The Flames dropped some pretty huge and mildly unexpected news this afternoon, firing head coach Glen Gulutzan, and assistants Dave Cameron and Paul Jerrard. The news comes following weeks of speculation regarding the coaching staff’s future and on the heels of a disappointing 2017-18 season.
The #Flames have relieved Glen Gulutzan, Dave Cameron and Paul Jerrard of their coaching duties. https://t.co/e11hRxsN0w
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) April 17, 2018
In two seasons with the #Flames, Gulutzan went 82-68-14.
— Aaron Vickers (@AAVickers) April 17, 2018
On this site, we have discussed at some length how the season went for the Flames and whether or not it made sense to move on from Gulutzan. Just this morning, Pat outlined how Gulutzan’s future weighed heavily on the off-season for the Flames. Earlier this month, Ryan detailed how the Flames managed difficult situations throughout the season and, in another story, why the staff might get fired.
Earlier this month, Flames GM Brad Treliving reflected on the 2017-18 season and, perhaps tellingly, did not give an unequivocal vote of confidence for the coaching staff.
During a dour and subdued press conference, Treliving mentioned that blame for the past season was not solely placed on the coaching staff. Essentially, Treliving said that though continuity was an important consideration, ultimately he decided that a move had to be made.
Treliving has repeated a few times, in some form or another: “We needed to do this to get to the level we expect.” #Flames
— Pat Steinberg (@Fan960Steinberg) April 17, 2018
It was confirmed during the conference that Gulutzan had signed a three-year contract and was indeed fired.
The press conference also confirmed that assistant coach Martin Gelinas, video coach Jamie Pringle, and goaltending coach Jordan Sigalet will all remain with the team.
Many names have begun to swirl around the Flames’ now-vacant spot, including Darryl Sutter and Bill Peters (who has until Friday to opt-out of his deal with the Carolina Hurricanes). Treliving did not indicate if another coach has been selected, though he has a “profile” of his next coach in mind.
Although, Treliving did note that he believed that having experience was “critical” for success in the league. Do with that information what you will.
So Treliving very much gives me the sense that Peters (or a coach still in the postseason) is the target, but that the next Flames coach is 100% going to have coached in the NHL before.
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) April 17, 2018
With regards to the powerplay, Treliving noted that the onus falls mostly on the players and did not specifically mention any concerns with any of the coaching staff in particular, only that the team under-performed all season.
Repeatedly, Treliving indicated that he believed this decision signalled the “beginning” of the offseason in earnest. So with that, let the offseason begin.
They should let GG gone last December, 2018.
Comment of the Year.
must be the fever
@flipflop2.0
Didn’t you say he would start next season as Flames head coach….?
WW
I was referring to grammar, Archie (look it up, it’s a thing).
@WW
You can be MY coach big Willy ?
Are you from an alternate dystopian future?
I’d love to see WW’s face if they announce Huska as the replacement, but not really as I’m hoping they can do a lot better. Interested now in articles the options of replacement. Pity about Gerrard, PK showed a lot of improvement but I guess new coach will want a say.
I’m surprised Huska is not gone at the same time….
WW
possibly up as an assistant.
Gerrard is hooked to GG’s belt and the only real choice that he had for an assistant.
Treviling said that the team needs an experienced coach…I hope that doesn’t mean experience with losing lol. Can’t see Huska up here at all, but he’s a yes man in the minors…so will probably stay.
Does anyone care if the next coach can go mountain climbing with Conroy?
I bet Conroy could mountain climb with Conroy.
love Conroy but that was a dumb thing to say. To basically emply that you hired him because he could hike Grouse Mountain?
I would like to see DJ Smith, assistant coach with the Leafs. Won a memorial cup a few years ago and is learning oodles of things from Babcock, and is a part of the exciting way the young leafs play. Just an off the board, pipe dream i suppose.
If Washington misses the playoffs, anyone want Trotz?
Have you seen Washington play in the Playoffs? and they have OV…
Another possibility – Carlyle just might get canned if Anaheim goes down, especially in 4 straight.
Put me down for an emphatic “no.”
Interesting – I’m honestly curious as to what the objections are to Carlyle. One thing I like about him is that unlike Gulutzan, he definitely runs a short bench when needed.
