The Calgary Flames have hired Bill Peters as the team’s head coach.
The Flames introduced Peters at a news conference on Monday at Scotiabank Saddledome. The 53-year-old from Three Hills Harrison Phillips Jersey Bills , Alberta, resigned as head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday after four seasons and a year remaining on his contract.
The Flames fired Glen Gulutzan and assistants Dave Cameron and Paul Gerrard last week after missing the playoffs with a 37-35-10 record.
In his NHL head coaching debut, Peters went 137-138-53 with the Hurricanes but wasn’t able to get the team into the playoffs.
Carolina was looking for a new general manager as Ron Francis was reassigned within the organization, so Peters’ tenure there would have eventually been subject to the new GM’s approval.
Peters is Calgary general manager Brad Treliving’s second head coaching hire after Gulutzan, and the fourth coach of the Flames in nine years after Gulutzan (2016-17) Bob Hartley (2012-16) and Brent Sutter (2009-12).
”I think it’s a very good team and I think it’s a team that’s set up to win and play the modern game,” Peters said.
”What I talk about the modern game, when you watch the playoffs, you need defense up in the rush, you need offense from your defense. We’re going to be able to do that with what we have.
”The majority of the core is still in their prime and still has room to grow and a higher ceiling to be reached. There’s lots to work with and that’s exciting.”
Calgary has finished outside the playoffs seven of the past nine years.
Peters was the head coach and Treliving one of the general managers of the Canadian team that won gold at the 2016 men’s world hockey championship in Russia.
Treliving had asked the Hurricanes for permission to speak to Peters last week about coming to Calgary. The GM said he didn’t talk to any other candidates.
”This is an individual I’m familiar with Marshall Newhouse Jersey Bills ,” Treliving said. ”I was focused on Bill. It’s based upon seeing and living it live with him over albeit a short period of time.
”He’s prepared. I think he’s a student of the modern game. I think he’s relationship driven with players. He’s honest and direct.”
Peters is coaching Canada again at the world championship May 4-20 in Copenhagen, Denmark.
After leading the Spokane Chiefs to Western Hockey League and Memorial Cup championships in 2008, Peters spent three seasons coaching the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs and then joined the Detroit Red Wings coaching staff.
He was an assistant for Mike Babcock in Detroit for three seasons before heading to Raleigh, N.C.
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After snapping the longest losing streak of his career in his previous start, Marcus Stroman went straight back to struggling.
Todd Frazier hit a two-run homer, Brandon Nimmo reached base three times and the New York Mets beat Marcus Stroman and the Toronto Blue Jays 6-3 on Wednesday night.
Stroman (1-6) lost six straight decisions before beating Detroit last Friday but couldn’t build on that performance. He allowed six runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings, raising his ERA from 6.02 to 6.50.
”I just didn’t have a feel for anything from pitch one,” Stroman said.
Frazier gave the Mets the lead with a drive to center field off the right-hander in a five-run fifth.
Now in his fifth season, Stroman was expected to be a steadying presence in Toronto’s rotation. Instead Martavis Bryant Color Rush Jersey , he has dealt with a sore shoulder that sidelined him for more than a month, and been hit hard when healthy enough to pitch.
Mets manager Mickey Callaway, a former pitcher and pitching coach, said location is at the root of Stroman’s rough stretch.
”Everything is just up a little bit from what I’ve seen in the past,” Callaway said. ”I think, from a pitching coach’s perspective, for him to have his good sinker and his good slider, he’s got to make sure he gets the ball down. That’s kind of how he lived in the past and what his success was all about, getting guys to chase below the zone.”
Former teammate Jose Bautista flied out in his first two at-bats against Stroman but delivered an RBI single in the fifth.
”His stuff was moving Authentic Logan Woodside Jersey , he just wasn’t locating as well as I’ve seen him do in the past from the outfield,” Bautista said.
Stroman, from Long Island, had never faced the Mets before.
Seth Lugo (3-3) pitched three innings of relief for the win. Jeurys Familia closed for his 16th save in 20 opportunities.
Wilmer Flores had two hits and Kevin Plawecki scored twice for the Mets, who had lost 11 of 13.
Toronto’s Kendrys Morales hit a solo home run in the second but the Mets answered on Nimmo’s RBI single in the third. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. restored Toronto’s lead with a two-out RBI single in the fourth before Stroman unraveled in the fifth.
Flores led off with a single and scored on Frazier’s 10th home run. Bautista and Asdrubal Cabrera chased Stroman with consecutive RBI singles, and Michael Conforto capped the outburst with a run-scoring single off reliever Luis Santos.
Making his second major league career start, New York right-hander Corey Oswalt allowed two runs and five hits in four innings.
”That’s a good leap forward for him,” Callaway said. ”He looked a lot better.”
LOOK OUT BELOW
Mets relievers Tyler Bashlor, Jerry Blevins and Robert Gsellman Darius Leonard Jersey Colts , and outfielder Kevin Kaczmarksi, ascended Toronto’s CN Tower earlier in the day for the Edge Walk attraction, which lets visitors circle the exterior of the observation deck. The tower’s official Twitter account posted a photo of the quartet.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mets: RHP Noah Syndergaard (right index finger) will make a rehab start for Class A Brooklyn on Sunday. … C Devin Mesoraco passed concussion tests again but was not in the starting lineup. Mesoraco was hit in the head in back-to-back innings Tuesday, once by a ball and once by a bat. … RHP Zack Wheeler will get an extra day of rest before his next start. Wheeler will be pushed back to Monday, when the Mets play a doubleheader against Philadelphia.
Blue Jays: An MRI on RHP Marco Estrada revealed a mild strain in his left gluteal muscle. Estrada left Tuesday’s start after just 12 pitches. It was not yet known whether he’ll be placed on the disabled list. … RHP Preston Guilmet was designated for assignment and LHP Tim Mayza was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo. Toronto selected Santos and RHP Rhiner Cruz from Triple-A. … RHP Seunghwan Oh was available after missing Tuesday’s game because of flu-like symptoms.
UP NEXT
Mets: RHP Jacob deGrom (5-4) pitches Friday night at home against Tampa Bay. The right-hander leads the majors with a 1.84 ERA but has lost four of his past five starts despite not allowing more than three earned runs in any of them. Tampa Bay is expected to open with right-handed reliever Ryne Stanek (1-2, 1.98).
Blue Jays: RHP Sam Gaviglio (2-2, 3.97) goes Friday night in the opener of a three-game series against the Yankees. Gaviglio is 0-2 with a 4.78 ERA in six outings since winning his first start for Toronto. RHP Sonny Gray (5-6, 5.44) starts for New York.
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