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With a year remaining on his contract as head coach Mitch Haniger Seattle Mariners Jersey , Gulutzan was fired along with assistant Dave Cameron and Paul Jerrard less than two years after they were hired.
A poor home record, a wretched power play and a late-season dive contributed to Calgary finishing out of the playoffs with a 37-35-10 record.
”Accountability lies with all of us,” Flames general manager Brad Treliving said at a hastily-called news conference at Scotiabank Saddledome.
”As a manager I lead that charge. Our hockey staff leads that charge and also our players. When you make a decision (like) I made today, there is lots of blame to go around.”
Gulutzan coached Calgary to the playoffs in his first season, but the Flames were eliminated in four straight games by the Anaheim Ducks in 2017.
The additions of veteran goaltender Mike Smith and defenseman Travis Hamonic were considered to be the pieces of the puzzle that would get the Flames deeper into the playoffs.
Riding a seven-game win streak and sitting second in the Pacific Division in January, the Flames lost six in a row coming out of their bye week and continued to struggle coming down the stretch.
The team held down the Western Conference’s final wild-card spot Feb. 25, but managed just two victories in its final 11 games of the regular season.
Smith’s performance dropped late in the season after missing a month with a lower-body injury.
Top-line center Sean Monahan played through multiple injuries that required surgeries when he was shut down for the season March 21.
”We relied too much on too few,” Treliving said. ”Certainly the lack of depth, or the lack of contributions by many Nate Solder Color Rush Jersey , was a big part of the problem we had.”
A 17-20-4 record at the Saddledome and a power play that ranked 29th in the league at 16 percent were a factor in Calgary missing the playoffs.
Gulutzan, 46, was Treliving’s first head-coaching hire.
Treliving extended the contract of Gulutzan’s predecessor, Bob Hartley, in December 2014, but fired him 17 months later and brought Gulutzan on board.
Hartley had a reputation for being hard on players, while Gulutzan was considered more approachable.
”Personality didn’t have a whole lot to do with this decision,” Treliving said. ”I don’t necessarily think our group is a difficult group to coach. There’s challenges with every group.
”By no means is today’s decision letting anyone off the hook. Ultimately you have success when your players perform well. I felt in order to get us to that level, we had to make this decision.”
So the Flames will hire their fourth head coach in nine years after Gulutzan (2016-17) Hartley (2012-16) and Brent Sutter (2009-12). Calgary has finished outside the playoffs seven of the past nine years.
”You can’t churn (coaches) http://www.seahawksauthorizedshops.com/authentic-dontae-johnson-jersey ,” Treliving said. ”Having said that, you can’t not make a decision for the same reason. Ultimately it’s my responsibility to get it right. I really try to avoid emotional decisions.
”This is not a step back from the season and a need to throw a body on the tarmac.”
Assistant coach Martin Gelinas, goaltending coach Jordan Singalet and video coach Jamie Pringle remain with the team.
”There won’t be any other further coaching moves at this stage,” Treliving said.
Gulutzan has a 146-125-23 NHL coaching record that also includes two seasons with the Dallas Stars (2011-2013).
Recently unemployed NHL coaches include Alain Vigneault, Dan Bylsma, Dave Tippett and former Flames coach Darryl Sutter.
”I think having experience in this league is critical,” Treliving said.
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More NHL hockey: Tony Finau injured his left ankle celebrating a hole-in-one during the Par-3 Tournament at the Masters and then seemingly popped it back into place.
Finau flew the back of the seventh green on the Par-3 course at Augusta National and spun it back into the hole for an ace. He started running toward the hole to celebrate, then turned and backpedaled before landing awkwardly on his left ankle. He dropped to one knee and ended up pushing the joint back into place.
Finau, ranked No. 34 in the world Armani Watts Color Rush Jersey , ended up withdrawing from the event but stuck around for the final two holes. He gingerly walked to a golf cart and was driven off the course.
Tom Watson won the exhibition at 6 under, one shot better than Tommy Fleetwood and Thomas Pieters.
Jack Nicklaus’ grandson, who was caddying for the six-time Masters winner, made a hole-in-one at No. 9.
