NHL: Daryl Sutter fired in flames

The Calgary Flames fired head coach Darryl Sutter on Monday.

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This news comes exactly three weeks after the loss that ended the Flames’ hopes of making the playoffs.

The Alberta team finished the season with a record of 37-28-17 and 93 points, just two points behind the Winnipeg Jets, the last team to qualify for the National Hockey League’s (NHL) Western Conference.

Sutter took charge of the Flames during the 2020-2021 campaign. The following year, he led them to the Pacific Division title with 111 points. The team was then eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers in the second round of the playoffs.

“Darrell is a quick-witted guy who knows hockey well, and he fired the president of hockey operations, Don Maloney, during a press conference. I think in today’s world he’s a tough, demanding coach. That kind of coach has a limited lifespan. Unfortunately, I think his time with us is over.”

The 64-year-old is 102-63-28 behind the bench for the Flames, which he also coached in 2002-04 and 2005-2006. In 2004, Sutter led the Flames to the Stanley Cup Finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning, who won seven games.

In 21 years as a coach in the NHL with the Flames, Kings, Chicago Blackhawks, and San Jose Sharks, Sutter has compiled a record of 736-530-101. As a player, he participated in 406 matches.

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Maloney confirmed that his next task was to find a new general manager. Brad Treliving held this position until April 17, but decided to resign after nine years.

“The logical course to take would be to hire a general manager and let that manager hire a head coach,” said Maloney. We are moving forward with a new voice and a new vision.”

According to the former Arizona Coyotes CEO, the Flames will not need to start over next season.

“The players were disappointed with the season [2022-2023]. We firmly believed that our team was good enough to make the playoffs. Our formation is strong. Will we need to make any changes? Take for granted. But we also have many young players who deserve their place in the team.

It’s not hard to read between the lines here and think of the young Jacob Pelletier, who had to scramble to stand a chance under Sutter.

Stormy relations with the players from here

Moreover, during the latter campaign, Souter attracted attention for his improper relations with some. The Quebec cases of Jonathan Huberdeau and Pelletier have been mentioned in particular in recent months. The first also scored about sixty points less, compared to 2021-2022.

“He was different. I knew what kind of coach he was going to be in there. He’s a coach who likes the defensive game. There have certainly been little skirmishes during the year. I’ve been playing on the right wing for two months, although I’ve never played there before. That’s an adjustment I was I’m having a hard time making it. I’ve had less time on the ice this year. “There were different factors and I had to adapt to it,” he said on the show. jc Huberdeau a few days ago.

As for Pelletier, he had trouble convincing Sutter in his early days: the latter said after his first NHL game that he “was 21 and he had a long way to go”, as well as asking what jersey number he was wearing. Quebec’s teammates were also not thrilled to see that the coach was slow to confirm the player’s participation in their initial encounter, complicating the task of his family who had to travel to see him in action.