Calgary Flames Coach Indefinitely Steps Away From the Team
Brad Larsen, a member of the Calgary Flames coaching staff indefinitely stepped away from the team for family reasons.
The Calgary Flames announced on Sunday morning that assistant coach Brad Larsen is taking an indefinite leave of absence from the team due to a "family matter".
Read their official statement here:
Larsen joined the Flames last summer as an assistant coach. He previously worked as the Columbus Blue Jackets assistant coach for seven seasons before being promoted to head coach for two seasons between 2021 and 2023.
Prior to his coaching career, Larsen took part in 294 NHL games for the Colorado Avalanche and the Atlanta Thrashers. The former forward scored 48 points, including 19 goals between 1997 and 2008.
The Flames are set to play against the Dallas Stars tonight in what promises to be an emotional performance from the players.
Whenever a member of the team steps away for family reasons, players often play with heart and want to win for their fallen colleague.
Calgary is currently 5th in the Pacific Division with a 13-9-5 record. Not only will the team play for Larsen, but it will also look to bounce back from their tough 4-3 overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues of last Thursday.
As for the Stars, they will try to stop their losing streak to two, after consecutive losses to the Los Angeles Kings and the Vegas Golden Knights.
Dallas has been struggling since they lost Tyler Seguin to an injury a week ago. The veteran is set to miss four to six months after getting surgery, possibly returning in time for the playoffs.
While we're excited to watch this game unfold, we'd like to send our thoughts to the Larsen family. No details were revealed about what happened, but whenever coaches step away from their teams, it's often serious.
Stay tuned to learn the latest details on this developing story.
