Geoff Ward, Flames 18 th coach

[rickross]

1 hour ago, JTech780 said:

 

He was listed as the head coach on the game sheet for the win in Buffalo.

Lol ok here we go..I’ll be checking your sources btw! He may have been listed as a head coach for the game however Bill Peters was still the official HC at the time, hence he was technically still the Associate coach with the win. 

[Sarasti]

On 12/1/2019 at 9:22 PM, rickross said:

Lol ok here we go..I’ll be checking your sources btw! He may have been listed as a head coach for the game however Bill Peters was still the official HC at the time, hence he was technically still the Associate coach with the win. 

 

Semantics are semantics. Either way Ward ran the team in BUF and Peters was not behind the bench.

[MP5029]

I’m definitely linking how he thinks, the new look lines are well thought out and he’s gonna roll lines according to who’s clicking...

 

id love to see all the lines click and just explode tonight and every night especially Looch he was such a great FWD in BOS and has all the ingredients to be a solid power forward would be great to see him get it back 

[cross16]

I'm just happy to see that Ward was willing to try stuff. Sometimes when you promote the assistant to the head coach you find out that the biases you saw in the head coach are the same. Clearly Ward saw some things differently and I think that's really refreshing and good for a group that appeared to be going a little stale. 

 

Not a shot at Peters either, all coaches have biases. Be interesting now to see how patient Ward is with them. 

[travel_dude]

11 minutes ago, cross16 said:

I'm just happy to see that Ward was willing to try stuff. Sometimes when you promote the assistant to the head coach you find out that the biases you saw in the head coach are the same. Clearly Ward saw some things differently and I think that's really refreshing and good for a group that appeared to be going a little stale. 

 

Not a shot at Peters either, all coaches have biases. Be interesting now to see how patient Ward is with them. 

 

No doubt you will see Gaudreau playing some shifts with the top line.

It really depends on the success of the lines as they exist, but with last change, the Flames will try to use Gaudreau against lines/pairs that he does well against.

 

My beef with BP was his inability to try new things for any length of time.

You have to look at more than just the results.

He would always revert to the default lines.

 

 

[cross16]

47 minutes ago, travel_dude said:

 

No doubt you will see Gaudreau playing some shifts with the top line.

It really depends on the success of the lines as they exist, but with last change, the Flames will try to use Gaudreau against lines/pairs that he does well against.

 

My beef with BP was his inability to try new things for any length of time.

You have to look at more than just the results.

He would always revert to the default lines.

 

 

 

one of the unfortunate things about Peters (focusing only on his time as a coach here of course) was that what was so encouraging about him early on became a frustration. For the first half to of the season last year he was willing to try anything. He put out different line combos, he fixed things up when it didn't work, he moved guys up and down the lineup but in the 2nd half he became more like Gulutzan where he just felt like he found his lineup and put it out again and again and waiting for it to right. It was understandable for a while but once you get only 20-30 games you need to check that bias. 

 

One of the reasons why I actually like the idea of Gaureau in a "3rd line" type is I agree, he'll be able to get some double shifts. Gives Ward some flexibility. 

[travel_dude]

53 minutes ago, cross16 said:

 

one of the unfortunate things about Peters (focusing only on his time as a coach here of course) was that what was so encouraging about him early on became a frustration. For the first half to of the season last year he was willing to try anything. He put out different line combos, he fixed things up when it didn't work, he moved guys up and down the lineup but in the 2nd half he became more like Gulutzan where he just felt like he found his lineup and put it out again and again and waiting for it to right. It was understandable for a while but once you get only 20-30 games you need to check that bias. 

 

One of the reasons why I actually like the idea of Gaureau in a "3rd line" type is I agree, he'll be able to get some double shifts. Gives Ward some flexibility. 

 

Gaufreau was getting double-shifted a lot under both Gully and BP.

The problem was he was trying it for the wrong reason.

You do that with a line where his style of play fits.

