Tuesday afternoon Brent Sutter will be introduced as the 4th head coach under the leadership of his brother Darryl, of course he himself was the first before he stepped down in the spring of 2006. This is not a well kept secret nor is it s surprise, is it proper or ethical is a debate others will have, I will say this it better work.
I believe the Flames owners have stuck their neck out again for Darryl by allowing him this time to hire his brother. There is no shortage of people already complaining about nepotism, just take a quick glimpse in to my e-mail inbox, there is not shortage of those who are suggesting that this has been a well orchestrated plan with roots to last season. Well neither are an issue for me they are going to be an issue that the Flames will have to weather. Winning is the only thing that will eventually deflect the criticism that the team will take.
This is what I think of Brent Sutter as head coach of the Flames, he is a very gifted coach who is a hard ass, and will immediately grab the corp of this team by the scruff of the neck a push them in the direction he wants them to go. I also know he will practice the power play! The wild card in this scenario for me is his relationship with his brother.
No new news on the outdoor game front, although friend of the program Scott Burnside of ESPN wrote some rather scathing thoughts on Friday night suggesting that the game at McMahon is the result of “Canadian Whining”. Huh, I guess it could be, but maybe you are making a mountain out of a mole hill here Scott. The building will have infrastructure that isn’t normally there, the flames are celebrating their 30th anniversary it has seemed all along as more a matter of opportunity.
This Canada versus the US stuff gets a little old from both sides, doesn’t it?
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Darryl hobbles himself if he brings his brother to coach.
Brent has credentials, but, will both of them do the job the same way by having family as boss/family as employee?
It could get pretty frosty in Viking if Darryl has to one day call in “little brother” and tell him to pack up and vamoose. The family dynamic Brent talked about wanting to be around probably gets impacted. Very few people have ever fired their own family…Could create waves beyond the hockey rinks.
Little brother may also get a break when those “family commitments” interfere with the job, maybe Darryl, or other assistant coaches cover for him on certain occasions.
I guess Brent won’t be able to use the “team loyalty” card in any speeches without a few raised eyebrows. So he kinda hobbled himself too when it comes to motivation for his players.
Can’t you just imagine the day Darryl gets ticked after a game and yells at the boys directly passing over little brother.
Rob said in the blog that ownership has stuck their neck’s out “again” so if the Flames stumble there could be many Sutter’s riding into the sunset.
- rod from Med HatDamned if you do and damned if you don’t.
We all know that if Brent was not hired this year soon as the team goes into a losing streak everyone would be questioning why we didn’t hire Brent.
Secondly, who says it was only Daryl’s choice. Everyone in the media and most fans said it had to be a Sutter behind the bench.
So to all you naysayers, GO FLAMES GO.
- DarrenHi Rob
How does the press know that Brent’s leaving New Jersey was not a mandate from the wife, get closer to home or find a new wife. Everytime Darryl makes a move the press wants to print hypothetical and character damaging information. Maybe you know more of the inside information than the general public but I am of the opinion if the hockey team is competitive, then as a fan, that is all I can expect! The press in Calgary doesn’t like Darryl cause he doesn’t have beers with them and become buddy’s with them. If Calgary fans are not happy with what this team has done over the past 5 seasons then why don’t they support another team!? The one thing that has been said “even by the press” is that there are no harder workers than the Sutter’s. As long as the qualifications are there (which they are!)then I would suggest everyone sit’s back and let the hockey people make the hockey decisions. I have always had a great deal of respect for the Calgary ownership group I don’t see any of the press printing that the owners are out of there minds and don’t know what they are doing! This is Darryl’s decision but it has to be approved by the owners and I don’t understand how they are sticking their necks out cause it’s a good hockey decision! New Jersey must have given permission for the two parties to talk. If they are alright about it, then as a fan I don’t think we should doubt it either. The press will write what they want or what they can make up, but I support the team until I get reason to not support the team and whether we are out in the first round of the playoffs or not, at least we have been there! Darryl is not perfect but I’ll take him over 80% of the general managers currently working in the NHL, or maybe the press or disgruntled fans would prefer, Kevin Lowe?! Let’s talk hockey not gossip, innuendos, hearsay, name calling, character assasination, Just Hockey!
