The Calgary Flames have yet to announce the fate of interim head coach Geoff Ward. While we wait, let’s address something that has come up quite a bit on Twitter and in the comments: the Flames’ apparent unwillingness to shell out big bucks for an established NHL head coach.
First off, let’s address the team’s apparent unwillingness to spend. It’s primarily anecdotal; while coach salaries aren’t readily available – Cap Friendly has a nice summary but it’s spotty – but the general rule of thumb is that experienced head coaches with playoff success cost big coin.