((HT: Calgary Sun/Steve Macfarlane))Brent Sutter ((pictured with brother Darryl, thanks Sun Media)) will indeed be the next head coach of the Flames.
The announcement was made official late this afternoon, but it wasn't a very well-kept secret over the past few days.
Neither were the identities of his assistants, whose names have all been bandied about the last month.
Helping Sutter out this season will be former AHL affiliate head coach Ryan McGill, now ex-Calgary Hitmen head coach Dave Lowry, and former goalie Jamie McLennan, who will come down from his relatively undefined front-office job and take over full-time goaltending coach duties.
Sutter resigned June 9 before the final year on his three-year pact with the New Jersey Devils so he could be closer to his family just outside Red Deer, and the WHL Rebels he owns and operates.
Needing permission from Devils GM Lou Lamoriello to talk to his brother about filling the void left when Mike Keenan was fired late last month, Flames GM Darryl Sutter hammered out the final details of a contract over the weekend to bring Brent aboard, where he'll juggle the duties of an NHL head coach with his family life much closer to home.
"I know my family is happy about it," Brent said.
Permission was easy to come by, said Darryl.
"I called Lou and asked," he said simply of the June 12th conversation.
Lamoriello was understanding all the way through the process, according to Brent, who will be able to enjoy some of the perks of being close to home while also coaching in the NHL for a third season.
He says he won't be conflicted, and fully committed to the Flames.
"My full-time committment will be here," he said, adding he'd find a place in Calgary to reside during the season.
Darryl has no trepidation over his brother being under his employment, or the fact the assembled staff is so youthful on average.
"I coached them all," Darryl said.
"You can flip all their last names around and put the first names where you want. They're the very best people available."