Thanks for the opportunity to submit my thoughts.
- DerekI think that in terms of terminating Brent, if it ever comes to that would be a package deal. Two Sutters for the price of one. Unless there is playoff success in the next two years we will see the end of the Sutter era in Calgary
- P-JacWhy can’t he use the team loyalty speech? He said he wanted to move closer to home he did not say he did not want to coach.
- BryanIf the Devils did not want to let him out of his contract they could have made him ride the pine for a year. If I have learned anything about the Flames it is it will all be above board.
I have no problem with this move. Darryl knows that the Flames organization, with heightened expectations and booming business, will not put up with under-achievement forever. If Darryl doesn’t take a chance by hiring his brother, who is the best candidate out there today, then he’s risking overloading himself, or picking the wrong guy and ultimately finding himself without a job.
I agree with the move, and think the world of Brent as a head coach. The team may or may not get any further in the off-season, but I think the more frustrating thing for Flames fans has been seeing great teams put together and having okay results. Brent will push every guy to the limit, or push them out of town. And that, I think, will make his tenure here much longer than Keenan’s.
People also need to remember that Mike and Darryl were said to have had a close relationship as well, so would firing Brent down the road really be that much different from having to fire Mike Keenan? Both were probably impossibly hard, but necessary.
Hockey is a business, and business is business.
As for this being a conspiracy of sorts - that the Sutter brothers have been planning this for the better half of a year. I doubt it. But at the same time, do you really expect that the two most successful of the Sutter brothers today wouldn’t get together and talk business once in a while? I think ultimately it came down to Brent not being pleased with the distance from his family, and maybe - just maybe - his older brother doing the old hint-hint, nudge-nudge that the Flames coaching job is a more local option.
- EricWell Rod from Med Hat, you obviously don’t understand business nor do you understand the integrity of the Sutter family.
Darryl Sutter literally saved this organization….and since the big 2004 run, they’ve been sold out almost every night plus are one of only 3 or 4 teams to have made the playoffs each year since 2004. The Flames’ owners no doubt want to win a championship but I’m sure they are patiently enjoying this ride as they are reaping so many benefits right now from the team’s success since Darryl took over.
Having a Sutter behind the bench going forward was absolutely necessary. The circumstances surrounding this hiring are nothing but shallow distractions for negative bored media & fan types out there who are always seeing the glass half empty anyway. This is a solid hockey move and should it not work out, Darryl will have no qualms with relieving his brother from coaching the Flames. The reason being is because that’s the business these guys choose, and that is “to win”. They both undertand this. Keenan understood this too. The firing of Keenan was probably very difficult for Darryl due to the lengthy history and friendship, the respect factor was huge between them but both men knew that “winning” is the ultimate authority when it comes to coaching. As for Darryl, he’s answering to the standard of making playoffs each year, contending for the division title and being considered a possible favourite to win the cup…because at the end of the day, those three factors are what fill the rink seats every night. Creating a successful winning environment attracts good players to sign for discounts which only makes watching the team each season that much more entertaining. As well, increased tv ratings allow for greater club revenue as this gives them bartering power when negotiating network deals. This hiring just boosted the entertainment value for everyone, including the players.
Look for Phaneuf to finally start playing to his potential. He’s not a shutdown defenseman, he’s an agitating hard-hitting super offensive d-man right now who will “one day” grow into a shutdown defenseman. I expect that Brent Sutter will quickly identify the various talents available to him and will in turn, strategically come up with a game plan that brings out the best in everyone.
Look out NW Division, there’s a new sheriff in town…..