Bump him up to play with Monahan/Backlund or Lindholm, where he's adding if he's playing well.

 

I am a bit confused about the 2nd line though.

IIRC, Monahan said he was still playing C on that line, so that would mean Backlund is LW.

That seems to be different than the posted lines.

[cross16]

 

[cross16]

 

[cross16]

Little more on Edwards. Edwards is definitely a Treliving guy so that part of this intrigues me

 

 

[The_Tribal Chief]

I dont know anything about edwards at all I do like how Ward is managing the flames lineups i also like how he met with the Flames leadership to ask how they wanted to be coached I know players adjust no matter what but it is nice to get there output there take gets respect from the players cause they feel your listening to them as human beings

[conundrumed]

Boomer and Hahn on NHL Radio gave Ward the 1st star for last night.

Said the lines looked like he took a bunch of drugs, and it worked. lol

[cross16]

 

[cross16]

I’ve liked a lot of what Ward is doing but I find it Interesting the flames are not willing to commit to him for the season. 
 

im wondering if this is an example of why they don’t want to. DeBoer is a really good coach imo. 
 

 

[cross16]

Just to be clear I’m not advocating anything I’m just wondering based on this from Friedman 

 

4. Geoff Ward could retire undefeated, now 6-0 running the bench. While Calgary gave its interim boss a salary raise for the remainder of the season, they have yet to commit to him for the rest of the year. First, after a tumultuous month, the organization just wanted to breathe and see how the players responded. Second, the Flames did not want to be unfair to him by saying, “Hey, it’s yours” in case circumstances changed at a later date. I believe the metaphor being used is, “They’re dating, but not engaged.” Results speak, however, and, right now, Ward’s are excellent. He’s come a long way since assisting Don McKee at the University of Waterloo in 1989.

 

https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/31-thoughts-jim-montgomery-firing-hockeys-latest-bombshell/

[conundrumed]

3 minutes ago, cross16 said:

Just to be clear I’m not advocating anything I’m just wondering based on this from Friedman 

 

4. Geoff Ward could retire undefeated, now 6-0 running the bench. While Calgary gave its interim boss a salary raise for the remainder of the season, they have yet to commit to him for the rest of the year. First, after a tumultuous month, the organization just wanted to breathe and see how the players responded. Second, the Flames did not want to be unfair to him by saying, “Hey, it’s yours” in case circumstances changed at a later date. I believe the metaphor being used is, “They’re dating, but not engaged.” Results speak, however, and, right now, Ward’s are excellent. He’s come a long way since assisting Don McKee at the University of Waterloo in 1989.

 

https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/31-thoughts-jim-montgomery-firing-hockeys-latest-bombshell/

Ward has also commented that he gives practice days off while trying to get a handle on the fwd lines, which was never his task.

[Thebrewcrew]

53 minutes ago, cross16 said:

I’ve liked a lot of what Ward is doing but I find it Interesting the flames are not willing to commit to him for the season. 
 

im wondering if this is an example of why they don’t want to. DeBoer is a really good coach imo. 
 

 

I really think Ward is in Craig Berube territory of last year. The Blues wouldn’t commit to him obviously until they had a parade. That being said the rumour after Coach Q was fired was he was the Blues target, a cup changes that of course .

 

I think the Flames are keeping their options open, if Ward can guide them to the playoffs and have playoff success, it’s his job to keep. Round one dismissal yet again is a different story though . 

[conundrumed]

18 minutes ago, Thebrewcrew said:

I really think Ward is in Craig Berube territory of last year. The Blues wouldn’t commit to him obviously until they had a parade. That being said the rumour after Coach Q was fired was he was the Blues target, a cup changes that of course .

 

I think the Flames are keeping their options open, if Ward can guide them to the playoffs and have playoff success, it’s his job to keep. Round one dismissal yet again is a different story though . 

BT kinda gets a pass on his 2nd hire in Peters, but I'd say he's on thin ice. One more hire goes wrong, skid him.

