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Calgary Flames: Ranking the top 5 coaches in team history

By Nathan Bannerman

LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 24: Head coach Bob Hartley of the Calgary Flames poses in the press room after winning the Jack Adams Award at the 2015 NHL Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on June 24, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 24: Head coach Bob Hartley of the Calgary Flames poses in the press room after winning the Jack Adams Award at the 2015 NHL Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on June 24, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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Calgary Flames, Terry Crisp
TORONTO, ON – JANUARY 13: Head coach Terry Crisp (right) and Assistant coach Dave King (left) of the Calgary Flames watch the play develop against the Toronto Maple Leafs during NHL game action January 13, 1990 at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Toronto defeated Calgary 6-5. (Photo by Graig Abel/Getty Images) /

No. 1: The lone coach to the lead the Flames to the promised land, Terry Crisp is the best coach in team history.

It’s pretty obvious who number one would be. Terry Crisp has earned this right leading the Flames to a Stanley Cup Championship in 1989.

He guided his championship squad to 54 wins (still a franchise record) in the regular season and took them on a 16-6 playoff run which ended with revenge against the Montreal Canadians.

The Flames were the only team to beat the Canadiens at the Montreal Forum to win the Stanley Cup. If you’d like to relive the memories, you can do so here:

Crisp had some pretty legendary players on his roster. Captain Lanny McDonald scored his final NHL goal in the infamous game six in Montreal, while Al MacInnis won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the postseason.

Forward Joe Mullen also won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy and the NHL Plus/Minus award. He also lead the team with 110 points. It was good enough for seventh in the NHL because, well, it was the 1980s and Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Steve Yzerman were taking the league by storm.

Mullen would still be near or at the top in points if he played today.

Crisp took over a pretty much Stanley Cup caliber squad. He acknowledged the foundation in an interview with the Calgary Sun’s Wes Gilbertson:

"“Badger Bob Johnson had been here before me and laid a solid, solid foundation with Cliff (Fletcher) and them. The mandate was to win a Stanley Cup. The owners had all the money they ever needed, but our fans wanted a Stanley Cup. Our goal was to do that and we were fortunate enough to do it“ -Terry Crisp"

After his coaching career ended, Crisp and his wife went down to Nashville and enjoyed 23 years with the Predators organization. Crisp worked as a TV analysis and just recently announced he’s retiring.

It’ll be hard to top being the coach to win a franchises first Stanley Cup, but Terry Crisp will probably be one of the top three coaches in Flames history for a long time.

dark. Next. Three best things about Flames historic 9-5 win over Oilers

Who are your top five coaches in Flames history? Let us know in the comments.

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