Early into the 2022-23 season, there were whispers that some players in the Calgary Flames dressing room were unhappy with how things were being run by head coach Darryl Sutter. As the year progressed, those whispers grew louder to the point that even Sutter’s biggest supporters couldn’t deny the fact that something was wrong with the team’s culture.

Since the season has concluded, even more stories have surfaced regarding rifts between a number of players and Sutter. That was made painfully obvious during exit interviews, where a number of them seemed rather uncomfortable when asked about their relationships with their head coach.

Despite the players’ discontentment, however, the expectation is that Sutter will be back behind the bench for the 2023-24 season, as ownership does not want to pay him the $8 million he is owed just to watch from home. That said, they may not have a choice, as according to a recent report from TSN’s Darren Dreger, there are some players in the locker room that will not return if a change isn’t made.