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Glen Gulutzan took the fall for the Calgary Flames‘ shortcomings this season with his dismissal Tuesday.
With a year remaining on his contract as head coach Tremaine Edmunds Jersey , Gulutzan was fired along with assistant Dave Cameron and Paul Jerrard less than two years after they were hired.

A poor home record, a wretched power play and a late-season dive contributed to Calgary finishing out of the playoffs with a 37-35-10 record.
”Accountability lies with all of us,” Flames general manager Brad Treliving said at a hastily-called news conference at Scotiabank Saddledome.

”As a manager I lead that charge. Our hockey staff leads that charge and also our players. When you make a decision (like) I made today, there is lots of blame to go around.”

Gulutzan coached Calgary to the playoffs in his first season, but the Flames were eliminated in four straight games by the Anaheim Ducks in 2017.

The additions of veteran goaltender Mike Smith and defenseman Travis Hamonic were considered to be the pieces of the puzzle that would get the Flames deeper into the playoffs.

Riding a seven-game win streak and sitting second in the Pacific Division in January, the Flames lost six in a row coming out of their bye week and continued to struggle coming down the stretch.

The team held down the Western Conference’s final wild-card spot Feb. 25, but managed just two victories in its final 11 games of the regular season.

Smith’s performance dropped late in the season after missing a month with a lower-body injury.

Top-line center Sean Monahan played through multiple injuries that required surgeries when he was shut down for the season March 21.

”We relied too much on too few,” Treliving said. ”Certainly the lack of depth, or the lack of contributions by many, was a big part of the problem we had.”

A 17-20-4 record at the Saddledome and a power play that ranked 29th in the league at 16 percent were a factor in Calgary missing the playoffs.

Gulutzan Jimmy Garoppolo Jersey Limited , 46, was Treliving’s first head-coaching hire.

Treliving extended the contract of Gulutzan’s predecessor, Bob Hartley, in December 2014, but fired him 17 months later and brought Gulutzan on board.

Hartley had a reputation for being hard on players, while Gulutzan was considered more approachable.

”Personality didn’t have a whole lot to do with this decision,” Treliving said. ”I don’t necessarily think our group is a difficult group to coach. There’s challenges with every group.

”By no means is today’s decision letting anyone off the hook. Ultimately you have success when your players perform well. I felt in order to get us to that level, we had to make this decision.”

So the Flames will hire their fourth head coach in nine years after Gulutzan (2016-17) Hartley (2012-16) and Brent Sutter (2009-12). Calgary has finished outside the playoffs seven of the past nine years.

”You can’t churn (coaches),” Treliving said. ”Having said that, you can’t not make a decision for the same reason. Ultimately it’s my responsibility to get it right. I really try to avoid emotional decisions.

”This is not a step back from the season and a need to throw a body on the tarmac.”

Assistant coach Martin Gelinas Adidas Evander Kane Jersey , goaltending coach Jordan Singalet and video coach Jamie Pringle remain with the team.

”There won’t be any other further coaching moves at this stage,” Treliving said.

Gulutzan has a 146-125-23 NHL coaching record that also includes two seasons with the Dallas Stars (2011-2013).

Recently unemployed NHL coaches include Alain Vigneault, Dan Bylsma, Dave Tippett and former Flames coach Darryl Sutter.

”I think having experience in this league is critical,” Treliving said.

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More NHL hockey: Johnny Manziel spent much of the first day of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ training camp as an observer.

The 2012 Heisman Trophy winner watched a lot of the session Sunday, a day after signing with the Canadian Football league club. Manziel threw while working with the five other quarterbacks and did short tosses to receivers, but knelt off to the side or stood with quarterbacks coach Dan Morrison during 1-on-1 pass drills and 7-on-7 sessions at Ron Joyce Stadium.

”That’s because he doesn’t know the terminology, he doesn’t know anything,” Tiger-Cats coach June Jones said. ”Dan was walking through each route as it was called. But (on Monday) guess what? We’re going to walk in and start taking a couple.”

Manziel has plenty to learn about Canadian football. Standing on the field for the first time only served to further drive that point home.

”Spacing is a little bit different on the defensive side if I had to look at anything,” Manziel said. ”On offense Brian Urlacher Bears Jersey , I’ve never ran this many routes that are predicated off of one defender … every route has an opportunity to break three or four different ways, which is different.

”But I think it gives you the versatility and offensive weapons to be able to attack coverages more intensely than it would just running a fixed route. I know it’s going to take some time but now I see it more-so and my expectations are tempered.”

Hamilton’s other quarterbacks include starter Jeremiah Masoli, CFL veterans Vernon Adams Jr., and Bryant Moniz along with youngsters Dane Evans and Chris Merchant of the Vanier Cup-champion Western Mustangs.

Jones said the Ticats aren’t waiting for Johnny Football to become familiar with their offensive terminology and schemes.

”He’s got to catch up because we’ve got guys in there and he will,” Jones said. ”We have plenty of time in camp. I’d say in 2 1/2 weeks he’ll have a handle on everything.”

The 25-year-old former Texas A&M star was selected in the first round – No. 22 overall – by the Cleveland Browns in the 2014 NFL draft. He was released in March 2016 after posting a 2-6 record over two tumultuous campaigns.

Manziel actively pursued an NFL contract this offseason, throwing during pro days at both Texas A&M and the University of San Diego, and participating in The Spring League – a development circuit for players overlooked by the NFL.

He has dealt with several off-field issues. In 2016, a domestic assault charge against Manziel in Dallas was dismissed after he took an anger management course and participated in the NFL’s substance-abuse program. In a recent interview, he said he’s been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and has stopped drinking.

The CFL approved the signing, saying that in December it began the process to determine if Manziel could join the league. Manziel had to meet certain conditions Roquan Smith Jersey Youth , including an assessment by an independent expert on domestic violence, a review by legal counsel and a discussion with Commissioner Randy Ambrosie.

”I’ve been very upfront with my past and the fact that I haven’t been perfect by any means,” Manziel said. ”Obviously, the magnitude of my mistakes in the past are something I’m definitely not proud of but at the end of the day I feel like I’ve come a long way from that person that I was at that time.

”I feel I’ve grown a lot and feel through the mistakes I’ve made they’ve turned me into a better person, they’ve turned me into a man. I’ll never be able to outrun my past . . . the only thing I can do is grow and hopefully be a better person moving forward and I have every intention of doing that.”

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