Los Angeles: After missing the NHL playoffs for the seventh time in nine seasons, the Calgary Flames fired coach Glen Gulutzan and assistant coaches Dave Cameron and Paul Jerrard on Tuesday.
The Flames finished 37-35 with 10 overtime losses for 84 points, 11th of 15 teams in the Western Conference and 11 points behind Colorado for a play-off berth.
“These are never easy decisions,” Flames general manager Brad Treliving said. “I came to this conclusion because I felt it needed to be done as we move forward.”
Gulutzan compiled a record of 82-68 with 14 overtime defeats in his two seasons behind the Calgary bench.
“Accountability lies with all of us. As a manager, I lead that charge,” Treliving said. “When you make a decision that I made today, there’s lots of blame to go around... there’s more than just the coach in terms of the failure we had this season.”
Treliving’s next step will be to evaluate available coaching options and make a candidates list.
“We’ll start on the coaching,” he said. “We’ll start that process today.”
Since losing to Tampa Bay in seven games in the 2004 Stanley Cup Final, the Flames have won only one playoff series, that coming against Vancouver in 2015, when they fell to Anaheim in the second round.
Since 2004, they have lost five times in the opening play-off round, being swept last year by Anaheim.