Loved Carlyle as a player. One of the best defense men of his era and probably would have had a couple of Norris trophies if he wasn’t out of sight in Winnipeg. Haven’t followed him too much as a coach, but you would think he could improve our team defense.
And playing around the same era as Paul Coffee, Dennis Potvin etc..
He’s old school; his teams generally play a dump-and-chase style. I’m hoping for a coach that favours possession.
GG is a possession rockstar.
And he is available!
WW
I think we can agree that there are all kinds of problems with GG. Favouring controlled zone entry over dump-and-chase is not one of them though. That’s all I’m saying.
The proper term is “hard no”
hard no.
Wow was that painful waiting for this great news! I personally would have done it months ago. Unless Tre was trying to make a package deal trade? Gully, Brouwer, Staj and Bartkowski for some pucks and a couple of broken sticks?
count me among those who would be OK with Daryl Sutter
Given the options, I’m OK with that too. I wasn’t too fond of the idea initially, but I’ve come around.
D Sutter took the Flames deeper into the playoffs than any Flames coach except for Terry Crisp. The current period of mediocrity began with D Sutter being replaced behind the bench with Jim Playfair.
That was a boneheaded decision to let Sutter go… who made that decision?
Sutter himself as GM? Anyway I hated the decision at the time and still hate it. Never understood it, though if it truly was Sutter’s decision maybe it was just a personal workload or travel thing.
Sutter learned it is hard to be the coach and the GM I’m sure. GM – Player and Coach – Player relationships can be very different and I’m sure it is hard to manage both. Once he decided he couldn’t do both, GM Is more appealing because if you become just the coach then you are stuck underneath a new GM who controls your job, not ideal
@ doctor – the late great Badger Bob took us to the finals too…
Mad respect for Badger Bob from Oil Town.
I as well, although Sheldon Keefe or Todd Nelson have had great success in the minors if we go down the unproven path again
Flames need an experienced NHL not a minor league success. D Sutter fits the bill…doesn’t let players lollygag around the ice. Bob Hartley not in the running??? 🙂
GG and staff gone ? Wahoo !!!! About dang time this should have been done November 2017. Now let’s hope Tre hires an experienced coach who can out coach there opposition at least three times a season. Has the team prepared to play at the start of the season. And has the team commited to showing up for a full 60 min effort and stresses to coach for the win not the tie. Whether it’s Sutter, AV, ruff, O’keefe, T.Hunter , or Jake the squirrel from Jasper . I don’t care. I want to see our team have some level of success and not middle of the pack. Suprised it was not a clean sweep and Eliminator and Siglet still with the club. still more changes to make, At least we have an off season to talk about.
Very surprised about Siglet too. Not one goalie has improved under him. Wondering if he has some unflattering dirt on BB or BT
They’re probably keeping Sigalet and Gelinas to see if the new coach can use them. Still a chance they get let go.
neither are going per Treliving today
#firesigalet…
This was the right move to make. Ryan’s article the other day summed it up pretty well. Looking forward to this presser.
even I couldn’t help this roster. BT has a lot of work to do still. This was the easiest move of this long off season.
Bob, please come back. I want to see Torts blow a gasket for old times’ sake.
Best notification on my phone all year. Good bye and good riddance. Worst NHL coach. Take your cosi and retrieve your stick from the 13th row and don’t let the door hit you on the way out!!!
What? Well that’s so out of the blue. We’ll miss him.
He was the wrong choice from the beginning. This team needs a coach with history, someone who can really get the best as well as a staff who is the same.
According to Twitter rumours, we’re looking at either Peters or Sutter…I guess they’re leaning towards a tougher approach
If Washington gets swept, there may very well be a major shake up within the organization. Barry Trotz could be available.
And you know Trotz can take a puck in the head.
Hallelujah…relieved that this was done. Lots of reasons why he had to go but that home record and the blowouts at home throughout the year is on the coaches. I am old school and would like to see more of a hard ass… somebody proven who knows how to push players buttons. That was obviously not the case with Hairman. We need to get this right…IF a great coach can make a bunch of throwaways a Stanley Cup Contender what could be accomplished with this group?
How do you guys feel about potentially giving Marco Sturm is a shot if he wants to coach in North America?
