Flames Have Hart: Hire Craig Hartsburg as Associate Coach

The Calgary Flames were busy today.

Not only were they playing their annual alumni golf tournament but they also made some hires in Craig Hartsburg and Jamie Pringle.

Hartsburg was hired as the team's new Associate Coach and comes in with a wealth of experience having Head Coaching exerience in Anaheim, Ottawa and Chicago, while assisting in Minnesota and Philly twice. He also was the head coach of the Canada's world junior team in 07' and 08' -- winning gold both times. Additionally, he was Brent Sutter's assistant in 2006 for Canada, winning gold as well.

Last season he was the GM and Head Coach of the Everett Silvertips of the WHL.

He has loads of experience and Sutter is extremely familiar with him. Hartsburg said in an interview on the radio today that he won't be just a "Yes Man" and if he disagrees with what Sutter is saying, he will let him know and not just stand idly by.

Never a bad thing to have a couple of sollid opinions. Hopefully discussion doesn't result in infighting.

The Flames now have a wealth of experienced junior level coaches in Sutter (Red Deer), Lowry (Hitmen), and Hartsburg.

Maybe now they won't be so reluctant to bring up the young prospects and give them a chance to play. In the past, under Darryl Sutter, the team has been very reluctant to bring anyone younger than 35 years of age up to play on this team.  Ok, maybe not that old, but they have been reluctant to move prospects along and I hope this means the younger guys get a fighting chance.

Jamie Pringle is the new Senior Video analyst for the Flames. This guy is aspiring to be the best video analyst in the game, which bodes well for the Flames. He has no asipirations, or so we've heard, of doing anything else, which should mean he will be solely focused on helping the players extract an edge of their opponents.

This seems like a good hire and will probably be a welcome change from Rob Cookson, who was with the team for the last decade.

Two spots still remain vacant with the Flames -- goaltending coach and assistant GM. The AGM most likely won't be hired until after the draft, while the goaltending coach could come any day now.

Sutter made the hires -- something he has always wanted. This is his team, and this will be THE year to put his stamp on the team.

Is it September yet? Have the Canucks lost yet?

Newman

JERSEY FOULS!

 twitter.com/TSRNewman
thesportsroundup@gmail.com
Agree? Disagree? We want to hear from you! Click below to comment