As the Flames tromp their sorry asses through the bucolic splendor of New Jersey this evening, I can't help but wonder why Brent Sutter will be watching the team from the opposition bench. Especially in light of this piece that appeared in the Calgary Herald today:
Brent Sutter sounds every bit the frustrated Alberta rancher lost in an urban jungle.
Homesick? You bet.
Thinking of walking away from his job as head coach of the New Jersey Devils to move back to his farm and family?
Also true.
"The hockey side, that part's been fun," the New Jersey Devils head coach says from his office on the west side of the Hudson River, across from the madness that is Manhattan.
"It's the other things. "It's hard to explain to anybody. My situation is somewhat different than a lot of other coaches in the NHL. I own a major junior team.
I own a ranch. I'm 2,800 miles from all that.
I have a family, and I'm 2,800 miles away from them."
Which begs the question - why, when the Darryl Sutter helmed Calgary Flames were looking for a coach, wasn't Brent Sutter here?
Let's provide some background. Brent Sutter is the owner, GM and former coach and President of the WHL's Red Deer Rebels. He's also the winning-est coach in the history of Canada's world Junior team (having never lost). He spent 7 years in the guts of the Western Hockey League, developing the kind of ass kickin', dirt chewin', farm boys that Darryl values so much. In fact, the two doubtlessly collaborated in choosing and then developing Dion Phaneuf into what he is today.
Brent was hired by the New Jersey Devils in the summer of '07. He coached them to a 46 win season in his first year and has guided the club to the top of the EC standings, despite lacking Martin Broduer for most of this season.
With all this in mind, some things strike me as unavoidably true:
1.) Brent Sutter is an excellent coach.
2.) Brent and Darryl Sutter share similar perspectives on hockey.
3.) Brent was available when the Flames were searching for a head coach (likely both before and after the failed Playfair experiment).
We also know that Darryl has no problems with surrounding himself with favorites and family. Duane Sutter was hired this past off-season as the Flames "Director of Player Personnel". So there's no cries of "Nepotism" to be avoided here. That ship has sailed.
I have no idea whether Brent could have done more or less with the Flames collection of players relative to Keenan the last two seasons. It's impossible to know, although given his success at every level, it's doubtful Sutter would have done worse. Either way, Im not openly condemning Keenan here or pining for an alternate universe where Brent was hired instead of Iron Mike. It's just that the fit is such a natural one, it makes me wonder why it never happened in the first place. Especially with Brent now openly considering resigning from the Devils and so he can return home.
