Flames Name New Head Coach
Thanks to "LeaderPost.com".
The Calgary Flames ended their search for a new Head Coach Thursday Afternoon, after announcing that they had hired Bob Hartley, as per TSN.
Hartley was rumored to be the favorite to become the new Montreal Canadiens Head Coach but he called newly appointed General Manager Marc Bergevin and told him that he would not be showing up for a second interview. While doing so, Jay Feaster, the Flames GM, arranged the release of the newly hired Hartley, along with new Assistant Coach Jacques Cloutier.
In 2011-12, Hartley coached the ZSC Lions in Zurich. There, he won the National A Championship.
“Bob Hartley is a winner. Bob has won at every level he has coached, from the QMJHL to the AHL to the NHL to Switzerland, and we are confident he is going to continue his winning ways in Calgary,” Flames GM Jay Feaster stated. “He is a tireless worker, an outstanding motivator, a great bench boss and game strategist; and a teacher at heart. Moreover, he is a great person as well.”
As per the “Globe and Mail“, Hartley had already made his decision earlier in the week that he would choose the Flames over the Canadiens. His mind was made up after a dinner meeting with Feaster.
“When I got up from that dinner my mind was made up,” Hartley stated.
Jay Feaster’s mind on who the new coach of the Flames would be, was also made up a week or so before the hiring.
“The opportunity to speak with Bob did have a deadline on it,” Feaster said. “We tried analyzing the candidates available and kept coming back to [Hartley] was the guy we wanted.
“That’s why I phoned Bob and said you have to get out here right away. We were up against the time frame and knew we weren’t the only ones chasing him.”
Hartley was more than happy when talking about the Flames in a press release, saying that he’s looking forward to joining the organization.
“First I would like to thank Jay Feaster and the Calgary Flames for having the confidence to provide me with the opportunity to coach again in the NHL,” Hartley stated. “It’s great to return to the League in a city, a community and an organization that has such an outstanding reputation and passion for hockey and success. I look forward to assuming my position and starting the preparation process for the 2012-13 season.”
Hartley’s last stint as a Head Coach in the NHL, ended in October of 2007, when he was fired by the Atlanta Thrashers after starting the season 0-6-0. Hartley does have a winning record though. In 651 games in the NHL as a coach, Hartley has a total record of 329-226-61-34, the 61 being the total amount of ties before the NHL brought in the shoot-out. He also has an impressive playoff resume, going 49-35 in 84 playoff games as a coach. That includes four straight trips to the Western Conference Finals while coaching the Colorado Avalanche from 1998-2003, a part of 5 seasons.
“As important as it was to get a coach who is experienced in the National Hockey League, we wanted a communicator, a coach who played that high-tempo style, a coach who’s a good bench boss,” Feaster said.
Flames majority owner, Murray Edwards, also had a few things to say about Hartley.
“I look at this list and you’re trying to hire Superman. As we looked at it, [Hartley] filled those criteria.
“I’m not going to say Superman, I’m not putting that tag on him, but he’s coached Patrick Roy, Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg and Ilya Kovalchuk in Atlanta. He’s coached a lot of high-profile players, that is a plus for us,” Murray stated.
Hartley also announced that his good friend Jacques Cloutier will be joining alongside him on the bench in Calgary, as per “CalgaryFlames.com“.
“Jacques will be following me,” said. “He will be joining the Flames coaching staff.”
Cloutier has coached with Hartley in Colorado, Switzerland, and the American Hockey League, and now he will coach alongside him in Calgary where he hopes to help bring the Flames back to the playoffs.
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