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The Calgary Flames have relieved Geoff Ward of his duties just 24 games into his first season as the full-time head coach.
While that may seem harsh, I don’t think there’s any reason to question the decision. The expectations were very high for the Flames heading into the season.
Goaltending had been a large part of their undoing in recent years and they erased any doubts about the position by bringing in Jacob Markstrom. It was fair to expect a big step forward from the Flames in a somewhat soft division. That hasn’t happened.
The Flames have won just 11 of 24 games to date. They own a minus-7 goal differential and rank dead last in the division in goal scoring.
Perhaps more concerning than the overall results is how they’ve looked while getting them. Calgary has routinely no-showed to start games. Not just for a few minutes; for a full period (or more). That’s unacceptable.
So, too, is their puck management and disconnect as a roster. There is rarely enough support in any area of the ice. Players have been far too separated, which makes it very difficult on the puck carrier to make a positive play; there’s no outlets.
I think they could benefit greatly from the structure that Darryl Sutter, who is signed for this season and two more, will bring to the table.
His teams play a puck possession system built on connectivity. He’ll have the guys playing hard and moving in groups of five. It won’t be a chore to break the puck out of the defensive zone; there will be options.
I believe Sutter’s pedigree will command a ton of respect in the locker room. Guys won’t be able to take shifts off or show the lack of care that Milan Lucic referenced in a recent interview. He’s not going to sit idly and watch that.
We’re several years into the team’s ‘window’ and the Flames haven’t enjoyed nearly as much success as they probably should have. I think we’re at the point where players know there are no more chances; if they don’t get together now, they’re going to be broken up. Full stop.
That knowledge, coupled with Sutter’s pedigree, will be the wake up call this team so desperately needs. At least it should.
Sutter didn’t come out of ‘retirement’ in the midst of a pandemic to watch a bunch of guys skate around like chickens with their heads cut off. He is back because he wants to win, and he sees enough talent on the roster at each position to make some noise. He’ll do what’s necessary to give the team a chance.
I, for one, think this was a good move and am excited to see how things play out.
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