Calgary Flames Announce Head Coach Brent Sutter Will Not Be Returning

The Calgary Flames' offseason overhaul has begun, with the team announcing that head coach Brent Sutter will not return to the team next year. Assistant coach Dave Lowry also did not have his contract renewed by the Flames.

Sutter's contract was up, and the Flames say the decision not to bring Sutter back was a "mutual agreement" between the two sides as they did not agree on the direction of the team.

Brent Sutter was named as coach of the Flames before the 2009-10 season after he coached the New Jersey Devils for two years. In the three years that Sutter has coached the Flames, they have not made the playoffs once.

Sutter coached the Flames to 118 wins and 128 losses during his three-year term.

The coaching situation was just one of the questions revolving around the Flames and their future, and general manager Jay Feaster has said that more changes will be coming for the team.

There has been no word on who will replace Sutter as head coach, but Feaster said that Abbotsford Heat (the Flames' AHL affiliate) coach Troy Ward will be considered for the job.

Ward may be a perfect fit for the Flames if they choose to start bringing up more youth from their farm system next season. Ward has received praise for his ability to develop the youngsters down in Abbotsford, so it is no surprise that the Flames plan to explore that option.