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To Darryl Sutter's ears, the questions were sounding all the same.

How many Sutters does it take to run an NHL franchise? Haven't you blatantly exceeded the league's cap on Sutters? Can you actually work with your brother, your other brother and your other brother, not to mention your son, Brett?

Finally, the Calgary Flames marquee Sutter interjected: "I'm the [general manager] Brent Sutter is the head coach and this is the coaching staff and they were the best people available. It didn't matter what their names are."

The Flames presented Brent Sutter as their head coach yesterday, thereby raising numerous questions about having too many people with the same name in the same building. Then, the team named Sutter's staff, which set off another round of queries and noted concerns.

Joining Brent Sutter are former AHL head coach Ryan McGill, former Calgary Hitmen major-junior coach Dave Lowry and former pro scout and player development assistant Jamie McLennan. Altogether, the three men have zero coaching experience in the NHL.

So is this the group that will do for the Flames what Mike Keenan and Jim Playfair couldn't - namely give them the leadership, structure and a keen sense of detail the players sorely need?

Of that, Team Sutter has little doubt.





"We wanted them as a group," Darryl Sutter said of his coaches. "Age wasn't a factor. They're all very current and they're very progressive."

"I played for Darryl," added Brent, who was a Chicago Blackhawks centre when Darryl Sutter was an assistant coach under Keenan. "It's such a non-issue with us. We've been in the business long enough to know how it works. It's no different now with him being the GM and me being the head coach. … I know myself and the staff wouldn't want to be in any other environment."

Not surprisingly, there were a few questions as to how Brent, who had a year remaining on his contract with the New Jersey Devils, was allowed to walk away then sign a new deal with the Flames.

He spoke at length about his relationship with Devils GM Lou Lamoriello, who understood his longing to be back West and allowed him to resume his NHL coaching career without New Jersey receiving any form of compensation.

Sutter's resignation from the Devils was announced on June 9. Darryl Sutter said he called Lamoriello and was given permission to talk to his brother on June 12.

Brent Sutter insisted he was surprised when he called and made him an offer.

"I was under the assumption maybe the GM was going to be the coach," he said of the Flames' situation. "Things certainly can change."

According to both the GM and coach, things are going to change when it comes to how the Flames play in 2009-10. Last season, the NHL team was sometimes bad, often brilliant. The chief consistency was a soft defensive game that ultimately led to Keenan's ousting.

Brent Sutter ran a squeaky tight ship with the Devils, but also allowed his players to go up-tempo offensively. He will bring that same structured approach to Calgary, he said.

"You can still flourish offensively, but the players have to be responsible defensively. [I have]very high standards of accountability," he said. "You have to have a wolf pack mentality."

Sutter guided New Jersey to a 97-56-11 regular-season record over two seasons, but his team was knocked out of the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs both times. He explained that his arrangement with Lamoriello called for a review of things after each year of his contract.

Bothered by being so removed from his family, Sutter ultimately decided he needed to be closer to his home base of Red Deer, Alta., where he owns the WHL's Rebels.

"[Lamoriello]knew this past season, as the year was wearing on, [that] certainly things were wearing on me," Sutter said. "Lou was phenomenal. He's father-like to me."

Sutter, in turn, will be father-like to his inexperienced assistant coaches.

McGill, who played 151 games in his NHL career, is the most seasoned having coached with the Flames' AHL affiliate the past four years.

Lowry, who finished his playing career with the Flames, guided the Hitmen to the WHL championship series and had been tagged to coach Canada's under-18 team. He was asked to give up that role when he joined the Flames.

McLennan also played for the Flames, although he was mainly known for being goalie Miikka Kiprusoff's backup.

The hiring of Brent Sutter, McGill, Lowry and McLennan means the Flames will have no holdovers from last year's staff.

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