Despite odd rollout, Flames show faith in Conroy’s vision with extension

SUNRISE, Fla. – With seven turnovers to go, no NHL team has turned a W into an L like an NHL team has. Calgary Flames there is this season.

News of Craig Conroy's new contract comes with similar two-year extensions for assistant general managers Brad Pascall and Dave Nonis, as well as Flames president of hockey Don Maloney, whose current popularity rivals that of snow removal.

The release comes with the dubious suggestion that all four contracts were signed before the start of the season.

The company's position is that with the season opener, there simply wasn't a good time for the team to bring attention to front office issues.

In the spirit of moving forward, let's just note that at this stage, in a period of endless turmoil, the most important thing is that they did everything right by giving Conroy the keys for another two years.

Now more than ever, it is important for the Flames to have a unified voice speaking on behalf of the club, delivering a consistent message as the team charts its path out of the basement.

Giving Conroy more time to continue the recovery he began two-plus years ago speaks to the commitment the organization knows is needed to make significant changes in today's NHL.

With patience and savvy in trading in the old for the new, Conroy in 2023 began filling cabinets with future columns that represent the hope that things will be better, perhaps one, two or three years after the new building opens in 2027.

And the encouraging news is that Conroy's message is predicated on the fact that he is keenly aware that the path forward is not a straight line, meaning you can bet the team will be heading towards a lost season if the losses continue to pile up.

“There are always turning points and different times where you have to adjust and make changes,” said Conroy, who joined the team in Florida after a week of fan frustration stemming from Maloney's anti-reconstruction interview.

“It's like in the game: if something isn't working and we can easily change it, we should change it. Like I always say, we're always looking to improve. And the draft will be one of the things we prioritize. It's been that way since I got here. It's very important for us to get to where we want to be.”

Yes, he'll add to the eight picks (including two first-rounders) he already has in the 2026 draft, and you can bet that many of them will come from replacing a veteran or two.

The moves will also open the door for several more youngsters they've already called up from the AHL this season, including Yan Kuznetsovwho sparked Saturday's comeback win over the Panthers with his first NHL goal on Friday.

You can debate how much of a rebuild is needed, but the reality is that Conroy has been changing the franchise through the draft since he was hired as general manager.

No, as Maloney made clear, owners are not interested in a cut-down, burn-down approach.

But the goal, Conroy has said from day one, is to get younger, and he's pushing for that with the help of a veteran core that maintains a healthy culture.

“We're trying to get somewhere, and it started two and a half years ago,” said Conroy, whose club missed its first two shots Friday against the Panthers but battled back to win its fourth goal in five games, 5-3.

“Obviously, everyone wants it to happen as quickly as possible. They always do, and I understand that. It's the world we live in, with phones and everything. We just have to keep building through the draft and trades. At some point you'll add free agents, but not right now.”

He points to Dustin Wolf, Matt Coronato and Kevin Bahl as players he's building around before turning his attention to the Wranglers.

“Look what Matvey (Gridin) is doing this year: leading the AHL rookie in scoring (eight goals, 20 points in 18 games) and just a few points behind the league scoring leader,” Conroy said of his 2024 first-rounder, acquired in the Elias Lindholm trade.

“(Hunter) Brzustevich is playing well (acquired in the same deal). You have a guy like Aidar (Suniev, the third-rounder acquired in the Tyler Toffoli trade), Stromer (William Stromgren, 14 points) is playing well, and Ian too.

“We have a lot of young guys and some of them are. So it's a little bit of a process and we have to go through it. But you're always open – there's not one linear plan. That's where it has to go.”

Of course, patience is running thin in Calgary, where the pursuit of the soft middle has become a way of life.

But if anyone can sell hope, it's Conroy, who has created an emotional balance among fans to do so.

This is the voice that players, fans and opposing GMs need to hear when communicating how he plans to proceed.

“We're not going to go into detail about what we're going to do, but please be a little patient while we get it all right,” said Conroy, who also confirmed a Sportsnet report from a few weeks earlier that Zane Parekh would be healthy enough to be loaned to Canada's world junior team.

“Hey, I understand where we are, the lowest point percentage in the league (before Friday's win) – I'm not lost in that, I understand. We have smart fans. They understand what's going on and they understand the business and how it works. I respect them and what they want. I get what they want to see young players and they're going to see them.”