In Calgary, much has changed for the Flames. The real change everyone wants is a deeper run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. That remains to be seen.
Flames center Nazem Kadri wins a face-off during first period action – Photo by Jack Lima
The Flames parted ways with Brad Treliving as general manager, and their head coach Darryl Sutter after the disappointing finish to the 2022-23 campaign.
In their places are Craig Conroy, as general manager, and coach, Ryan Huska. as the new head coach.
“Do I think we were a playoff team last year? One hundred percent,” Conroy said. “I was shocked we didn’t make it and it’s unacceptable, and that starts with us. I do think with the guys we have here we can make the playoffs, and anything can happen when you get in.”
Last season the Flames flirted with a playoff position, but fell two points shy to the Winnipeg Jets for the final spot in the second wild card in the Western Conference.
Calgary believes a new head coach will make a difference in the coming season.
“When I was looking around to see who would be the best fit, it really became clear Ryan was the guy,” Conroy said. “I feel like he’s the one. He’s put his time in, he’s done everything he could, and the only thing he hasn’t gotten is a chance to be an NHL head coach, and now he is.”
The only path to a successful season this year is the ability of several players to forget last season.
Chief among them is Jonathan Huberdeau who iced his first year in Calgary after signing an eight-year, $84 million contract. He posted 15 goals and 55 points on the season. That just will not cut it at $10+ million a year.
Flames forward Andrew Mangiapane (88) skates through the crease as Matt Beening (5) defends in front of goalie Kaapo Kahkonen – Photo by Jack Lima
That trade that brought Huberdeau to the Flames from the Florida Panthers also mixed MacKenzie Weegar into the roster in Calgary.
“As a player, you know when you have a good season and a bad season, and you’re not going to blame it on anybody,” Conroy said. “You know it, and you want to prove them wrong the next year. If you look over the last five years, he’s one of the top five players in the NHL, and we need to get him back there.”
What must grind on the Flames’ gears is that Matthew Tkachuk was sent to Florida in the trade, and he really do much other than lead the Panthers to the Stanley Cup Final in an improbable but nearly successful run at the Cup.
The other under performing player on the Flames roster was Nazem Kadri. For $7 million a year for seven ears, his first campaign in Calgary was lackluster.
Last season, Kadri posted 24 goals and 56 points, and was a -19.
“There’s a ton of excitement,” Kadri told the Flames website. “It’s a reenergizing feeling anytime you make any sort of coaching or management change. But when you look at what Craig (Conroy) has built, we’ve got a coaching staff that is going to have us playing a different way, and in my opinion, more to our style.”
There needs to be ton and then some coming from Kadri himself to make a difference for the Flames this season.
This is a make or break season for Conroy and the Flames. They have seven skaters in their final year of contracts, with free agency just months away now.
Mikael Backlund, Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin, Chris Tanev, Nikita Zadorov, and Dillon Dube all on that list.
Who wants to stay, go, or come to Calgary?
“I kind of know where those guys are at, but that was as assistant general manager, and this will be different conversations,” Conroy said. “I want to get where they’re at. Obviously, we can’t go into a season with seven UFAs. We have to make sure we’re doing what’s right for the Calgary Flames.”
The prospect train to the Flames begins with goalie Dustin Wolf who is expected to make the Flames’ roster this season after icing for them in just one game, a win. The balance of his year was spent with the Wranglers of the AHL, across town from the big club.
“I think when you’re talking about Dustin, his professionalism, his athleticism, his commitment to work, his commitment to understanding the game and his ability to track pucks and focus, he’s elite in a lot of those areas,” Flames director of player development Ray Edwards said on NHL.com. “So, when you watch him play live you see a lot of those little things up close, and it brings home to a lot of people how elite he is in those areas.”
The only other prospect slated to ice for the Flames this season is forward Jakob Pelletier.
Pelletier, 22, played in 24 games for the Flames last season and collected three goals and seven points.
“Initially, he’s going to have to prove that he can check and can play without the puck and not be a liability without the puck and be able to play against top players,” Edwards said. “I don’t think there is any question that we project him to be a top-nine forward that hopefully can produce for us. Whether he plays on the power play, that will be up to him, but he definitely has the offensive instincts and offensive ability to put up numbers for us.”
Forward Connor Zary has been slated for arriving on the Flames bench next season. He iced in 72 games for the Wranglers last campaign and had 21 goals and 58 points for the effort.
“I think we all know that he’s offensively gifted and has the sense and skill,” Edwards said. “Now it’s about being harder on the puck and finding ways to get to the inside at even strength and 5-on-5 especially, to be able to produce in those situations.”
The Flames do not appear to be in a rush to pressure any of their prospects to make up too quickly, but if anyone falters ahead of him, Zary could find his way to the Flames faster than expected.
Huska has a tall order in front of him to get the Flames back to the post season. It’s an effort complicated by the trading away of Tyler Toffoli to the New Jersey Devils for Yegor Sharangovich and a draft pick. Toffoli was the Flames’ leading goal scorer last season, and his departure rang some alarm bells when it was announced in June. 
Everyone else in the Pacific Division has improved to one degree or another. The Flames are left hoping for better production from $17 million a year in two players.
It may be another short season for the Flames in 2024.
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