PRO FOOTBALL
OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) – Robert Griffin III is poised to resume his NFL career about 35 miles from where it started.
The former Washington Redskins quarterback agreed on a one-year contract with the Baltimore Ravens, who love the idea of having the 2011 Heisman Trophy winner backing up 10-year starter Joe Flacco. Griffin’s previous stop in an injury-riddled career came in 2016 with the Cleveland Browns. He started five games, winning one.
BOSTON (AP) – A social media message to New England Patriots receiver Julian Edelman led police to a teenager who posted a threat about shooting up his school.
The New York Times reported Edelman received a message from a concerned Instagram follower late last month who told him about the threat to ”shoot up” a school in the comments section of his account.
Edelman notified his assistant, Shannen Moen, who called police and they tracked down a 14-year-old boy in Michigan who admitted to posting the threat about his middle school.
Police officials say the boy was charged with making a false report of a threat of terrorism.
Edelman called the man who tipped him off ”the real hero” and says he plans to send him a gift.
DENVER (AP) – Broncos linebacker Von Miller is potentially in hot water after a social media post in which he posed with a bloody hammerhead shark that was caught on a fishing expedition.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has received the images and video from the trip and is ”looking into whether or not a violation occurred in this incident http://www.seahawksauthorizedshops.com/authentic-will-dissly-jersey ,” said Carol Lyn Parrish, the commission’s public information coordinator. No further details were available.
There’s video of the group trying to put the shark back in the water. The harvesting of hammerhead sharks is a second-degree misdemeanor in Florida. It’s punishable by up to a $500 fine and 60 days in jail, as determined by a judge.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – The Eagles and tight end Richard Rodgers agreed on a one-year contract.
Rodgers has spent all four of his NFL seasons in Green Bay. He had 12 catches for 160 yards and one touchdown in 2017. They were career lows in each category.
BASEBALL
DENVER (AP) – NL batting champion Charlie Blackmon made a long-term commitment to the Colorado Rockies rather than test next season’s free-agent market, agreeing to a contract that guarantees $108 million over six seasons.
The two-time All-Star center fielder had agreed in January to a $14 million, one-year deal. His new agreement calls for a $2 million signing bonus payable within 30 days of the deal’s approval by the commissioner’s office, a $12 million salary this year and $21 million in each of the next three seasons. Blackmon has player options of $21 million for 2022 and $10 million for 2023, and his 2023 salary can escalate up to $5 million based on plate appearances in 2022.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
MIAMI (AP) – Miami Hurricanes freshman guard Lonnie Walker IV says he’ll turn pro this year, a move anticipated even before his college career began. Walker announced Twitter that he’ll hire an agent, which will prevent him from returning to the Hurricanes http://www.jetsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-clive-walford-jersey , and plans to enter the NBA draft. Many projections list him as a lottery pick.
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) – Malik Newman plans to leave Kansas and enter the NBA draft after leading the Jayhawks to the Final Four in his only season playing for them. The sophomore guard said he plans to sign with an agent.
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) – Duke freshman Trevon Duval is entering the NBA draft. Duval announced his decision through the school, and team spokesman Mike DeGeorge said the point guard plans to hire an agent.
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) – Auburn guard Mustapha Heron said he will enter the NBA draft and plans to hire an agent. The sophomore led the Tigers in scoring each of the past two seasons.
BOSTON (AP) – Boston College guards Jerome Robinson and Ky Bowman will enter the NBA draft but won’t sign with an agent in case they decide to return to school. The players would maintain their eligibility if they are not happy with where they are drafted.
GREENVILLE, N.C. (AP) – East Carolina hired Joe Dooley of Florida Gulf Coast as men’s basketball coach. The school said Dooley agreed to a five-year contract to begin his second stint as the Pirates‘ head coach. He went 57-52 in four seasons from 1995-99 before he was replaced by Bill Herrion.
TENNIS
Novak Djokovic is done working with Andre Agassi and Radek Stepanek after the latest in a series of coaching changes for the 12-time major champion who has gone nearly two full years without winning a Grand Slam title.
Djokovic announced on his website that he has split from Agassi after less than a year and from Stepane.
