Should the Flames fire Gulutzan?

[TenaciousC]

This guy can not get the team to play to it's potential....like holy smokes we traded a ton of picks to make a run this year and we're sitting 11th in the West. Huge disappointment tbh and he should be canned promptly

[Itse]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

On its own it's not bad but add it to the other effortless home games it looks worse.

To me the bad part was that they were already in big trouble defensively in Philly and only won because Philly took a string of stupid penalties.

IMO a competent coach should have realized they need to do something different in the next game. They changed nothing and very predictably lost. Those two games are a major reason why I really can't see why Gulutzan could be called a "great hockey mind". I don't think he has even an average hockey mind in any way I would use the term.

He doesn't seem like a guy that can just look at a game and understand what's happening. This I think is further backed by the fact that he keeps making claims that the team played fine in situations where they clearly haven't. I get the feeling that Gulutzan really does coach mostly with numbers, and probably doesn't understand why the team is not doing as good as his numbers would suggest.

I also think he's a poor judge of hockey talent, as implied by the failure of "his guys" that have been brought in.

(Btw I also strongly suspect Treliving also isn't very good at simply eyeballing hockey talent or hockey games, at least relative to the context of hockey professionals. However I don't think it matters as much, as I think it's a much smaller part of a GM's job. A GM should rely on his scouts anyway.)

[bubbsy]

Every game that Matt Stajan starts just cements the fact that our coaching and gm are struggling mightily.

He is clearly the worst NHL regular in the league. Lazar has been unnoticeable but at least he can skate and is young enough where I'd rather give him the 10 mins a game.

Stajan has no place in the nhl.

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

Every game that Matt Stajan starts just cements the fact that our coaching and gm are struggling mightily.

He is clearly the worst NHL regular in the league. Lazar has been unnoticeable but at least he can skate and is young enough where I'd rather give him the 10 mins a game.

Stajan has no place in the nhl.

Bouma is getting 10 minutes each and every game with the Hawks He has a specific role on the Hawks and makes 2.5 hits in his 15 shifts each and every game. He is +6 and has 8 pts... The Flames are taking a 766k cap hit for him next year.

He is tied for 4th on the Hawks in +/- with Toews. On the Flames his +6 would put him in 2nd with Monahan and Hathaway.

The Flames would be a better team with him in the lineup instead of either Stajan or Brouwer. or Lazar..

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

Bouma is getting 10 minutes each and every game with the Hawks...

The Flames would be a better team with him in the lineup instead of either Stajan or Brouwer. or Lazar..

Let's face it. Bouma was not bought out because of his on-ice contribution.

[habernac]

I voted no, only because I can't think of a decent replacement. Not a fan of Sutter's negative style.

[dino7c]

The game has passed Stajan by but there are worse players...also our current GM didn't sign him.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by habernac

I voted no, only because I can't think of a decent replacement. Not a fan of Sutter's negative style.

Sutter is a pipe dream. He did not leave the team on great terms and he's not part of the Treliving/Burke circle. Just like with Iginla I realize that fans pine for the past but just as the organization has moved on from them, they have also moved on from this organization. 0.0% chance IMO.

[Bingo]

Firm no for me

Actually shocked at how the Yes contingent is.

[The Fonz]

People need to stop saying that this roster is overrated, or lacks the depth to contend. Have a look at the top 5 teams in the league right now:

TB
LV
LA
STL
NJ

4 of those 5 teams have slightly above average (STL) to downright ugly rosters (LV), with the exception obviously being TB, who is stacked.

Comb over the rosters of LA, LV, and NJ, and it's pretty clear how important coaching is in this league, cause they sure as hell aren't at the top by way of All-Star talent/depth on their rosters.

[zamler]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Actually shocked at how the Yes contingent is.

Flames are currently 3 points up on the Oilers how can anyone be happy with this?

[Travis Munroe]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Firm no for me

Actually shocked at how the Yes contingent is.

How come you see it as a firm no? Many of the "no" voters are commenting that they are close to yes or are voting no due to lack of replacement but a firm no?

How many excuses can come out of his excuse bag? Last season early on it was guys getting used to the new systems until we went on a streak. After the streak it was that guys got comfortable and they had to kick it up a notch. Into the playoffs and it is that we are playing a really good team. Roll into this year and it was a couple changes on the back end need to get used to things. A month ago it was guys not preparing before games. A few weeks ago it was effort levels.

Not once have I heard him come out and admit that
1) Without question, the PP is a joke and has cost us games and I mean the system, not the players execution.
2) Maybe he shouldnt have had his 4th line out with 3 minutes to go in a tie game when they got scored on and we lost.
3) He should have mixed the lines up earlier or played D men with guys they have had success with in the past/on the side they have success with

As I type this I can think of endless coaches who have come out and taken the responsibility for their teams performance.... and these are elite coaches with a proven history. Is GG aware he is on thin ice and can't admit mistakes or does he truly not see where the shortcomings are?

[Regorium]

Originally Posted by zamler

Flames are currently 3 points up on the Oilers how can anyone be happy with this?

3 points up and have traded almost all of our futures away.

This was our "all-in" year, and if this is the best we can do going all in, it's not good enough.

Bob Hartley got us into the 2nd round with a Wideman-Russell top pairing. Gulutzan isn't even in the same tier.

