The second round of the NHL playoffs is in full swing but all the interesting news is about the teams not currently playing. Unless you want to talk about suspensions. Which I really really don’t…
Like, Bob ‘Artley fired by Flame
Not going to lie, this one was a bit of a shocker:
The #Flames have announced that they have relieved Bob Hartley of his coaching duties ~ https://t.co/2Y5XkFvRt4 pic.twitter.com/FN5N9LwJzZ
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) May 3, 2016
I’m not really sure how one can go from Coach of the Year to fired in less than 365 days, but Bob Hartley has managed to do it. Flames GM Brad Treliving offered a damning assessment of Hartley during his press conference:
"Bob has taken this team as far as I think he can take it." – Brad Treliving #Flames pic.twitter.com/Wr6frr4ZeJ
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 3, 2016
I’m not going to analyze this too much because I really don’t pay close enough attention to coaching systems. But my simplified view of hockey has me wondering if Bob Hartley should be the main target here. It’s pretty obvious that the Flames have a major issue with not getting scored on and the two athletes tasked with preventing goals didn’t really work out well this season.
Is it on Hartley to stock the roster with competent goalies?
I didn’t think so.
Not to mention the fact that the Flames (for the most part) are still a young team that overachieved in 2014-15. They were destined to regress and will now have yet another weapon to add to their arsenal thanks to the 6th overall pick in the upcoming draft.
I just don’t get it. Then again, there are dozens of analysts out there applauding this move so it’s best to listen to them anyways.
Travis Green
I'm not as convinced that prerequisite is absolutely essential in CGY, that Flames may, and I say may, be more open to 1st time NHL HC.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) May 3, 2016
There is no doubt that Travis Green, who coaches the Vancouver Canucks’ minor league team in Utica, is viewed as one of the more promising coaching prospects right now. I would be shocked if he doesn’t at least get an interview.
Unless the Flames have another candidate in mind that helped expedite their decision on Hartley…
Are they going after Bruce Boudreau? Because they probably should:
Treliving keeps mentioning Flames' poor special teams under Hartley. Boudreau had No. 1 special teams. Hmmm…
— luke fox (@lukefoxjukebox) May 3, 2016
Or will they give Travis Green his shot? There is no doubt that he has earned that opportunity, and it looks like he’s going to get it somewhere other than the Canucks organization.
Playoff Suspensions…
…Are stupid and aggravating.
Washington Capitals defenseman Brooks Orpik has been suspended 3 games for his high hit on Olli Maatta. pic.twitter.com/aevcpIsZQ3
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 2, 2016
Mostly because of the posturing and comparisons that occur right after…
So Barry Trotz thinks the punishment was bigger for Orpik because the Penguins were the victims. Yikes.
— Josh Yohe (@JoshYohe_PGH) May 2, 2016
And then someone else does something bad and gets suspended:
Perhaps someone with a physics background can explain how "the force of the hit" causes Letang to leave his skates. pic.twitter.com/yR2XL5vsBk
— Neil Greenberg (@ngreenberg) May 3, 2016
And then the NHL confuses us more:
To be clear, NHL explanatory video said Letang made significant contact with head but not illegal check to the head. There's a difference.
— Shelly Anderson (@_ShellyAnderson) May 3, 2016
…That’s why I didn’t want to talk about it.