The Calgary Flames officially named Glen Gulutzan their new head coach in a news conference Friday.
"It became very clear, meeting with Glen early, that this was a perfect match," Flames general manager Brad Treliving said.
Gulutzan spent the last three years as an assistant with the Vancouver Canucks, after two seasons as the head coach of the Dallas Stars.
The 44-year-old was the head coach and GM of the ECHL's Las Vegas Wranglers from 2003 to 2009. The Wranglers were the Flames' affiliate.
"What a whirlwind," Gulutuzan said. "It's a honor. This is where I started to cut my teeth in the NHL when I was in Las Vegas."
Treliving believes his new head coach's greatest strength is his ability to connect to players.
"The players trust Glen. That is a huge factor," Treliving said.
Gulutzan plans to alter the way the Flames play compared to their approach under former head coach Bob Hartley.
"There will definitely be a little bit of a style change in how we play ... it will be an exciting, connected team you see." - Glen Gulutzan
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) June 17, 2016
Gulutzan revealed the grueling nature - literally - of the interview process.
Gulutzan: "I climbed the Grouse Grind with Craig Conroy because they wanted to test me. And six-straight hours in interviews." #Flames
— Ben Kuzma (@benkuzma) June 17, 2016
The new head coach knows he's inheriting a youthful club that includes the likes of Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan, Sam Bennett, and Dougie Hamilton.
"(There's) a really good young base, that's what I see here," Gulutzan said.
Calgary had the sixth-youngest team in the NHL last season, according to NHLNumbers.
The Flames fired Hartley last month after missing the playoffs in a campaign that came one year after he was given the Jack Adams Award as the NHL's top head coach.