Never going to happen, but that’s thinking outside the box
I’d love to see it. I think he would fit in well.
For thinking outside the box, how about the first NHL hologram coach? Have Scotty Bowman coach from his living room, and have a hologram behind the bench. Lol
Hologram Tupac!! A thugg life coach!!!
Player discipline will be at an all time high
He got more than the most out of Germany and will coach in the NHL soon. I think that in this case the Flames need to go with someone who ideally has “won” big in the NHL
Throw Huska to KC and give Sturm an AHL gig first to see how he dose?
Like that. And tell him to bring German beer with him.
i live in Germany, too SF…
Peters, although he plays a more up-tempo system may only be a mild upgrade. I can’t see them going down the Sutter road again…think that would be going backwards, despite his 2 Cups.
Just another thought. It’s interesting that Gelinas has survived 2 head coach firings. I’m curious about his career path. I like him, hope he gets a shot somewhere, someday.
Just what has Gelinas being doing for the Flames? I googled that and couldn’t find anything!
I’m guessing some loyalty thing from the owners. ‘04 and all that.
Good point … I don’t recall reading what he does day to day.
Call W5!
My fear is BT calls Tippett.
I hope King calls Daryl.
I also hope they reach out to Ruff. Tim Hunter. And Rocky Thompson. Actually, great story lines here would be the return of Daryl, or the return of Hunter… Or Thompson. Thompson is actually very well respected as a head coach.
Why not all three? There’s a couple of assistant coach positions to fill.
Very unlike cerebral BT to make a move so quickly. Either he was influenced from above or he already has his man. I am guessing a little of both. Expecting an announcement soon.
I agree. I believe he already has his next coach. Treliving doesn’t do anything without having something in place.
We all knew GG had to go.
Glad Cameron got his walking papers too.
I sure hope we get a veteran coach.
Apparently Peters was already talking to teams in that negotiation window he has in his contract with Carolina, maybe BT and him worked something out
Just finished listening to the press conference and Tre said he’s going to do a thorough search and make sure he hires the right man, but he also referenced someone with experience may be the best route
I’m trying to remember how long before GG was hired after BH was fired?
about 6 weeks
I don’t remember that, but the best experienced coaches were gone by then!
Way too stubborn, insistent on putting Brouwer on the pp, refusing to break up the struggling pairing of Hamonic and Brodie, team plagued by bad starts and mentally fragile.
Yes, also rolling four lines to the point of absurdity.
GG was stubborn to the point of being stupid about it. Almost like his ego couldn’t handle it if he had to admit he was making the wrong player choices so he just kept on doing the same damn things over and over.
The list could go on… 3/4 of the season had gone by before Hamilton was on the 1st PP unit, Tkachuk not utilized on the PP, his insistence with Brodie on the left side, his refusal to break up 3M to try to spur the bottom six into better production, we still don’t know if Lazar can play centre, not mixing up the system when the short passes were killing us trying to get out of our own zone, same PP formation – couldn’t adapt when other teams shut down Monny in the slot, did not try a big shot on the off wing. Have we missed anything?
There’s probably more but you covered it pretty well. Hamilton not on the 1st unit PP from day one jeezus man how the hell do you do that with a straight face….
Don’t forget mishandling Bennett’s development
I’d be really interested in talking to AV.
Man am I ever happy I don’t have to bear witness to any more bone headed decisions by GG over and over again that were incredibly frustrating to watch.
All I know is I don’t care if the next head coach is a great guy, good person, family man of the year or whatever. I want a coach that gets the team to produce results on a consistent basis. One that gives us an opportunity as fans to watch the home team in the playoffs year after year. I know there is more to it than coaching but this team is good enough to make the playoffs and given our prospect pool should continue to get better.
In another thread I’d predicted they would keep GG. I am here to say I was wrong.
We gleefully accept your admission. Being openly contrite is an admirable quality to have and share.
I once hiked Mt Yamnuska. Therefore I am applying for the head coach job. Apparently Calgary has hit an all time low…. they will
hire thee most important position on a team based on his hiking abilities lmfao I love this team!
I got real sweaty on Nose Hill. I too will apply for the job
One Alberta head coach gone, anther to be announced shortly!