- Derek from CalgaryDarryl said the most qualified coach will be hired. He’s basically saying Brent is a better coach than him and he ranks himself personally in the top 4. Not a bad compliment and also… A correct statement.
New world coaches like Bylsma, and Babcock have a fresh take on the game, and that is partially what the Flames need. Brent is that guy… Don’t confuse him by his last name… He could have coached in the NHL a decade ago, but honed his craft for years before making the jump. He’s won it all at every level, and he’s hungry. The other half of the coaching requirement needed by this team is a respected leader with a voice. A voice that is encouraging and strong. Most importantly he has the ability to run a room like only a former Stanley Cup winner and NHL captain can. If Keenan told Dion to shut it and get to work he’d lose the room… Brent on the other hand is exactly what this room needs. The only thing we need now is for Bettman to be fired, and Messier as commish.
Two other things…. He got inside the mind of Lamourello who is a best in class GM, AND he played with pappa Nystrom. OoOoO are the next 5 years ever gonna be dandy.
Or as Ed Whalen would say…. Wingadingdongdandy.
Congratulations, Calgary. Your coaching staff surpasses that city with a team north of us.
- microserfBrent hired his older bro (ex-flame coach) Brian to coach in Red Deer when he went to NJ. That was a terrible experiment, and resulted in Brian “quitting”. Most believe that Brent asked him to leave. So it has happened in the past in a similar situation.
The Sutters are intense and committed to success. They put family just behind hockey, so I am confident that Darryl will put the Flame’s success ahead of his brother’s feelings.
Brent is a hard@ss on defense, so the D will likely be better. But expect a very boring style of hockey.
The Rebels (when they were winning) and the World Junior’s teams had exceptional talent and ran Brent’s system to a T. Not sure the Flames have the talent to run it. Darryl may have some challenges getting the players that Brent requires for success.
I personally prefer Quinn Renney with the Oilers at least there may be a bit of the wild west left.
- head from the red deerJust sat and listened to the press conference and interview with Brent Sutter on the way home.
I am totally convinced now that this was a very “shady” transaction that has transpired. If it smells bad and if it looks bad IT IS BAD!! For him to state that he had no discussion with Darryl about the position until Calgary got permission from New Jersey was complete B.S.
I used to be such a huge backer of the Sutter’s until this just transpired. Now I have lost total respect for two of them. Controversy is starting to look good on you Flames Organization…
Very very Shady…
- DanJust so all of you know, the last time a Sutter actually won a playoff round, NHL or WHL, was 2004. If that is good enough for you, then have at ‘er. Brent Sutter’s playoff record the past two years was exactly the same as Mike Keenan’s. His Rebels have not won a playoff round since 2004, have not made the playoffs for the past 2 years, he didn’t coach, but he drafted those players. As far as Darryl is concerned , he should of been held accountable for the hiring of Mike Keenan, and been fired. Everyone knew that the game had passed Keenan by, except Sutter.
- jamiePhaeneuf getting the same pay as Nik Lidstrom, PLEASE. Having to play short handed at the end of last year because of cap, he should have lost his job. I don’t think you would see Ken Holland make a goof like that. Bring in Jim Nill, Detroit’s assistant, and get rid of the Sutterite colony. I hope I will be proven to be wrong, but I have no faith in Brent’s coaching ability or Darryl’s managing ability. Their records speak for themselves the past 5 years.
I really don’t see what all the fuss is about for the negative people commenting here and especially the guys who called into the show this afternoon. Although I know both sides are great for the media…..
It was asked just before the staff went off air tonight with a caller who was mad: that if you were a GM and Brent became available - would you consider hiring him? The caller got quiet and most people would have to say ‘Yes’. So he is a good coach.
I really think some people need to get a grip….lots of people freaked out when Keenan was hired and it didn’t work out - but did anyone really know whether it would or wouldn’t? Seems like any trade, acquisition, or coach hire just brings out a bunch of nay-sayers to complain and complain and complain. Granted, it is fun to complain once in awhile…especially when you end up being right!