[GullFoss]

I think i see where bingo is probably coming from. The team probably wins 6 of its last 8 if special teams wasn't a disaster. Outside of the Montreal game (and excluding the PP) the team has played well. It's just not winning. At least that's what the stats tell us.

Arguably the team just has one issue left...the PP. And if this team can even be average on the PP, it should go on a tear in the second half.

And I get the view point...but the team play just looks so uninspired. And it can't get up for big games. Or win from behind. It just can't get it together. At least that's what the eye test says.

Do they just need more time? Perhaps. But perhaps GG just isn't the guy who can make it all click. Perhaps the team needs more emotion at the helm. Someone whose been through it all and knows what it takes. Someone who can inspire the team. Someone like D Sutter.

[indes]

I'm still struggling with the fact we're playing a 'possession' game when our roster looks built for the transition. Not sure how anyone could be happy with where we are with the D core we have.

1st line C - check
Legit #1 Goalie - check
#1 Defenseman - check
Game breaking winger - check
Selke candidate #2 center - check
Rookies on ELC contributing - check

This should have been a year to make a splash in the post season. Instead here we are as usual on the bubble. On paper there's a handful of rosters I would trade the Flames for. I wouldn't call this team a cup contender but there's no excuse for not being in a playoff spot.

[Samonadreau]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Firm no for me

Actually shocked at how the Yes contingent is.

Aside from Advanced stats, can you make a case for him to stay?

[VladtheImpaler]

Unless the defensemen are much, much worse than I think they are (and have been in the recent past), this team should be a contender. Maybe I am just plain blind or extremely biased; Giordano is a 50-60 point player who is great in his own end. Hamilton should be a 50-60 point offensive specialist. Brodie should be a 40+ point 2-way guy. Hamonic and Stone should be solid defensemen with ability to contribute offensively. The forwards have been mentioned above. Aside from a horrible 4th line (which should be easily fixable), this team is so much less than it can be, and I think that's coaching - it seems like he purposely took a great D group and made it contribute as little as possible. Took away their ability to join the rush. F'ed up Brodie, misuses them on the PP,... Again, maybe I have blinders on, but with a good coach, it seems to me this team should be playing NSH in the WCF...

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

People need to stop saying that this roster is overrated, or lacks the depth to contend. Have a look at the top 5 teams in the league right now:

TB
LV
LA
STL
NJ

4 of those 5 teams have slightly above average (STL) to downright ugly rosters (LV), with the exception obviously being TB, who is stacked.

Comb over the rosters of LA, LV, and NJ, and it's pretty clear how important coaching is in this league, cause they sure as hell aren't at the top by way of All-Star talent/depth on their rosters.

The thing is that these rosters all have big strong aggressive players who can skate and play fast.

The Kings with their inferior roster are scrapping their way to a home playoff series.

Some people have posted that the soft play of the Flames is system based... yet last year, Bouma, Engelland and Chaission along with Brouwer, Bennett and Ferland and Hathaway were able to play big.

Somehow the Flames have put together an organization of players that prefer not to play a physical game.

Why is Hathaway a breath of fresh air? He is playing big within GG's system.

Even for hanging around for a wildcard spot the Flames will not be prepared to succeed in the playoffs. They were a much tougher team 3 years ago when Gaudreau had to be benched for his own protection.

Last year the Flames hit 2-3 times more in the playoffs than the regular season (standing up to the bully). That will be the game that almost all playoff teams will try to force on the Flames in a playoff series.

Big talented good skating aggressive players are hard to come by. The Flames are working with Ferland and Bennett looks like he fits the bill. Tkachuk would be a monster on a tougher roster.

[belsarius]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

The thing is that these rosters all have big strong aggressive players who can skate and play fast.

The Kings with their inferior roster are scrapping their way to a home playoff series.

Some people have posted that the soft play of the Flames is system based... yet last year, Bouma, Engelland and Chaission along with Brouwer, Bennett and Ferland and Hathaway were able to play big.

Somehow the Flames have put together an organization of players that prefer not to play a physical game.

Why is Hathaway a breath of fresh air? He is playing big within GG's system.

Even for hanging around for a wildcard spot the Flames will not be prepared to succeed in the playoffs. They were a much tougher team 3 years ago when Gaudreau had to be benched for his own protection.

Last year the Flames hit 2-3 times more in the playoffs than the regular season (standing up to the bully). That will be the game that almost all playoff teams will try to force on the Flames in a playoff series.

Big talented good skating aggressive players are hard to come by. The Flames are working with Ferland and Bennett looks like he fits the bill. Tkachuk would be a monster on a tougher roster.

I think the Flames are really missing having an energy line. You are right about Hathaway, that extra oomphf to his game can really bring the team up. When you have guys that take their 10 mins per game to prove a point, hit something, intimidate, whatever, it has an effect to bring the rest of the team up. The playoffs vs Vancouver you can just see the team rise up after Ferland went through a smash shift.

This year's Flames don't have that spark. Those guys fighting to stay in the bigs, the tough guys looking to keep their 10 mins alive one more game. There is a fourth line that doesn't score, keeps the puck out for the most part and just runs a shift. I don't think I've seen this team once feed off the energy of a fourth line shift.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Firm no for me

Actually shocked at how the Yes contingent is.

This kind of poll always attracts the people who want a firing.