Flames move on from Darryl Sutter: Coach's style said to have a "shelf life"

On Monday, the Calgary Flames announced that they had fired head coach Darryl Sutter. The decision did not come as a surprise to many in the hockey world, as Sutter's time in Calgary has been rife with controversy and player unrest. While Sutter is known for his impressive coaching record and forechecking mentality, his management style left much to be desired.

"Darryl is a very sharp man. He's got a good hockey mind," said Donald Maloney, president of hockey operations. "In today's world, he's a firm coach, a hard coach, a demanding coach. There's a shelf life to that type of coaching."

One of the biggest reasons for Sutter's firing was his poor treatment of players. Many players on the Flames roster have expressed their discontent with Sutter's heavy-handed coaching style and the negative culture he has created within the team.

Sutter's tear-em-down, build-em-back-up approach has helped him become one of the best coaches of his era. But it had sucked the love of the game out of many players.

Sutter's disrespect for the media also played a role in his downfall. His petty responses and staged routines during media availabilities were designed to show his disdain for journalists who had been clamoring for certain players' debuts.

However, this behavior embarrassed young players who had done everything the organization had asked of them.

Sutter's actions caused many agents around the league to see his antics and be aware of the power struggle that was going on. This power struggle led to players like Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk leaving the team.

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Darryl Sutter's relationship with Jonathan Huberdeau

There has been a lot of speculation about Darryl Sutter's relationship with various team employees. Meanwhile, it's his relationship with some of the Flames' top players that is attention-worthy.

Forward Jonathan Huberdeau recently opened up about the news that Darryl Sutter had been let go. He revealed that he and the former head coach were never on the same page. According to Huberdeau, there were a number of factors that contributed to their lack of cohesion. This included a big difference in points between his last two seasons and a clash in playing styles.

Huberdeau said:

"It really didn't click between me and Darryl last year. There were a lot of factors. There was a big difference in points between my last two years. And the style of play he wanted to play, it didn't fit my style. Having a new coach is going to help my game and my confidence, too."

Huberdeau expressed disappointment in Darryl Sutter's behavior. He stated that it was unnecessary to speak negatively about a young player in the media and then tell them they played well in person.