[conundrumed]

Was listening on NHL Radio and they said there were grumblings going back to last year that some of the Flames didn't like Peters dictatorship style as a coach.

When Ward drew up different lines, he had a team meeting and said, "here's what I'm thinking, what do you guys think"? And everyone got to give their input. An inclusive environment. Friedman was saying from their 1st practice with Ward in Buffalo that people on the scene were saying how the attitude change was very apparent.

[GDyAllen]

Was listenining to a podcast today and Friedman was talking about how when Gully was our coach the team took advantage of his "niceness".  He sited an example in the playoffs where he said Gully wanted to start Johnson instead of Elliot but the rest of the team pushed for Elliot to start and he was horrible and thusTre went for Bill.  Lets hope now Ward is not too soft that the players soon try to run the show or too strict that the players stop playing for him.  Hoping for the right mix as it is much more fun to watch this team than the team of the first couple months.  

[conundrumed]

7 minutes ago, GDyAllen said:

Was listenining to a podcast today and Friedman was talking about how when Gully was our coach the team took advantage of his "niceness".  He sited an example in the playoffs where he said Gully wanted to start Johnson instead of Elliot but the rest of the team pushed for Elliot to start and he was horrible and thusTre went for Bill.  Lets hope now Ward is not too soft that the players soon try to run the show or too strict that the players stop playing for him.  Hoping for the right mix as it is much more fun to watch this team than the team of the first couple months.  

The ol' adage. You win as a team and lose as a team. Including all of the coaches.

Give the players a voice, if it doesn't work, switch gears. But they'll buy in a lot better if they feel like they have a voice.

Because then, they have to back it up. And if they don't, well, Ward is bulletproof. He tried.

And now he has the respect of the players, sure, discuss the plan with them. If they're in a funk.

I don't see it happening.

It really feels like Ward is making them inclusive of plans, therefore they're also accountable along with him.

Seems like a good marriage.

[Thebrewcrew]

On 12/11/2019 at 7:18 PM, conundrumed said:

BT kinda gets a pass on his 2nd hire in Peters, but I'd say he's on thin ice. One more hire goes wrong, skid him.

Yeah not many managers get the opportunity to hire 3 coaches. This is a bit of an anomaly as he didn’t technically fire Peters, so he gets a bit of grace, but the next hire be it Ward or someone else, he needs to get it right 

[cross16]

8 hours ago, conundrumed said:

Was listening on NHL Radio and they said there were grumblings going back to last year that some of the Flames didn't like Peters dictatorship style as a coach.

When Ward drew up different lines, he had a team meeting and said, "here's what I'm thinking, what do you guys think"? And everyone got to give their input. An inclusive environment. Friedman was saying from their 1st practice with Ward in Buffalo that people on the scene were saying how the attitude change was very apparent.

It’s so clear in their game too. Ward has made some changes but they are playing so loose and free. They are reacting not thinking and  that’s just players feeling good. 
 

have to love it but at the same time it doesn’t exactly bode well for how mental tough this core is. 

[conundrumed]

15 minutes ago, cross16 said:

It’s so clear in their game too. Ward has made some changes but they are playing so loose and free. They are reacting not thinking and  that’s just players feeling good. 
 

have to love it but at the same time it doesn’t exactly bode well for how mental tough this core is. 

Mental fortitude can be built though, when everyone's on the same page.

I know it's cliche but I'll keep saying it, just needed a battle cry.

Mental toughness is nothing more than getting more experience in adversity.

[cross16]

7 minutes ago, conundrumed said:

Mental fortitude can be built though, when everyone's on the same page.

I know it's cliche but I'll keep saying it, just needed a battle cry.

Mental toughness is nothing more than getting more experience in adversity.

yes but at the same time they decided Hartley was too hard, took advantage of Gulutzan being too nice, and then decided Peters was too hard. 
 

some point you just need to play for one another and battle through it. I’m just frustrated how this core seems to treat coaches. Always seems to be an excuse.