The trials and tribulations of Glen Gulutzan

[Toonage]

^ Wish I could use all my thanks on this. I've been saying the same thing for almost 2 years now. Bang F'N on.

I've been a little bi-polar on GG. I wanted him to succeed. I've jumped on his bandwagon when he looked like he was getting results after finally showing some emotion but ultimately the above is true. He could never get out of his own way.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

IMO, it's less that Gulutzan doesn't believe in them, it's that he doesn't understand them, or even care to.

I'd describe his system as an assembly line. He has roles that he wants filled, and he puts people in them regardless of their capability to fulfill them. Brodie, left hand shot. Must be LD, even though he's better as RD. Brouwer, right hand shot. Therefore top pick for both PP and PK. Hamilton. RD, which means he's not a fit for the 1-3-1 powerplay because the system relies on bringing the puck up the left side, and only up the left side. Etc.

Gulutzan demands that players adapt to fit the jobs he gives them, while remaining completely inflexible himself. He doesn't adapt his system to his players' strengths, and the only times he has shown any inclination to change things up was when forced by injury. When left to his own devices, this is how Gulutzan views his players:

If the process is more important than the players then you cant complain about the players not being talented enough to execute the process.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

IMO, it's less that Gulutzan doesn't believe in them, it's that he doesn't understand them, or even care to.

I'd describe his system as an assembly line. He has roles that he wants filled, and he puts people in them regardless of their capability to fulfill them. Brodie, left hand shot. Must be LD, even though he's better as RD. Brouwer, right hand shot. Therefore top pick for both PP and PK. Hamilton. RD, which means he's not a fit for the 1-3-1 powerplay because the system relies on bringing the puck up the left side, and only up the left side. Etc.

Gulutzan demands that players adapt to fit the jobs he gives them, while remaining completely inflexible himself. He doesn't adapt his system to his players' strengths, and the only times he has shown any inclination to change things up was when forced by injury. When left to his own devices, this is how Gulutzan views his players:

Somebody put this post on a billboard near the Saddledome.

[Shazam]

Further to the analysis about Hamilton on the PP, has anyone noticed that because every team is expecting the puck to be carried up the left side, that Hamilton has been free and clear about a billion times every game going into the o-zone up the right side?

[Resolute 14]

That's because literally every single person in the building knows the plan is to get it to Gaudreau. The crazy thing is, Gaudreau is so good, it works. Zone entries haven't really been our problem with the PP. It's everything that comes after.

[Hank Hill]

Next month after Gulutzan is fired, I will always remember him for putting Troy Brouwer out to take 3 short handed defensive zone faceoffs in a row in a OT loss against the Kings. Meanwhile Monahan, Janko, and even Bennett watched from the bench.
When Treliving beings him in the office for the end of year meetings I hope he shows Gully that "highlight" before he fires him.

[Pointman]

Originally Posted by Bingo

This argument won't go away but doesn't make much sense.

The Flames from 5 years ago had a GM, assistant and a coaching staff.

Now they have a head of hockey operations, a GM, and three assistants and a coaching staff.

If they were insistent on hiring cheap coaches why did they double their hockey exec contingent?

It is actually easy to explain.

Owners spend to the cap, but they don't spend much on any particular player nor on a particular coach. They do, however, spend a lot on execs and players as whole.

They believe, that in parity era when even Sabres and Oilers have excellent pieces, it is team composition, strategic master plan and shrewd asset management that win you games. Coaching, on the other hand, seems overrated to them and doesn't matter much as long, as you have a tastefully assembled squad.

That is not necessarily a dumb opinion and does explain why the owners spend the way they do.

[midniteowl]

Originally Posted by Hank Hill

Next month after Gulutzan is fired, I will always remember him for putting Troy Brouwer out to take 3 short handed defensive zone faceoffs in a row in a OT loss against the Kings. Meanwhile Monahan, Janko, and even Bennett watched from the bench.
When Treliving beings him in the office for the end of year meetings I hope he shows Gully that "highlight" before he fires him.

I thought it was the Sabres, I was at that game, me and a bunch of others, actually the whole section were yelling WTF!!!

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by midniteowl

I thought it was the Sabres, I was at that game, me and a bunch of others, actually the whole section were yelling WTF!!!