But no matter what happens, all the nay-sayers will come out again to rejoice success or to throw Ken, Darryl, Brent and the rest of the new guys under the bus in failure. I just wonder if all the beat-downs of Brent now will admit they were wrong if it does work out!
And frankly, so what if Darryl was given ‘a pass’ to hire Brent? ….maybe it was a concession to Darryl for Jim not being ‘renewed’ as a coach - forcing Jim to either go to Abbotsford or seek another team. We were told that Jim stayed here during the ‘Keenan era’ to keep his family stable but had no option this time to stay with the Flames, if he wanted to coach. I don’t see anything wrong with loyalty in a business. Darryl even said on air that hiring Mike and not keeping Jim as a head coach was not his decision.
Give and take happens in any business…yours or in professional sports. There are hundreds of family owned/operated businesses in this city alone…and if you know you can trust your family, you would have them working for you too. So I don’t understand this whole ‘nepotism’ thing.
At your business, if your brother was looking for a job and some other randoms also applied for the job…you would likely hire your brother if he was qualified, trustworthy, etc and in this case, Brent must be.
And it’s great that he gets to be closer to home….wouldn’t you want to be? Why do some people think hockey coaches (or players) aren’t allowed the same things you would want? It’s just hockey and if you don’t like the decisions, then don’t pay for the tickets/merch/pay-per-views starting now.
Let’s just see how it plays out. I am excited to see what happens!
Ramblings from a female listener and Flames fan…I also like the Oilers, just not as much.
- HinaHi Rob,
I don’t really have a problem with the hiring of Brent Sutter. I think Darryl realized that, if this doesn’t work, this will probably be the last coach he’ll hire as GM of the Flames, and that Brent was one of the best choices for the job.
One thing no one seems have brought up is the potential conflict of interest for Brent. With Brent owning the Rebels and the Flames owning the Hitmen will he be placing someone else in charge of the Rebels. Everyone kind of assumes that one reason he came home was to be closer to his hockey team, so it doesn’t seem likely he’d change jobs, move back here and then not be the boss of his own team as well as coach of the Flames.
Just wondering…
- LyleYo, Derek from Calgary, take your lips off Darryl’s rear for a second. (the kissing noise probably hinders your mental comprehension)
Sutter integrity??..Sutter intergrity!!??,..ssssure they have integrity.. in your world I guess Iginla could stop playing for the Flames and decide he wants to play with the Oilers because of family connection and everything would be ok… we wouldn’t be mad at all would we?… Don’t hand us that crap…I just hope our team was smart enough to cover all the tracks in case Sweet Lou decides the Flames did tamper and takes action.
Darryl has done a decent job, sometimes despite his tinkering.. I just worry the shelf life of a hard-ass coach/GM might have expired with this bunch.
To give him all the credit for the market resurgence is an insult to the other staff who bust their hump to make the team as good a product as they can for Calgary.
Hard ass coaching works best with young guns, not 30 year olds with lots of miles and bruises from the years. As for Phaneuf… well let’s see…
Flames forever
- MickMick
I am very confused by the piling on Darryl Sutter this summer. What are the true expectations of this franchise and it’s fans? The cup and nothing else? I remember how painful it was to be a fan and season ticket holder in the 90’s … and the “turmoil” we have now is a joke … 5 straight yrs of PLAYOFF hockey w/a competitve team!!
Raise your hand if you remember Val Bure as your leading scorer and go to guy!! When is the last time our minor league system been so deep w/true potential and our draft picks have actually become inpact players in the organization?
Brent was an excellent choice for coach, with maybe only Dave Tippett being any real competition for the defense-first type of coach we need to improve this team.
I deem Darryl Sutter to having the second biggest positive impact (on the hockey operations) behind Cliff Fletcher and I don’t see any valid arguements otherwise.
- Greg