Photo: David Moll
The Calgary Flames have announced interim coaching appointments involving both the Flames and the Calgary Wranglers coaching staffs.
Due to family reasons, on Dec. 8, Flames assistant coach Brad Larsen was granted an indefinite leave of absence from his duties. Wranglers head coach Trent Cull will join the Flames as an assistant coach for the foreseeable future. Cull, who is in his second season as bench boss with the Wranglers, is a 15-year AHL veteran and was an assistant coach with the Vancouver Canucks in 2022-23.
“Our priority is to provide Brad and his family with continued support during this period when they need it most,” said Flames general manager Craig Conroy. “While Brad remains with his family, we have made these interim adjustments to our coaching staff to ensure our team and development program have the resources required to excel. Our organizational bench strength allows us to confidently make these moves without interruption to performance.”
Wranglers assistant coach Joe Cirella will assume the head coach position of the AHL club on an interim basis, joined by Martin Gelinas in an assistant’s capacity alongside Brett Sutter. Cirella has over 20 years of coaching experience between the OHL and AHL. The interim title with the Wranglers will be his first as head coach.
Gelinas has been a member of the Flames development staff for the past four years with experience as an assistant behind the Flames bench from 2012-2021.