Mike Keenan is Poised to Destroy the Calgary Flames

Can you say ‘train wreck?’

It looks as though Mike Keenan is attempting to impose his iron-fisted will on yet another organization. Last night, TSN reported that Keenan is on the verge of becoming the next coach of the Calgary Flames. It’s also worthy to note that current Flames GM, Darryl Sutter, was Keenan’s assistant coach when Keenan coached the Blackhawks.

What’s amazing about Keenan is that he has taken three different teams to the SC Finals on four occasions, and yet still manages to find controversy wherever he goes. Usually, his coaching tenure ends with a power struggle that he almost always finds a way to lose. The worst news for Flames fans; Keenan hasn’t taken a team to the playoffs since the 1995-96 season, when he was coaching the Blues.

For a good summary of all the controversy that has surrounded Keenan, check out his Wikipedia page.

“Keenan was unceremoniously dismissed from the Philadelphia Flyers a year after leading them to the 1987 Stanley Cup Finals. After taking the Chicago Blackhawks to the 1992 Stanley Cup Finals, Keenan was forced to focus solely on his GM duties when longtime Blackhawk player and assistant coach, Darryl Sutter, was being courted by other teams to be their head coach. Owner, “Dollar” Bill Wirtz did not want to lose Sutter, especially since Keenan had stated, in July, 1992, that he wished to focus solely on his duties as general manager after the 92-93 season. Keenan lost a power struggle with Senior V.P. Bob Pulford after the 1992-93 season, resigned his position, and was soon hired by the New York Rangers. Incidentally, Darryl Sutter resigned as head coach of the Blackhawks in 1996 after Jeremy Roenick made derogatory, and, well-publicized, comments on a local sports-radio show. Keenan managed to coach the Rangers to the Stanley Cup in his first and only year as head coach, but was unable to coexist long enough with general manager Neil Smith and resigned weeks later, citing a violation of his contract by the Rangers. Unremarkable stops as coach or general manager in St. Louis, Vancouver, Boston and Florida (twice) followed.

In September of 2006, Keenan again attracted headlines when he abruptly resigned as general manager of the Florida Panthers. It was speculated that Keenan had lost a power struggle with head coach and longtime friend, Jacques Martin, over personnel decisions. Martin succeeded him as general manager upon his resignation.” _uacct = “UA-1868762-1”;
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