The Calgary Flames are in the midst of a six-game losing streak and are one of the league's worst possession teams for a third season in a row under coach Bob Hartley.
So, of course, the Flames on Wednesday announced a multiyear contract extension for Hartley.
The timing is humorous but also representative of Hartley's time in Calgary. A fluky, downright miraculous start to this season despite getting destroyed at 5-on-5 that had pundits talking about the heart and toughness of the Flames was followed with six regulation losses, a comeuppance that better represents the quality of this club.
The Flames have trailed after two periods 16 times this season—only Carolina (18) and Edmonton (17) have been down more often after 40 minutes—but have a league-high six victories in that situation. They have the third-best winning percentage in the league when trailing after two periods; it's up to you to decide if that's a repeatable skill based on grit and heart or a heavy dose of fortunate outcomes.
(Hint: It's the second one.)
This, on the heels of two subpar seasons, earned Hartley ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Dave Lozo
Why Extending Bob Hartley’s Contract Is a Bad Idea for the Calgary Flames
December 17th, 2014 by Dave Lozo Leave a reply »
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