cross16

I think debate is less around Sutter and more how do you feel about players are right now. Like it or not the game has changed and players want a bigger voice, and they've gotten it. So the way I see this is the Flames can refuse to admit that or you can adapt to the game that is played around you. The Flames keeping Sutter would have been sending a message to the players that we don't value your opinion and for some they think this is the way it should be. That is fine if believe that ( I don't) but I don't think what can be debated is that philosophy runs counter to how sports have developed. I also think this whole "inmates running the asylum thing" is mostly fan speak and a myth. It rarely is actually found in sports. Food for thought too the primary reason the Bruins got rid of Cassidy last year was this exact same scenario. The players spoke out and they were going to lose multiple players if they didn't make a change.

I don't agree with that logic no, not unless the player's are tied. Making decision at the moment in the draft means bringing emotion into a decision that should exclude emotion. Your list should account for the scenario of taking multiple players in the same position.

Good point. My answer was very focused on the scouting aspect of this. If the Flames were to hire a GM externally, who is currently in the league, its very likely/common that he woudln't be able to participate in the draft meetings anyway. 100% agree you need a GM in place by the draft, I agree. If you've done a good job pre draft this shouldn't happen. Brian Burke called it a firable offence to change the list on the draft floor. Those debates should be done already. Trust the board/list as they say.

I like Mitch Love as the clubhouse favorite but I 100% agree he should get an interview.

At this point typically the majority of heavy lifting on the draft as been done and the scouts do 90% of the work anyway. The GM is normally tasked with creating what vision/traits they are looking for, but scouts do the majority of it and then dial in GMs towards the end to see if they have suggestions on the list. Long story short, I don't think the draft changes your timeline on hiring anyone because its the scouts and the director of scouting that do the heavy lifting.

He already did

To clarify he was not placed on IR. He was placed on "non roster" status which is a status used for players away from the team for reasons other than injury or illness. It functions the same as IR in that it frees up a roster spot but does not provide cap relief. You are permitted to appeal to the NHL if you feel the situation warrants LTIR/Cap space but it was never confirmed if the Flames did that, and it never ended up mattering as they never were i a position to exceed the cap

I don't have a problem with what Huberdeau said because I think he is 100% correct. I don't think Sutter did anything to help make Huberdeau be successful and he had plenty of chances. It was something I was mentioning all year. Huberdeau is one of the best players in the entire league at 3 on 3 since the NHL went to that format. He is was 6th in ice time at 3 on 3. Sutter took almost a minute out of his PP time from his time in Florida to last year. Sutter barely gave him top 6 5 on 5 ice time, let alone the ice time you'd expect of a top line player. and of course we've been through the line combos LW vs RW situation. Doesn't excuse the player who struggled early and I think Huberdeau would be the first to admit it. I think the early season struggles and adjustment zapped his confidence more than Sutter did but a good coach finds what he has and does whatever he can to put his players in a position to be successful. Sutter did none of that for Huberdeau last season.

We'll see but IMO you have a very large one. It just doesn't happen to be on your roster.

I'm not sure why we should find this surprising. This has been the MO for 20 years now.

Suspect we are going to hear a lot of this. I would be very surprised if someone on the staff was promoted

I will admit I was wrong about Maloney. I was at first disappointed to hear about his promotion but the more he talks the more I think they did the right thing there. He's handled himself really well in front of the media, he seems to be going about things the right way and I like a lot of his answers around where they ae going, what he thinks they need etc. Talked about needing to get younger, trusting younger players, getting feedback from players. Stickhandled some pretty pointed questions around Edwards and how he got to this process but handled it well.

I'm not as surprised. I think Sutter's strength is setting a clear understanding of how a team is going to play, how it's going to win, assign each player a role within that system and the establish the right standard of which to get to. This works really well when expectations are lower because he won't grill you for mistakes, he won't overcoach, he just expects you to do what he says or you won't play. When expectations rise he pushes harder because now mistakes are not as tolerated. I think it's compounded by the fact that he once those expectations are raised he stops trusting young players and will lean into his bias more. Now a lot of coaches will do this but what hurts Sutter is his bias (not trusting young players) is really counter to the direction the league has gone. This has happened wherever he's gone. It happened in LA too the main difference as his team in LA was tailored made to play his system so they kept winning despite the atmosphere (which has confirmed by multiple players on that LA team).

Fits with what has been seen on social media but Maloney commented on it too

I'm not surprised. He is not to blame for last season at all. I don't think he did a good job but he wasn't the main reason they missed the playoffs and the players have to wear a lot of it. But when you constantly hear the stories about how negative and toxic the environment is, you can't keep your coach. this isn't even just players it's staff that apparently had a problem with Sutter. You just cannot in today's game, treat young players the way he treated them. for those 2 reasons he had to go. Just a brutal decision they made to extend him. You can only hope that they learn from this experience.

Ryan Leslie is perfecting the art of dropping hints...

I'd take that article with a massive grain of salt. As I mentioned in another thread I wouldn't be shocked to hear Edwards wants to move on. But one thing I know about Edwards is he as a shrewd and cut throat as it gets. There is no chance, IMO at least, he's going to sell the team before the get the arena started. He'd be selling at a fairly large discount and that's not how we works. I think that article took a flimsy idea/rumor and made up the rest. I would put no stock into it (and I don't).

i wouldn’t put any stock in it. I read it and it feels very fake news/click bait. He’s going to sell to a local hockey hero essentially? Someone wrote that to appease the people who want this to happen. I actually wouldn’t be shocked if Edwards wants out at some point but I think until the arena gets built it wouldn’t make sense to sell the team.

the fact anyone would actually think players wouldn’t come to camp because the coach is here is ridiculous. That’s inventing controversy that doesn’t exist. anyway I’m out. Discuss away

This is all ridiculous. - No one took personal shots at Sutter and let’s Stop accusing people of attacking Sutter. You can not like his style as a coach and still respect the person. -I didn’t like the job he did last year and from the sounds of it there is a pretty toxic atmosphere around the flames. BS to me that players just have to suck that up or there are considered soft. - I never even said that was all Sutters fault. - I did not say you can’t listen to other leaders or players. I simply said rather jump all over Kadri maybe remember he played for a great coach so perhaps he has feedback/suggestions to make. You should be open to all feedback as a leader the lengths people are going to around here right now to create controversy or just be mad is honestly ridiculous.

If your going to hang on what Dreger says sure I guess. I wouldn't but to each their own. But also should point out that requesting a trade doesn't mean boycott. I fully expect players will ask for trades, doesn't mean they'll get it. I think that is a poor assumption

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/flames-jonathan-huberdeau-talks-montreal-canadiens-rumours/ I think that's reaching personally. The comment was answering a question of why sign a big deal before you've even played.

What a bunch of BS. Maybe people just don't want to work in a toxic environment. Maybe people realize that working in said environment is not conducive to maximizing their skill and potential. so just because they are not prepard to sit there and take it from some just because they are the "coach" we have to belittle them. Completely and utter crap IMO. Nazim Kadri just got finished playing for Jared Bednar, one of the best coaches in the league IMO and coming off a cup win. Pretty good leader to follow. Personally if he is seeing issues with Sutter, based on who he just worked for, i'd be listening to Kadri. PS - no one is going to boycott so let's be serious here. Stop inventing problem and situations that don't exist. They'll ask for trades and then it's up to the new GM to handle that. Think we'd be surprised at how many trade requests actually get asked for across the league.

Mark Hunter was a hot GM name a few years ago. Seemed to be upset they gave the GM job to Dubas and he left the NHL. Good scouting background and got a lot of praise for helping to build the Leafs