THN.com/podcast. Darryl Sutter [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTk3NjQyMDg1MDQ4Nzg4MjY5/usatsi_20452547.jpg] Darryl Sutter History tends to repeat itself. As was the case at the end of his first go-around with the club back in 2010, the Calgary Flames are once again parting ways with Darryl Sutter. The team announced the news on Monday after a disappointing 2022-23 season that saw a talented Flames team miss the playoffs despite lofty expectations. Hired midway through the 2021 campaign, Sutter spent parts of three seasons as coach of the Flames during his latest stint, finishing with a 103-64-29 record in 196 regular-season games while also helping the club earn a playoff series victory versus the Dallas Stars in 2021-22. As a result of that success, Sutter earned the Jack Adams Award for the NHL's most outstanding coach. One year later, he's on his way out. It's a testament to how quickly things can change in hockey and how Sutter's gruff disposition can sour among players. After a torrid off-season that featured the acquisitions of Jonathan Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weegar and Nazem Kadri, the Flames began the 2022-23 campaign with a thud. They suffered from subpar goaltending from Jacob Markstrom as well as a complete lack of production from their new crop of stars to plunge them into a hole from which they never emerged. As the losses continued to pile up throughout the season, whispers began to seep out of Calgary regarding the players' frustration with Sutter. Huberdeau's agent even took to Twitter [https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/huberdeaus-agent-calls-out-flames-negativity-after-latest-loss/] to post a cryptic quote about negativity sucking the joy out of players that pointed in Sutter's direction. After Sutter mocked the performance of 21-year-old prospect Jakob Pelletier in his NHL debut, those whispers quickly turned into yells, with the discontent in the Flames' locker room becoming a marquee story that followed the club wherever they went. Despite a valiant push towards the end of the season, the Flames were eliminated from playoff contention in April. They sent a roster that many had picked as a possible Stanley Cup contender home earlier than anyone expected. Shortly after the regular season came to a close, the Flames and GM Brad Treliving parted ways, while TSN's Darren Dreger [https://twitter.com/sekeresandprice/status/1651405805663428609?s=20] reported that some Flames players, even those still under contract, were willing to simply not return to the team next season if Sutter remained behind the bench. Well, now he's gone. And the Flames can hopefully begin their efforts to rebound from a season that went poorer than anyone could have possibly anticipated.
