Rumor: Calgary Flames have reportedly picked their next head coach.

The Flames may have made their choice.

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 3 years ago
Rumor: Calgary Flames have reportedly picked their next head coach.
Larry McDougal/Zuma

The Calgary Flames are coming off another disappointing playoff exit and it has been intimated, quite heavily in fact, that we can expect to see that organization make significant changes in the upcoming offseason. 

Among the many changes looming for the Calgary Flames is a potential coaching change with current head coach Geoff Ward still carrying the interim tag. Ward was named the team's interim head coach only after a scandal involving former Flames head coach Bill Peters eventually cost Peters his job and, given the Flames relatively quick playoff exit, it would not have been a shock to see Flames general manager Brad Treliving look elsewhere during the offseason. It appears however that this will not be the case. 

On Saturday night Sportsnet National Hockey League insider Elliotte Friedman revealed that Ward was likely to remain as the team's head coach, but stopped just shy of confirming it stating that he had not heard official confirmation from the team just yet.

"Meanwhile in Calgary, there is no comment from the Flames, but word is beginning to seep out that it is trending towards Geoff Ward returning as the head coach of the team for next season," said Friedman on the Hockey Night in Canada broadcast. "I always say that nothing is done until it is done, but the word is, again with no comment from the team, that it seems to be trending in that direction."

It would appear then that the blame for the Flames early playoff exit will fall on the players, something that does makes sense given that they have had similar results in the past under different head coaches. This certainly will not appease Flames fans who were hoping to see more sweeping changes after the team's most recent struggles in the playoffs, but there's a good argument to be made that Ward deserves the shot. He did after all manage to lead a team into the playoffs after suddenly being thrust into first head coaching job of his NHL career and that is no small accomplishment, even if the Flames had expectations of making the playoffs this season.

Do you like the decision here by Treliving to stick with Ward? Should he have looked to make a change behind the bench as well? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Source: