NHL Rumors: Craig Conroy to Be Named Flames GM to Replace Brad Treliving
May 21, 2023
CALGARY, ALBERTA - NOVEMBER 30: Assistant coach Craig Conroy of the Calgary Flames watches against the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Saddledome on November 30, 2019 in Calgary, Canada. (Photo by Gerry Thomas/NHLI via Getty Images)
The Calgary Flames appear to have a replacement for former general manager Brad Treliving lined up.
According to Darren Dreger of TSN, Craig Conroy will be named the team's general manager this week.
Rumors have continued to link Conroy to the GM vacancy:
Hearing #Flames are in final stages of their GM search. Announcement next week? Believe 4 external candidates visited YYC in last week for in-person interviews, including Dave Nonis, Stan Bowman and Marc Bergevin.
If we were handicapping, odds-on favorite would be Craig Conroy.
Conroy, 51, spent parts of nine seasons with the team during his playing career, accumulating 97 goals and 211 assists during two different stints in Calgary. Since 2011 he's worked in the organization's front office as a special assistant to the general manager (2011-14) and as Treliving's assistant general manager (2014-present).
He would be filling a vacancy that the team wasn't necessarily expected to have this offseason.
"Today is not a good day for me," Flames president of hockey operations and interim general manager Don Maloney told reporters in April after the team and Treliving mutually parted ways. "It's not. ... Brad Treliving is a good friend, and I think a very good hockey man. He left us, for his reasons. But we move on."
"I thought for sure that he would re-sign," he added.
In Treliving's nine seasons, the Flames reached the playoffs five times, though they didn't qualify this past campaign.
As for Conroy, Flames' legend Jerome Iginla is hoping to see him land the gig, calling him a "really good candidate" in late April.
"I hope Calgary chooses him," he added, per The Athletic's Julian McKenzie. "I've always talked with (Conroy), we still keep in touch and talk hockey. We've always talked about working together. But I think he's put in so much time. I know what he does behind the scenes. I know how passionate he is and I think he'd be great for it."
Darryl Sutter Fired as Flames Head Coach After 3 Seasons with Team
May 1, 2023
CALGARY, CANADA - APRIL 12: Head coach Darryl Sutter of the Calgary Flames speaks to the media after a 3-1 win over the San Jose Sharks at the Scotiabank Saddledome on April 12, 2023, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Leah Hennel/Getty Images)
Darryl Sutter is out as head coach of the Calgary Flames.
The Flames announced Monday that they have fired Sutter after three seasons with the team. His two-year contract extension was slated to begin in July, according to Frank Servalli of Daily Faceoff.
"On behalf of ownership and all Calgary Flames fans, we want to thank Darryl for his cumulative years of service to the Calgary Flames and to the community at large," CSEC President and CEO John Bean said in a statement.
Sutter was hired by the Flames in March 2021 after the franchise fired Geoff Ward. He previously served as head coach of the franchise from 2003-2006, leading Calgary to a Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2004.
In his most recent three-year stint with the franchise, Calgary went 103-63-28, reaching the postseason just once, which came during the 2021-22 campaign. After finishing with the best record in the Pacific Division, the team was eliminated in the second round by the Edmonton Oilers.
Following the 2021-22 season, Sutter won the Jack Adams Award as the best coach in the NHL and was awarded with a two-year extension from the Flames.
However, Calgary failed to meet expectations in 2022-23 after bringing in the likes of Jonathan Huberdeau, Nazem Kadri and Mackenzie Weegar to replace Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk.
The Flames failed to qualify for the postseason, finishing fifth in a difficult Pacific Division with a 38-27-17 record and 93 points.
Rumors about Sutter's status with the Flames arose after he failed to hold an end-of-season news conference, which is typical of coaches once teams are done for the year.
Those rumors continued after Sportsnet's Eric Francis reported Wednesday that "several key players made it abundantly clear in their exit interviews with [Don] Maloney and [Brad] Treliving that the environment in which they are working is untenable."
The Flames parted ways with Treliving, their general manager, in mid-April and hired Maloney as their new president of hockey operations.
The franchise will now undergo a search for a new head coach, and there are some interesting options available in this year's carousel, including Peter Laviolette, Brad Larsen and Dallas Eakins.
Brothers Nick, Brett Ritchie Swapped in Historic Flames-Coyotes Deadline Trade
Mar 3, 2023
CHICAGO, IL - FEBRUARY 10: Arizona Coyotes left wing Nick Ritchie (12) looks on during an NHL game against the Chicago Blackhawks on February 10, 2023 at United Center in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Ritchie brothers have been included in a trade between the Calgary Flames and Arizona Coyotes ahead of Friday's deadline.
The Flames are acquiring defenseman Troy Stecher and forward Nick Ritchie from the Coyotes in exchange for defenseman Connor Mackey and forward Brett Ritchie.
This is the first trade in the NHL’s trade database that involves brothers being traded for each other.
Nick Ritchie was selected 10th overall by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2014 draft. He spent four-and-a-half seasons with the franchise, tallying 43 goals and 66 assists, before being traded to the Boston Bruins during the 2019-20 season.
Following his season-and-a-half with the Bruins, Nick Ritchie joined the Toronto Maple Leafs and was traded to the Coyotes during the 2021-22 season. The depth forward has notched 80 goals and 101 assists in 465 games across eight seasons, failing to live up to his draft status.
The Dallas Stars selected Brett Ritchie in the second round of the 2011 draft. He spent the first five seasons of his career in Dallas, notching 33 goals and 21 assists in 241 games, before joining the Bruins, alongside his brother, for the 2019-20 season.
Brett Ritchie has spent the last three seasons of his career in Calgary. In 375 games across nine seasons, he has notched 48 goals and 32 assists. Like his brother, he is also considered a depth forward who can play in the bottom six.
Stecher, meanwhile, played for the Vancouver Canucks for the first four seasons of his career, tallying 11 goals and 64 assists in 286 games. He also played for the Detroit Red Wings and Los Angeles Kings before joining the Coyotes this season.
The 28-year-old has notched seven assists in 61 games with the Coyotes this year.
Mackey, 26, made his NHL debut with the Flames during the 2020-21 season. In 19 games across three seasons, he has tallied three goals and four assists.
This is primarily a depth move for both teams that allows players on both sides an opportunity to try to get going with a new franchise for the remainder of the season.
While the Coyotes are out of a playoff spot with a 21-31-9 record, seventh in the Central Division, the Flames are battling for a wild-card spot with a 27-22-13 record that leaves them five points away from the Winnipeg Jets for the last berth.
The recent trades of Bo Horvat to the
New York Islanders and Vladimir Tarasenko to the New York Rangers
indicate that business is picking up in the NHL trade...
Flames' Rasmus Andersson 'Doing Well' After Being Hit by Vehicle While Riding Scooter
Feb 9, 2023
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JANUARY 27: Rasmus Andersson #4 of the Calgary Flames skates against the Seattle Kraken during the third period at Climate Pledge Arena on January 27, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
The Calgary Flames announced defenseman Rasmus Andersson was hospitalized after he was hit by a vehicle while riding a scooter on Wednesday.
He is said to be "doing well" and considered day-to-day.
The team's announcement explained the incident happened when he was on his way to dinner in Detroit, where the team was preparing for Thursday's game against the Red Wings. He was released from the hospital following "a full battery of tests" and will remain with the team.
Andersson has played for the Flames his entire NHL career.
The 26-year-old has 34 points on 27 assists and seven goals in 51 games this season after posting impressive numbers across the board during the 2021-22 campaign, when he played all 82 games and posted 50 points on 46 assists and four goals to go with a plus-minus of plus-30.
Calgary is 24-17-10 on the season and tied with the Minnesota Wild in the race for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference with 58 points. It is also four points behind the Edmonton Oilers and four points ahead of the Nashville Predators in what figures to be a tight race.
The contest against the Red Wings is the team's third game of a five-game road trip that started in Seattle and ends in Ottawa.
Look for the Flames to rely more on defensemen such as Noah Hanifin, Michael Stone and Chris Tanev if Andersson is sidelined.
NHL Style Rankings: Rangers D-Man Steals the Show From Patrik Laine
Sara Civian
Nov 2, 2022
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 11: K'Andre Miller #79 and Jacob Trouba #8 of the New York Rangers walk the blue carpet prior to the home opener against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Madison Square Garden on October 11, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images)
If I had to describe the NHL fashion scene through the first month of the 2022-23 season in one cliche phrase, "good not great" comes to mind.
We've got Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine cornering the market on the bangers. Meanwhile, inaugural style rankings King David Pastrnak is nowhere to be found off the ice (on the ice is a completely different story).
So far, I'm left wanting a lot more innovation. But at the same time, it feels like the style of the whole league is trending up on average.
I guess I'll take it.
As a quick reminder, you can find the original NHL style rankings right here on Bleacher Report every other Wednesday. Now let's get into Round 2.
I have a well-documented love/hate relationship with hats—I love them when they actually complement an outfit, I hate them when they look like a prop. Jets forward Adam Lowry has a well-documented collection of hats. This has led to a hit-or-miss history with Lowry and the style rankings, but his 2022-23 debut is a hit.
Everything about this fit, including the hat, is seamless right down to the greyscale. And, honestly, if you're going to do a hat, your best bet is the hat/pinstripe combo.
As a bonus, Lowry paid homage to the Jets' Heritage Blues with a dash of red. Social media managers, please take note: We need more shoe pictures!
Somehow, this is not only Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson's season debut, but his first-ever appearance in the style rankings since their inception last season. But the notoriously stylish Swede has finally made it with this tweed number. This shade of blue looks great on him, and in all, it's a cohesive and trendy finish.
He also rolled up to the rink in that second look Tuesday and scored his first career hat trick. Look good, play good, things of that nature. What a start to the season for Karlsson!
The more I learn about Sabres forward Tage Thompson, the more I like the guy. The Sabres got to pick individual goal songs this year, and he went with a classic: "Fishin' In The Dark" by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Then he scored a hat trick at home and let the people listen to it three times.
He's got six goals and 12 points in nine games, and I don't know if it's correlation or causation, but his looks have been reflecting his play recently. He gets extra points for the tailoring considering he's 6'6".
Your favorite style icon's favorite style icon, Senators forward Mathieu Joseph, makes his season debut at No. 7.
Where do we even begin with this one? Joseph is simply crushing the double breast. And when you're going double-breast, you can get a little dramatic with the hat. Well done.
Loving the pattern range here with Panthers forward Patric Hörnqvist's first looks of the season--he's giving the people a little bit of everything. I also absolutely love the color scheme of the second look, between the shades of green and the brown shoes. Earthy tones for the win.
To be completely honest with you, he's been on my radar for a while—he's made the rankings a few times in the past! But as they say, it's a "what have you done for me lately?" league, and his tailoring was holding him back earlier this season.
I know tailoring is hard for the big boys, and Zadorov's 6'5" stature isn't doing him any favors in that aspect, but he's figured it out with his most recent looks, and it's fantastic. I'm sorry I ever doubted you!
Sometimes, I get legitimately sad thinking about all the outfits we've missed out on just because there aren't photos. That's not all on social teams—one time Mikhail Sergachev told me Andrei Vasilevskiy arrives at the rink too early for the paparazzi.
And contrary to our style rankings wants and needs, the priority here is playing hockey. I'll bet that's why we haven't seen Pastrnak's look in a while—the man is on a heater, and we have to let him cook.
Anyways, shout out to Twitter user @9kempe for showing us Maple Leafs forward William Nylander's look here, because otherwise, I would've totally missed it. Nylander's known around the league for his style, and I'm so glad we're getting a taste of it now.
I will always love Laine for taking his risks, especially when it feels like no one else is. I'm loving the outer-space theme he's been showcasing through the first month of the season, and here we have his latest installment of astronaut chic.
We all hold him to a high standard around here, so we need to remember there's absolutely no shame in not being No. 1 every single week. This look (and one of my favorite recurring suits of his in the second photo) keeps Laine in the top three.
Is there a new Bruins-style icon in town? No shade, no tea to Pastrnak, who just hasn't been in many photos for whatever reason. But goalie Linus Ullmark's looks have been as impressive as they've been consistent lately--and you get extra points for consistency.
If you're gonna do the three-piece suit thing, you might as well do it big. This has been Ullmark's M.O. through the first month of the season, and I am here for it.
The outrage was palpable when Rangers defenseman K'Andre Miller didn't make the first round of style rankings this season, and I loved the passion from Blueshirt nation. Frankly, Miller deserves the hype.
I didn't hate the two suits I saw from him ahead of the first rankings, but I didn't love them, either. Part of that is because I hold him to such a high standard. I felt validated when I saw him in this masterpiece on Oct. 20, and although I gave everyone else a fair look, I sort of knew he'd be debuting at No. 1.
At only 22-years-old, Miller's making a name for himself on and off the ice with his potential as part of this young Rangers core and his style that oozes New York City class. His looks are rarely the loudest in the room, but they don't have to be.
Take this look for example. I've seen a few iterations of this pink and red color scheme recently in the NHL, and they've looked nice, but the texture of the red suit and tie and the juxtaposition of the pink shirt take Miller to another level, here. Add the peace sign pose, the glasses and the matching phone case, and he doesn't need some wild pattern or hat.
He's just got it, and everyone knows it.
Dare I say Miller's subtle-yet-strong swagger is reminiscent of King Henrik Lundqvist himself?
Winners and Losers of Nazem Kadri Signing with the Calgary Flames
Aug 19, 2022
TAMPA, FLORIDA - JUNE 22: Nazem Kadri #91 of the Colorado Avalanche attends warm ups before playing in Game Four of the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena on June 22, 2022 in Tampa, Florida.
Not everyone in the NHL goes to the cottage in August.
Some–like
Nazem Kadri–spent their offseason sweating out where they would play next
season and beyond. Kadri got to kick his feet up and relax Thursday after he signed
a seven-year, $49 million contract with the Calgary Flames.
Kadri was supposed to wind up on Long Island, instead he’s
headed for the Canadian Rockies. More importantly for the Flames, they found a
way to complete a roster shakeup that was not planned for when they were
eliminated from the playoffs by their bitter rival Edmonton Oilers at the end
of May.
The salary cap-pushing Flames weren’t done there. They traded
Sean Monahan and a conditional 2025 first-round pick (with some wild
conditions) to the Montreal Canadiens for future considerations. Monahan,
headed into the final year of his contract, has a $6 million cap hit which is
plenty enough to help Calgary get under the upper limit.
Making the moves is one thing but making them work is
something else entirely. That’s why we’re going to give snap judgments and
decide who won and who lost out of all this.
Winner: Nazem Kadri
TAMPA, FLORIDA - JUNE 26: Nazem Kadri #91 of the Colorado Avalanche carries the Stanley Cup following the series winning victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game Six of the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Amalie Arena on June 26, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
A staggering choice for a winner, right?
Kadri went from being a playoff liability for whatever team
he played for to a key performer for the Colorado Avalanche in winning
the Stanley Cup. It also helps he is coming off an out-of-this-world career season
in which he had 87 points (his previous career-high was 61 in 2016-2017). It was the perfect storm of a season for a solid player heading into free agency
and he came away with the bag.
He locked up a long-term deal and a payout that will give him
the highest cap hit on the Flames this season (Huberdeau's eight-year, $84
million extension begins next season). Kadri will be 32 when the season begins, which means this deal will take him until he's nearly 39 years old and at the likely
end of his career. If Calgary can recreate some of the Avalanche’s high-octane
offense, it’ll lean into Kadri’s strengths and allow him the chance to recreate
the success he had last year.
Loser: Lou Lamoriello
MONTREAL, QUEBEC - JULY 08: General manager Lou Lamoriello of the New York Islanders is seen prior to Round Two of the 2022 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Bell Centre on July 08, 2022 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Kadri was supposed to be an Islander. The rumors and
speculation all pointed in that direction, and it didn’t happen. After all,
there was virtually no hints for nearly a month about what was going on with
Kadri and when there’s radio silence, that generally points toward Isles GM Lou
Lamoriello being involved.
Think back to last season when the only thing that pointed
toward Zach Parise and Zdeno Chara signing with the Islanders was a lot of
speculation. It wasn't until September that those signings were announced just ahead
of training camp. The logic made sense that Kadri would be headed to Long
Island because it followed a similar pattern.
Kadri is a big-name player available and would’ve addressed
a need. He also would’ve made Isles fans a bit happier about the team which
hasn’t announced a player move since they traded their 2022 first-round pick to
Montreal for Alexander Romanov and a fourth rounder at the draft.
While it’s likely Lamoriello has made some moves and kept
them quiet (they have a
few RFAs to re-sign) silence is not golden and it's arguable the Islanders
have not improved a roster that wildly underperformed last season.
Winner: Flames GM Brad Treliving right now
CALGARY, CANADA - FEBRUARY 27: General manager Brad Treliving of the Calgary Flames addresses the media before the trade deadline prior to the teamâs NHL game against the Ottawa Senators at the Scotiabank Saddledome on February 27, 2016 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
At the rate we’ve handed
out W’s to Treliving we might have to get a championship belt made for him.
He had the unenviable position of watching MVP forward
Johnny Gaudreau decide he wanted to go back East to be nearer to family and sign
long-term with Columbus. That move set in motion Matthew Tkachuk wanting to leave
town, which he turned into a blockbuster deal sending Tkachuk to the Florida
Panthers for Jonathan Huberdeau and Mackenzie Weegar. Swapping out Sean
Monahan, who has been a disappointing player the past few seasons, for Kadri
can only be seen as an upgrade at that position.
It would've been very easy for Treliving to strip it all
down after Gaudreau left and Tkachuk wanted out, but it’s taken Calgary so long
to get back to a position where they’re contenders in the Western Conference
that giving up on that hope now would’ve been defeating for everyone involved.
Where there’s a window of opportunity, closing it yourself means not being a GM
for much longer. Taking a shot at winning it all earns a lot of credit.
Loser: Brad Treliving in four years
CALGARY, AB - NOVEMBER 23: Calgary Flames Goalie Jacob Markstrom (25) and Calgary Flames Left Wing Blake Coleman (20) celebrate their teams 5-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on November 23, 2021, at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, AB. (Photo by Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
It’s not all rainbows and puppies for Calgary because there
may be stormy times down the road.
The moves they’ve made this summer are vital to helping them
get a shot at a Stanley Cup within the next two to three years. Further down
the road is when things may get dicey.
In four years, their key players right now will be deeper
into their 30s and under contract for big hits against the cap. Kadri ($7
million) will be 35, Huberdeau ($10.5 million) will be 33, Blake Coleman ($4.9
million) will be 34, Jacob Markstrom ($6 million) will be 36 and in the final
year of his contract. The next contracts for a handful of players (including
Andrew Mangiapane, Tyler Toffoli, Dillon Dube, Juuso Välimäki)–if they retain them–could
(would?) come at a higher cost.
In general, GMs must keep their eyes further ahead in time
to make sure their team can stay stocked with talent long-term. But the lure of
the Cup is strong, and when they feel they’re close enough to taste it, the
idea of having a host of players on the back-nine of their career becomes a “we’ll
deal with it when we get there” situation. If Treliving is there to handle it,
he’ll at least know what the plan is.
The weeks between the end of the
Stanley Cup playoffs and Aug. 1 tend to see a considerable amount of
activity in the trade and free-agent markets. General...
NHL Rumors: Devils 'Were Really Interested' in Matthew Tkachuk Before Panthers Trade
Jul 23, 2022
CALGARY, AB - MAY 15: Matthew Tkachuk #19 of the Calgary Flames in action against the Dallas Stars during Game Seven of the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Saddledome on May 15, 2022 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The Flames defeated the Stars 3-2 in overtime. (Photo by Derek Leung/Getty Images)
After striking out on Johnny Gaudreau, the New Jersey Devils reportedly shifted their focus to another longtime Calgary Flames forward.
The Devils "were really interested in" Matthew Tkachuk and "tried hard to trade for him the last few days/weeks" before the Flames traded him to the Florida Panthers on Friday, according to NHL insider Renaud Lavoie.
The Flames traded Tkachuk to the Panthers in exchange for Jonathan Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weegar, Cole Schwindt, a lottery-protected 2025 first-round draft pick and a conditional fourth-round pick.
The Devils had also expressed interest in Gaudreau, but he went on to sign a seven-year, $68.25 million deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets in free agency. After striking out on both players, New Jersey is still projected to have $8.7 million in salary-cap space, per CapFriendly.
Landing one of Gaudreau or Tkachuk would have elevated the New Jersey offense, but there are still a number of free-agent forwards available for the taking, including Phil Kessel, Nazem Kadri and Danton Heinen, among others. However, it's unclear if the Devils would be interested in any of those players.
The Flames and Tkachuk were headed for an inevitable divorce after Calgary announced Monday it filed for club-elected arbitration with the star forward.
However, Tkachuk informed the Flames that he didn't intend to sign a new contract with the franchise, per The Athletic's Jeremy Rutherford and Hailey Salvian, so they had to move on from him.
The Panthers were one of Tkachuk's preferred destinations, per Rutherford and Salvian. He was also reportedly interested in being moved to the St. Louis Blues, Vegas Golden Knights, Nashville Predators or Dallas Stars.
Tkachuk was a restricted free agent this summer after signing a three-year bridge deal in 2019. The 24-year-old had spent his entire six-year career in Calgary after being selected sixth overall in the 2016 NHL draft.
Tkachuk had a breakout 2021-22 season for the Flames, notching a career-high 42 goals and 62 assists for 104 points in 82 games. If he can continue to produce at a high level, the Panthers will once again be one of the most dangerous teams in the Eastern Conference next season.
