Calgary Flames hire Bob Hartley as team's new head coach -NHL Update
Calgary Flames made the move much sooner than expected as they announced the hiring of former Atlanta Thrashers and Colorado Avalanche head coach, Bob Hartley, as their new man in the same capacity on Thursday, May 31, 2012.
Being a coach that has been able to lead teams to a Stanley Cup championship in the past, Calgary Flames believe that he would be more than befitting to help their club to achieve their goals.
Calgary Flames general manager, Jay Feaster, was the one to make the announcement.
"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," Feaster said. "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."
One thing that Hartley is confident of is that a team does not have to end the season off at the top of the conference. Instead, they should focus on playing with motivation.
"One of the teams in the Stanley Cup finals, the L.A. Kings, just finished five points ahead of the Calgary Flames," Hartley said. "It's just to show you the difference between being a Stanley Cup winner and a non-playoff team is very, very slim.”
As soon as Brent Sutter was let go by the Calgary Flames earlier this year, it was reported that Bob Hartley would be topping the list of potential candidates due to his close relationship with Jay Feaster.
One thing that critics raise against Hartley is that he has not coached in the NHL for the past five seasons. Instead, he has been coaching the ZSC Lions of the Switzerland National League A, a team which grabbed the championship under his guidance.
Bob Hartley has won four straight divisional titles in his career along with winning a Stanley Cup back in 2001 with Colorado Avalanche. He just may be the man that can reignite the Flames, but fans will have to wait till next season to find out.
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