Calgary Flames head coach Darryl Sutter has long been known for his dry, yet witty sense of humor when it comes to dealing with the media. For the most part, media members have seemed to be quite amused by it, while fans throughout the hockey community absolutely love it. With that said, his players may not feel the same way.
Related: Flames’ Best Players to Come From the QMJHL
On a recent episode of Barnburner, a Flames Nation Podcast hosted by Dean “Boomer” Molberg, Ryan Pinder, and Rhett Warrener, well-known insider Frank Seravalli said that one particular comment of Sutter’s regarding Jonathan Huberdeau didn’t sit very well in the locker room.
Sutter Seemingly Dismissed Huberdeau’s Injury
For those who may have forgotten or simply never heard, Sutter was asked after a game against the Edmonton Oilers in late October why Huberdeau had to leave the bench prior to the end of the first period. While the reporter was likely expecting to hear about an equipment issue or perhaps a minor ailment, the Flames bench boss instead gave an answer that quickly spread across social media.
To most, this seemed quite funny, though few thought of how Huberdeau may feel about it. As it turns out, the real reason he left early was due to a foot injury, one which has now forced him to miss some time. According to Seravalli, the star forward, as well as his teammates, didn’t find Sutter’s post-game quip as entertaining as others did.
“The whole, ‘Jonathan Huberdeau, where was he?’, ‘He’s taking a ****.’ I can tell you for a fact, that did not go over well.” Seravalli said.
The highly credible insider also went on to state that while he understands it was likely Sutter was trying to make light of a situation and perhaps deflect from an injury, it wasn’t the right way to go about things.
“That’s not the way it should be,” Seravalli mentioned. “I know that it was said in jest and it was Darryl trying to be funny and whatever else to deflect attention. I don’t know if that helps anyone.”
Huberdeau’s Struggles Believed to Be Injury Related
Prior to sitting out his team’s past two games, Huberdeau had been playing through an injury, which explains his lackluster six points through 11 outings. Though it was believed he had been suffering from an upper-body ailment, it appears the area of concern is instead his foot.
Interestingly enough, it was Sutter who let the media know about Huberdeau’s foot injury, saying that he couldn’t fit it in his skate. That comment came just a week after his previous remark, and may have been intentional on his part. After all, if what Seravalli says is accurate, you’d have to imagine that Huberdeau wasn’t thrilled at the fact his bench boss completely dismissed his injury, as opposed to having his back.
Sutter Could Be Losing Flames Room
Given the Flames’ success last season, Sutter was a favorite amongst the fan base, who believed he was one of the biggest reasons for the team’s turnaround. That said, everyone was aware that he is a coach whose act can quickly grow old amongst his players due to his demanding structure. There have been several players in the past who have been on record saying they couldn’t stand him, and while that may not be the case with the Flames, it certainly appears he rubbed some in the locker room the wrong way with his now-viral press conference.
If the Flames were winning right now, there would likely be little to no chatter on this at all. However, this is a team who currently finds itself on a seven-game losing streak, which has resulted in some beginning to question whether or not Sutter has lost the room entirely. In my personal opinion, that isn’t the case just yet, though if he continues with these specific antics, it may soon happen. He is walking a bit of a fine line right now and will need to be careful moving forward.
