When Patrick Roy announced Thursday he was leaving the Colorado Avalanche as head coach and vice president of hockey operations, one of the names immediately linked to the vacancy behind the bench was Bob Hartley.
General manager Joe Sakic said the team will look outside the organization for a new coach, starting immediately.
Hartley, axed by the Calgary Flames in May, coached the Avalanche for five seasons, leading them to a Stanley Cup in 2001 in the prime of Sakic's era as Colorado captain. But success from more than a decade ago shouldn't be grounds for a reunion in the Mile High City.
Here are three reasons Hartley isn't a fit this time around:
His coaching style mirrors Roy's
Hartley is a fiery, results-driven coach aiming to get the most out of his players, sounds a bit like his predecessor, no?
While a drive to win isn't a flaw as a coach, Hartley's failure to adjust his near non-existent defensive zone structure in Calgary was his undoing.
Hartley and the Flames were the talk of the NHL in 2015 during a thrilling run to the playoffs that saw multiple third period comebacks, and frankly, quite a bit of luck, mirroring what Roy did with the Avalanche the year prior.
Colorado doesn't need another year of unsustainable success, it needs a leader to build a strong foundation for a supremely talented core to buy into.
Poor numbers
Hartley's tenure in Calgary doesn't have many supporting statistics to prove it was a success.
His overall record with the Flames from 2013-2016 was 134-135-25, but over four seasons, Calgary managed some dismal possession numbers:
| Statistic | Result | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| CF/60 | 51.61 | 27th |
| CA/60 | 59.6 | 27th |
| CF% | 46.41% | 27th |
Ironically enough, Roy's Avalanche were ranked 28th, 28th, and 29th, respectively, in the above categories.
While the analytics are among the league's worst, Calgary also had the worst penalty kill (75.5 percent) last season, ranked 20th in shots allowed per game (29), and finished dead last in goals allowed both overall (257) and per game (3.13).
Shoddy goaltending can't be pinned on Hartley, but Flames general manager Brad Treliving said it himself when he fired the 55-year-old; you need the puck to win in today's NHL.
(Stats courtesy: corsica)
Underwhelming exit in Calgary
Unable to build off a momentous season, Hartley's final campaign in Alberta came and went with a whimper.
The Flames finished 26th overall, despite having an above average offense, filled with budding superstars.
One playoff berth and a Jack Adams award was the peak for Hartley in Calgary.
"I just felt at this particular time ... Bob has taken this team as far as I feel he could take it," Treliving said of Hartley's firing in May.
Hartley's a veteran coach, and Colorado brass is in a tough spot to find a new coach only one month out of training camp, but in order to take the next step as a team, Sakic may want to search elsewhere.
