Todd Cordell: Calgary Flames remove interim tag from head coach Geoff Ward

As always thx Todd

This is the right decision. I am glad they kept Ward as head coach.

Not my top choice but it makes sense given the circumstances with everything going on right now. Hopefully he learns from his errors last year and grows as a coach. It will be interesting to see is they make any other personnel changes with the coaches.

Am I disappointed that we didn't get Gallant? Yes, but bringing back Ward who is familiar with the team and players is a much better option than bringing in another unknown coach who has never been a head coach before. The key for treliving this offseason is what he does with the roster not the coach

Am I disappointed that we didn't get Gallant? Yes, but bringing back Ward who is familiar with the team and players is a much better option than bringing in another unknown coach who has never been a head coach before. The key for treliving this offseason is what he does with the roster not the coach
- FLAM3SFAN

Gallant was intriguing but man, the way he’s just randomly gotten fire (and you can say that McCrimmon wanted DeBoer which I understand) is really weird.

I like the removal of the interim tag on Ward. We sometimes forget that although the Flames may have wanted a Gallant or Laviolette, those guys still had to want to go to Calgary. Hopefully the boys don’t take a year two dump for the third coach in a row.

Gallant was intriguing but man, the way he’s just randomly gotten fire (and you can say that McCrimmon wanted DeBoer which I understand) is really weird.

I like the removal of the interim tag on Ward. We sometimes forget that although the Flames may have wanted a Gallant or Laviolette, those guys still had to want to go to Calgary. Hopefully the boys don’t take a year two dump for the third coach in a row.
- Ol_Boy_Wop

Yeah Im good with this given who knows if they even have a season if they cant get fans into a building & the way cases are rocketting that can be awhile.
Time to make player moves instead.

Familiar like an old pair of underwear

Since they didn’t go with a new coach does this mean we will see legit roster changes ?

Since they didn’t go with a new coach does this mean we will see legit roster changes ?
- Redmile247

Hope so

I’m good with Wardo! Not sure you’ll see many changes in our roster, Treliving just signed an extension and getting fleeced on the trade front wouLd surely be his final nail in his coffin. I’m sure we’ll see a shake up of some sort but don’t expect big changes.
Now let’s get a legit #1 goalie!

I know everyone says draft best player available and I agree, but if Askarov is available at 19 I hope they have a long discussion. Can’t remember the last time the Flames picked a goalie in the first round. Trevor Kidd? Not looking it up. We suck at goalie de elopement, maybe we should be looking for a better goalie coach?

This is Tre saying to the players its no longer gonna be the coach who gets changed after disappointment. Its on the roster now.

This is Tre saying to the players its no longer gonna be the coach who gets changed after disappointment. Its on the roster now.
- wreckage

Let’s hope so.

I am not talking about Risto, I would not think you guys would take him in the first place, and he isn't as bad as people say, unfortunately he has played on some really bad Buffalo teams. I am talking about Bennett, he has shown up in the playoffs, but he disappears through most of the season. And your own blogger has suggested Monahan being traded, and the 8th and good prospect which Pilut is, is a fair deal.
- Buff36

You sure Risto isn't that bad? His 5v5 stats look like a literal horror movie. https://sabresfanatics.fi...nshot-144.png?w=510&h=419

Benny is overrated if you think of him any higher than a bottom-6 energy player which I don't think most flames fans see anything more than that.

And Calgary needs to get better now - futures for Monny won't cut it unless it's too good of a deal.

Ward sucks in so many ways and I am sad.

I know everyone says draft best player available and I agree, but if Askarov is available at 19 I hope they have a long discussion. Can’t remember the last time the Flames picked a goalie in the first round. Trevor Kidd? Not looking it up. We suck at goalie de elopement, maybe we should be looking for a better goalie coach?
- K-man25

The Flames should just trade the pick. Is there a team in the league that misses as hard as the Flames do in the first round? And the goalies you can't remember the Flames drafting were Irving and Krahn.

Ward sucks in so many ways and I am sad.
- LittleBroDougie

Really?

Ward sucks in so many ways and I am sad.
- LittleBroDougie

Name 3.
Who did you want to see?
List his strengths.

The Flames should just trade the pick. Is there a team in the league that misses as hard as the Flames do in the first round? And the goalies you can't remember the Flames drafting were Irving and Krahn.
- Hunkulese

Huh???? Miss in the first round???? Last first rounders we've had were Tkachuk, Bennett, Monahan & Valamaki, we cant really make a call on Pelletier yet. WTF are you talking about. & no one is calling Valamaki a bust yet, concerned about injury trend but you know what Backlund was pretty injury prone for awhile & then he became pretty durable. We need these 1st rounders so we can have good players on ELC's, its the only way you survive a flat cap.

The Flames should just trade the pick. Is there a team in the league that misses as hard as the Flames do in the first round? And the goalies you can't remember the Flames drafting were Irving and Krahn.
- Hunkulese

Maybe 10-20 years ago...Flames first rounds have been mostly great in recent years...and don't even with Bennett he was ranked #1 by central scouting all year any team takes him at 4

Gallant, the "winning coach" that has never won lol...why do people love this guy so much? His record is average-poor other than that first year in Vegas which in reality wasn't an expansion team roster they are one of the top teams.

Since they didn’t go with a new coach does this mean we will see legit roster changes ?
- Redmile247

Fleury and Hall in a Flames uni.

Huh???? Miss in the first round???? Last first rounders we've had were Tkachuk, Bennett, Monahan & Valamaki, we cant really make a call on Pelletier yet. WTF are you talking about. & no one is calling Valamaki a bust yet, concerned about injury trend but you know what Backlund was pretty injury prone for awhile & then he became pretty durable. We need these 1st rounders so we can have good players on ELC's, its the only way you survive a flat cap.
- Kevin R

Well said!

Sign pietrangelo at all costs

we bringing the cup home to Canada in 2021. They went to battle, and had a chance to advance against the west conf Champs in Dallas, a great team. The team will learn going forward. Add pietrangelo, a decent goalie and a forward like tofolli.

Huh???? Miss in the first round???? Last first rounders we've had were Tkachuk, Bennett, Monahan & Valamaki, we cant really make a call on Pelletier yet. WTF are you talking about. & no one is calling Valamaki a bust yet, concerned about injury trend but you know what Backlund was pretty injury prone for awhile & then he became pretty durable. We need these 1st rounders so we can have good players on ELC's, its the only way you survive a flat cap.
- Kevin R

Go back 30 years, they've made 5.5 solid first round picks including Bennett, not including Pelletier or Valimaki. Name a team that's missed more.