"It wasn't just him": Lindholm says Sutter not to blame for Flames' struggles

Though many Calgary Flames fans — and even some players — have suggested the team’s struggles were largely due to Darryl Sutter, Elias Lindholm sees it differently.

In a recent interview with Swedish outlet HockeySverige.se, Lindholm admitted that Sutter was quite demanding as a coach, but thought that at least for a period of time, it was what the Flames needed. As for the team’s struggles last season, the 28-year-old believes that there were many, including himself, who deserve blame.

“Right when he came in, it was great,” Lindholm said in Swedish (translated with Google Translate). “We needed some change within the organization and on the coaching staff. Darryl is demanding and his leadership style takes lots of energy.”

“I don’t usually focus so much on the coach. Of course, it was sad to see that so many took it [that way]. Of course, you lose sometimes, but you do with anyone. He is gone now, but there were many who were the problem. Many players including myself were not so good. It wasn’t just him.”

Lindholm’s production was disappointing given what he is capable of. In 82 games this past season, he scored 22 goals and 64 points, a far cry from the 42 goals and 82 points he managed a season prior.

It wasn’t just Lindholm who struggled last season, as players like Jonathan Huberdeau, Nazem Kadri, Andrew Mangiapane, Blake Coleman, and Jacob Markstrom struggled to meet the expectations placed on them. As a result, the Flames finished the regular season with just 93 points and missed the playoffs in what many believed could have been a Stanley Cup-contending year.

While Sutter certainly deserves some blame for the team’s struggles, there was much more to it, as alluded to by Lindholm. He isn’t the first player to defend the 64-year-old, as Tyler Toffoli has been on record on multiple occasions saying Sutter is his favourite coach, while Milan Lucic also recently spoke highly of him. Though things didn’t work out, it is evident that at least some in the Flames locker room have plenty of respect for their former bench boss.

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