward must be replaced by a strong head coach ASAP.
His record is a mirage.

We have not agreed on much in the past but you really nailed it here. Excellent post.

[getoverit]

Geoff chip n chase Ward. he could learn what a time out is. yep hard to argue

[Tyler]

The truth of the matter is that this organization refuses to pay for top-tier coaching.

[Jiggy]

Originally Posted by Tyler

The truth of the matter is that this organization refuses to pay for top-tier coaching.

That's not true, and I don't know where this comes from. Brent Sutter was one of the highest paid coaches when he was in Calgary. Bob Hartley at the time was probably top 10 in the league in $ for coaches.

[JurassicTunga12]

Originally Posted by Tyler

The truth of the matter is that this organization refuses to pay for top-tier coaching.

If that is true, then they should expect nothing more than mediocre results when they keep hiring coaches from the dollar store.

and that's exactly what we've been getting for years.

[zamler]

Originally Posted by Tyler

The truth of the matter is that this organization refuses to pay for top-tier coaching.

Either the organization is monumentally stupid or top tier coaches don't want to be here.

[GioforPM]

The amount of money coaches make is pretty hit and miss when it comes to success. In fact the biggest salaries have often been guys who were successful but aren’t any more.

[Tyler]

Originally Posted by Jiggy

That's not true, and I don't know where this comes from. Brent Sutter was one of the highest paid coaches when he was in Calgary. Bob Hartley at the time was probably top 10 in the league in $ for coaches.

Bob Hartley had been out of the NHL for like 5 years. Top 10 in the league? Doubtful.

[Fire]

Peters was making quite a bit as well. I don't they are afraid to spend money on a coach.

[Jiggy]

Originally Posted by Tyler

Bob Hartley had been out of the NHL for like 5 years. Top 10 in the league? Doubtful.

He was still an experienced head coach who won a Stanley Cup.

[Joborule]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Poor zone entry strategy
I'm mostly talking 5 on 5 here, but I'm sure there could be a breakdown of powerplay entries that doesn't do the coach too well. But 5 on 5 our entries are too often performed by wingers who are outnumbered and they dump the puck in. Mangiapane, Gaudreau, Bennett, Tkachuk.. these guys enter and then just throw the puck away. There is no speed to attack the opponent because they are usually pinched in along the boards.Our forecheck is too often our only option to take control of the puck in the offensive zone, and usually it's late because the team was performing a line change. This team isn't the worst at forechecking, but they're not the best either. The team doesn't carry the puck in enough. They've shown to be an elite possession team when they carry the puck, and their puck possession has fallen to average-at-best since they became a dump and chase team. It is insanity.

So I don't understand in the year 2020, with how fast and skilled hockey is now, why dump-and-chase is still a thing. Dump and chase is no longer effect, and is just the hockey version of punting the puck. It should only be utilized when you have a healthy lead, and focused on clogging up the neutral zone, and don't want to risk turnovers there. But even still, puck possession is your best defense, and you would be better trying to enter the zone, and get the puck down low or on net if you can.

Why the Flames do this so often, makes no sense to me whatsoever. They give the puck away, and by the time a forechecker is close to the player that retrieve the puck, the opposing team is already making their rush out of their own zone, and now caught the Flames flat footed, and have a chance at their own odd man rush; or at least simple zone entry.

It's things like this that makes me wonder are professional coaches really that much better than a passionate hockey fan that pays attention to strategies at times.

In my opinion, unless the goal is to tank, Geoff Ward must be replaced by a strong head coach ASAP.
His record is a mirage.

I'm actually surprised his record is that good. I guess though at the time Peter's had to be let go, the team was pretty low in the standings, so it makes sense that they had to pull off a relatively good rate to climb back up. But it goes to show that the team record should honestly be even better.

I do feel that the core of the roster does have its fault that most likely needs to be tinkered in the off season. Gaudreau not being a star impact player this season has hurt the team a lot, and perhaps a symptom of that is the system in place, but his performances in the playoffs; especially the Colorado series, shows that due to his size, he's not the player you can rely on to carry the team when the heat in the kitchen gets turned up.

