Calgary Flames fire coach Geoff Ward, hire Darryl Sutter

March 5 (UPI) — The Calgary Flames have fired head coach Geoff Ward after less than two seasons, the team announced, replacing him with Darryl Sutter.

The Flames announced the transactions after a 7-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They have an 11-11-2 record this season.

Ward posted a 35-26-5 record in 66 games during his tenure with Calgary. Ward was hired as the Flames’ full-time head coach last off-season. He first took over in an interim role in 2019-20 when former Flames coach Bill Peters resigned.

Sutter has 17 years of experience as a head coach. He coached the Chicago Blackhawks from 1992 through 1994. He also coached the San Jose Sharks from 1997 through 2002. Sutter coached the Flames from 2002 through 2005 and the Los Angeles Kings from 2011 through 2016.

He has 634 wins, 467 losses, 101 ties and 83 overtime/shootout losses. Sutter led the Kings to two Stanley Cup Finals titles. He also had an eight-year playing career with the Blackhawks from 1979 to 1987.

Sutter’s contract with the Flames is for three years. The Flames face the Edmonton Oilers at 10 p.m. EST Saturday in Edmonton, Alberta.