Gulutzan doesn’t believe Vegas flu theory
Flames’ head coach was bench boss for city’s ECHL team
During Glen Gulutzan’s six-season stint in Sin City, the out-of-town team rarely seemed to lack oomph for the second half of a weekend doubleheader.
Gulutzan was behind the bench when the Las Vegas Wranglers joined the East Coast Hockey League, and opposing coaches wised up quick to the best way to keep their boys away from the bars, blackjack tables and other shenanigans along the Strip.
“We would usually play Friday-Saturday against the same team, and the carrot that got dangled was: ‘If you win Saturday night, we’ll stay over. But if you come into Vegas and you don’t play very well, then we’re just leaving Saturday right after the game,’” Gulutzan said. “So most teams would have their bags packed and bring them to the rink, yet the hotel rooms were on hold. If they won, they would get to go back and have a night in Vegas. And if not, they got on the bus and drove.
“So Saturday night became a lot tougher to win, because of the incentive.”
Now head coach of the Calgary Flames, Gulutzan is headed back to his old stomping grounds for Wednesday’s showdown against the Vegas Golden Knights.
The expansion Golden Knights have been the NHL’s surprise story, sizzling to the top of the Pacific Division standings.
Their 22-5-2 record on home ice at T-Mobile Arena has prompted a lot of chatter about the “Vegas flu,” with folks wondering whether hangovers might be hindering the opposition.
Gulutzan, who guided the Wranglers to five playoff berths, two division titles and one Kelly Cup final appearance between 200309, isn’t necessarily buying it.
He said any coach who can’t trust his players to behave themselves the night before a game would lose sleep in a lot of big-league cities. There’s a bit of fun to be found in Chicago, New York, Montreal, Nashville … the list goes on.
Gulutzan also insisted there is no ulterior motive behind the scheduling of the Flames’ first “moms trip” — 29 proud mamas, including his, will accompany the team on a two-game desert double that wraps with Thursday’s clash with the Arizona Coyotes.
Their special guests are free to have a few drinks.
Gulutzan isn’t worried about their sons getting tipsy.
“These guys are so disciplined,” he said. “I kind of chuckle, to be honest with you, when I see some teams trying to control it. My thought process is that if I have to control everything by putting up fences, then I’ve got the wrong people.”
With the Wranglers, he didn’t once assign a curfew.
“In the six years I was there, the question I was asked the most is, ‘How do you control the guys in Vegas?’” Gulutzan said.
“You know what? It was easy. I just brought in the right people, first of all. And if I happened to make a mistake, well, I was the chief cook and bottle-washer, so if you couldn’t handle Vegas, then I’d just move you out of Vegas.”