The team lacks a player that can carry the team like Gaudreau can when he's on, but can also handle the rough physical play, and not be shutdown easily under that environment. Without that, I'm not sure the team is built well enough as it stands currently to be able to go on a playoff run. You need your top line to be productive come April, and if Gaudreau is relied on to be the one to carry it, he's not gonna be able to deliver unless he gets a OS update, and he becomes a lot more physically engaged, courageous, and most importantly, resilient.

But with that said, I do feel that with a good coach brought it, he would be able to get more out of this roster than the past few coaches have been able to. He would utilize players, put them in positions, and have a structure that will yield the best results out of them that's possible. He might even be able to make playoff Gaudreau have impact, and make this core work good enough to at least be a respectable playoff team.

I do feel it's worth it to give a legitimate coach a shot with this roster, before making drastic changes. But if that's not going to happen until the off season, then I feel both trades involving the core, and a new coach should both happen at the same time.

In the meantime, I'm just really hoping that Treliving does not trade any of the early round draft picks or prospects with potential for a older veteran that's just a short term solution attempt.

[socalwingfan]

Could probably go under Favouriteism, but Ward's reluctance to give Talbot a run in the starter's net is really beginning to grind my gears.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by socalwingfan

Could probably go under Favouriteism, but Ward's reluctance to give Talbot a run in the starter's net is really beginning to grind my gears.

Even ignoring "a run", I don't know how you don't start a guy after he pitches a 40+ save shutout.

[N-E-B]

Though Ward is far from perfect and I wouldn’t be opposed to replacing him, I also believe that Scotty Bowman couldn’t fix this team. I really honestly think it’s as simple as this: the players aren’t good enough. We don’t have a truly elite game breaker. Johnny was that player last year but he isn’t this year. Simple as that. I think it’s a bit unfair and lazy to try blame this on the coaches yet again. It’s the same old story with the same core players.

It’s time to look at a major shakeup to the core. I don’t think the team is that far off but as the team is now they aren’t going anywhere.

As it stands if they make the playoffs their 1st round opponent would likely be one of Vancouver, Edmonton, Vegas, or St. Louis. Vegas and St. Louis would run these guys out of the building in 5 games or less. McDavid would likely pull a MacKinnon and run our show (as we saw last year regular season success against a team means nothing in the playoffs). Vancouver is the only team I feel we could maybe beat, but I don’t think they’d get past the 2nd round if they did.

It’s not time to blow it all up, but it’s definitely time to look at a major retool. I’d look at Gaudreau and as much as it pains me to say it I would look at Giordano too (simply due to his age, I absolutely love the guy and the player, just thinking it might be time for a change in leadership).

[Inglewood Jack]

Again with the “Scotty Bowman couldn’t fix this team”. Well maybe one of these years we should at least try one of those (or somebody even 50% of a Scotty) so that we can know for sure right?

[codynw]

I appreciate what he's done under unprecedented, and generally terrible circumstances this season. However, Ward is, or at least shouldn't be, the future head coach of this team. IMO they should be trying to find his replacement now so they can try to learn the new system and be ready to play for next year. I hear there are some good coaches available.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by codynw

I appreciate what he's done under unprecedented, and generally terrible circumstances this season. However, Ward is, or at least shouldn't be, the future head coach of this team. IMO they should be trying to find his replacement now so they can try to learn the new system and be ready to play for next year. I hear there are some good coaches available.

I hear there are some good coaches not working right now. Available? I dunno.

[N-E-B]

Originally Posted by Inglewood Jack

Again with the “Scotty Bowman couldn’t fix this team”. Well maybe one of these years we should at least try one of those (or somebody even 50% of a Scotty) so that we can know for sure right?

I’m not opposed to trying it, I just don’t have much faith that it will work.

[2ArmBands]

Tired of blaming coaching when it comes to this team. All failed coaching is doing to this point is proving that this core is unable to get the job done. Time for a shakeup with the core... bottom line.