Patrick Williamstheahl.com writer
Between serving as interim head coach Brett SutterThe “retirement” is hardly a quiet person.
Sutter, who ended his 17-season career last July, announced his retirement after taking over as captain of the Calgary Wranglers for two seasons and joined the team's coaching staff immediately. Experienced hands Trent Cull As head coach and long-term NHL defenseman Joe Cirella As another assistant coach, Sutter can step in his new role with plenty of knowledge around.
And, with the Wranglers playing nine straight games and eventually setting a 19-5-1-0 record in December, the program unfolds even better than anyone who would have ever wanted to have.
But this is AHL, flexibility is a must, and adjusting capabilities is crucial. On December 22, Flame announced the assistant coach Brad Larson On indefinite vacation. So they brought Cull to the NHL club to fill Larsen, appointing Cirella as interim head coach for AHL club, and added Martin Gelinas Join Sutter as an assistant.
The Wrangler kept moving forward, earning honors to send coaches to lead the Pacific Division and filling its No. 1 mat in the All-Star Classic. But on January 31, the team announced that Cirella had undergone a routine ophthalmology surgery and he would not be able to compete in the All-Star Game in Coachella Valley.
So, in his coaching career, Sutter ranked fourth in AHL history and fourth in his 1,090 games, captained 10 of his 17 seasons, and he was the captain of 10 of his 17 seasons, and he was in AHL history Ranked fourth, he took over the Wrangler's re-rope for two weeks.
He thought: “It's kind of like being a player, the next person's mindset. I'm lucky to have learned a lot from these guys from the beginning of this year and I'm trying to pick it up as quickly as possible.”
The coaching is still new, especially as the intensity of the season starts to take over halfway through, but Sutter is trying to take the same approach he uses as a player. And, playing games is part of the famous Sartre family identity, and so is the coach. Brett's Father Darryl Win two Stanley Cups, serving as head coach of the Los Angeles Kings and his uncle Brent,,,,, Brian and Du'an Everyone also serves as NHL head coaches.
Sutter coached the Wranglers four games during his brief tenure — and ran the All-Stars at the Pacific Division, before Cirella resumed her post this weekend. Calgary has a lead of just two points for the rest of the division, with Colorado, Ontario, Coachella Valley, San Jose and Abbotsford all chasing them up close. From last night's overtime loss to domination, 18 of the Wranglers' last 25 games were against these teams.
Still, there is some time besides hockey. Wrangler announced a new limited edition Legacy #7 clothing line with Sutter and Plyr Athletics, which includes buttoned hats, hooded sweatshirts and long-sleeved crew shirts. Ten percent of all items will go to children in Calgary, a group that helps provide food to children in need. Over the years, the Calgary Flame Foundation has donated more than $380,000 to the cause.
In their third season in Calgary, the Wranglers are working to further consolidate their sports family. The clothing range will enable Sutter and Future Wranglers to support their personal reasons. Like Sutter's #7 jersey number, other players will be able to use their numbers as part of their clothing line.
Meanwhile, Sutter's work continued when he started learning the coaching business. In this industry, even 10 and 20 years of veterans are constantly learning and trying to adopt new technologies. Today’s game is about reaching players on a personal level, something he has to do as a captain.
“Everyone has a different button,” Sartre said. “Everyone learns a different way.”
However, figuring out how to press these buttons is a process.
“It requires work, right?” Sartre said. “You have to buy every day and spend a long time making sure you do everything for the team. It was a great experience.
“Just get better every day…that’s the goal, it’s no different from the players in this regard.”
During the fifty years of the American Hockey League, Theahl.com writer Patrick Williams currently covers the NHL.com and Flosports leagues and is a regular contributor to Siriusxm NHL New Network Radio. He won the AHL’s James H. Ellery Memorial Award for his outstanding league coverage in 2016.