It was. Lost that last draw, puck got to Eichel and it was done.

[Redrum]

Heh, that one sticks out for me too. At the 1st whistle I remember thinking "Oh good we can get someone fresh out there, and y'know, maybe a center." Anyway just like most, a couple whistles later, I was raging at dumbass gulutzan, or "gullickson" as i swear Kelly Hrudey is saying.

[Erick Estrada]

It was so strange because he cleanly lost every faceoff so I think everyone watching expected him to come out for that last faceoff seeing they were under siege prior to the last whistle. Not to be as he loses the faceoff clean and a within a few seconds it's game over.

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by Shazam

Somebody put this post on a billboard near the Saddledome.

Someone needs to photoshop the top of a Flames helmet in the round hole!

[midniteowl]

Originally Posted by Redrum

Heh, that one sticks out for me too. At the 1st whistle I remember thinking "Oh good we can get someone fresh out there, and y'know, maybe a center." Anyway just like most, a couple whistles later, I was raging at dumbass gulutzan, or "gullickson" as i swear Kelly Hrudey is saying.

That's EXACTLY what I said to my nephew, when they didn't change, we were thinking, "what?" At the end, the whole section were calling for Gulutzan's head, yelling fire this dumbass.

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by midniteowl

I thought it was the Sabres, I was at that game, me and a bunch of others, actually the whole section were yelling WTF!!!

It is one of the most nonsensical things I have ever witnessed a coach do in the NHL.

[Flashpoint]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

It is one of the most nonsensical things I have ever witnessed a coach do in the NHL.

And it was against the top faceoff center in the league - O'Reilly.

[SOMBRI2]

The Oilers game which we lost 5:7. We were on the roll and Johnny missed the breakaway, then we got a PP at the score being 5:6. They put Brouwer on....I was yelling in my section. Even casual fans could see the problems but not GG and Cameron. How many games after, they stripped Brodie for Hamilton on the first unit? 50+ games?

[Itse]

Originally Posted by Pointman

It is actually easy to explain.

Owners spend to the cap, but they don't spend much on any particular player nor on a particular coach. They do, however, spend a lot on execs and players as whole.

They believe, that in parity era when even Sabres and Oilers have excellent pieces, it is team composition, strategic master plan and shrewd asset management that win you games. Coaching, on the other hand, seems overrated to them and doesn't matter much as long, as you have a tastefully assembled squad.

That is not necessarily a dumb opinion and does explain why the owners spend the way they do.

Thinking coaching isn't important is a dumb opinion. Surprisingly popular, but still dumb.

[Hank Hill]

Originally Posted by midniteowl

I thought it was the Sabres, I was at that game, me and a bunch of others, actually the whole section were yelling WTF!!!

Your right it was the Sabres, I remembered it as the Kings for some reason, although I did black out after yelling at my TV...

[Jeff Lebowski]

Originally Posted by timbit

It is called the abundance of skill and mega depth system.

While it is true that these are deep, skilled teams what they do more than CGY is bring the attack down the middle. This causes opponents to collapse in and opens up space - ie attack down the wings with speed.

With CGY the most common breakout and attack is as follows:

Puck goes d to do and then up the boards to a winger at the blue line who chips it deep. They then try to regain the puck down low and send back to the point for a shot through a well defended scoring area - hoping for a tip or a rebound.

The good teams create space by attacking the middle causing the opponent to lose their defensive 'shape'. Add to that the ability to gain the blue line without dumping it and you get plays were quality chances can be had.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Hank Hill

Next month after Gulutzan is fired, I will always remember him for putting Troy Brouwer out to take 3 short handed defensive zone faceoffs in a row in a OT loss against the Kings. Meanwhile Monahan, Janko, and even Bennett watched from the bench.
When Treliving beings him in the office for the end of year meetings I hope he shows Gully that "highlight" before he fires him.

I remember that too, and its a really big reason I've been hesitant to cut Gulutzan a ton of slack.

There is no defending those decisions.

And thats what really kills me about Gulutzan. His expectations of his players and his unwillingness to adapt himself.

Its that oft-misconstrued definition of insanity. He kept doing the same thing over and over again and expected different results seemingly oblivious that there was always more than just one force or factor at play.

And finally the fact that over the course of 82 games all of these consistently repeated mistakes cost points.