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Calgary Flames Name Ryan Huska Head Coach

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June 12: The Flames are expected to name Huska their head coach in a press conference this morning, Sportsnet’s Pat Steinberg reports. The team would later make the hire official.

June 9: After locking in Craig Conroy as their general manager last month, the Calgary Flames’ focus for the past few weeks has been exclusively on their search for a new head coach. Current assistant Ryan Huska has emerged as the leading contender to assume the role, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said during the second intermission of last night’s Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Huska’s emergence as Calgary’s top candidate is in line with the organization’s seemingly new philosophy. Since his hire, Conroy has expressed a keen desire to use the organization’s depth more effectively, something most felt was a struggle under previous coach Darryl Sutter.

Having spent the last five seasons as an assistant coach for the Flames and four seasons before that as the team’s AHL head coach, Huska has extensive experience in developing younger players and helping them transition to the pro level. Before his appointment as head coach of the AHL Adirondack Flames in 2014-15, Huska had spent 12 seasons behind the bench of the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets.

If appointed, Huska would succeed the aforementioned Sutter, who the Flames fired on May 1 ahead of his two-year extension kicking in this summer. Sutter’s firing came after one of the most disappointing Flames campaigns in recent memory, slipping out of the playoffs entirely thanks to a lack of chemistry among the team’s new complement of stars.

As noted by The Calgary Sun’s Wes Gilbertson, Huska is recognized in the organization as a strong communicator, an area of expertise Sutter evidently lacked heavily, especially with younger players. In his years behind the Flames bench, he’s been charged with running the team’s penalty kill, one of the team’s strongest elements.

Gilbertson also notes that during Huska’s time in Adirondack/Stockton, he was the head coach who oversaw the primary professional development of current Flames contributors Rasmus Andersson, Oliver Kylington, and Andrew Mangiapane. He also coached potential Flames captain Mikael Backlund during his time in Kelowna.

While not a done deal, things do look promising for the 47-year-old to assume the role he’s prepped for over two decades. He would face the challenge of revitalizing the Flames’ core, especially Jonathan Huberdeau and Nazem Kadri, and leading them back to the playoffs like many expected this season.

NHL Announces 2023 King Clancy Trophy Finalists

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In just under three weeks from today, the 2023 NHL Awards show will take place at Bridgestone Arena, home of the Nashville Predators. Most of the award finalists have been announced up to this point, however; there are still some to get through.

This afternoon, the NHL announced the three finalists for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, annually awarded to the player that “best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community“. This season, the three finalists will be Mikael Backlund (Calgary Flames), Anders Lee (New York Islanders), and Darnell Nurse (Edmonton Oilers).

As in the description, this award is heavily weighted in humanitarian work off the ice, and these three players have no shortage of that. In Backlund’s case, he and his wife have raised over $400K for the ALS Society of Alberta, a disease that his wife’s mother passed away from. Aside from that, Backlund has also been heavily involved with The Kids Cancer Care, Special Olympics Calgary, and Parachutes for Pets.

For Lee, the current captain of the Islanders, the veteran forward has become involved with a non-profit called “Jam Kancer in the Kan”, which is dedicated to helping families and children dealing with cancer. Since Lee’s involvement, the company has raised well over $2MM for families dealing with the disease. Additionally, Lee has been helping college students with academic scholarships over the last several years.

Nurse’s involvement with the community has been primarily focused on diversity and inclusion in athletics. Working for “Free Play for Kids”, Nurse has helped underprivileged communities in Canada gain access to sports in a safe and accessible way. Nurse also has a scholarship of his own, setting up the Excellence Scholarship in 2021, which is given to two students pursuing post-secondary education, annually.

Regardless of who wins this award, these three players, among others, have helped their communities in pretty incredible ways. The winner will receive a $25K donation to a charity of their choice, while the other two finalists will receive a $5K donation each.

Calgary Flames Re-Sign Oscar Dansk

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The answer to the trivia question “Who was the first player Craig Conroy signed as general manager of the Calgary Flames?” will not be who you expect. Oscar Dansk, the organization’s minor league backup, has inked a one-year, two-way contract extension. The deal carries an NHL salary of $775K.

Dansk, 29, had been heading for unrestricted free agency after appearing 18 times with the Calgary Wranglers this season. The veteran minor league netminder put up a .905 save percentage in the regular season, far outpaced by starter Dustin Wolf’s .932 in 55 games.

With Wolf pushing for an NHL spot but the Flames still financially committed to Jacob Markstrom and Daniel Vladar, it’s unclear where Dansk fits into the picture. He very well could be the AHL backup once again—a fourth-string option that could be used in a pinch.

There is a small amount of NHL experience in his past. Dansk has appeared in six games, all with the Vegas Golden Knights, and actually won four of them. His most recent appearance was in the 2020-21 season.

Flames Continue Head Coaching Search

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Currently, the Rangers are only one of two teams without a head coach for the 2023-24 NHL season, joining the Calgary Flames. In recent reporting, it appears that New York has whittled their list down to two candidates, John Hynes, and Peter Laviolette. Up to this point, there have been no links drawn between Roy and Calgary, but they still remain in the early stages of their search compared to New York.

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  • Continuing on with the Flames’ head coaching search, Ryan Pike of Flames Nation reports that Calgary is down to “4-5 candidates” and will begin the second round of interviews this week. With two major positions to fill this summer, it is not surprising that the Flames are taking a bit longer to fill their head coaching role, after naming former player Craig Conroy as General Manager late last month. Calgary appears to have a desire for a newer face in the league, likely eliminating names like Laviolette, Gerard Gallant, and Bruce Boudreau from contention.

Brad Treliving Not Allowed At Maple Leafs Draft Table

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Brad Treliving was recently announced as the 18th general manager in Toronto Maple Leafs history. Treliving was officially introduced today and stated that his first priority is to meet with superstar Auston Matthews. While getting Matthews signed long-term is the focus, another focus is the upcoming NHL entry draft, which Treliving will not be allowed to take part in. Chris Johnston of NorthStar Bets is reporting that this condition was put in place by the Calgary Flames when granting Toronto permission to talk to him. Treliving is under contract with Calgary until July 1st.

Maple Leafs president of hockey operations Brendan Shanahan was asked about this stipulation at the press conference this morning and praised the teams scouting staff and said they are still preparing to pick late in the first round of the draft as well as the fifth and sixth round. One would have to presume that either Shanahan or head scout Wes Clark will be making Toronto’s picks this year in the absence of Treliving.

It’s not surprising to see the Flames attach a condition like this to Treliving as they were originally apprehensive about even allowing their long-time general manager to interview for other jobs before his contract expired. Three weeks ago, it was reported by The Hockey News that Calgary wasn’t allowing him to speak with teams, however they had a change of heart and let the 53-year-old pursue other employment. One would have to guess that the draft condition was a compromise Treliving, and the Maple Leafs had to make to move forward with the interview process.

It’s not unheard of for a team to block a former employee from participating in the entry draft, although it doesn’t happen often. In fact, it happened to the Flames back in 2000 when general manager Craig Button came over from the Dallas Stars and was blocked from taking part in draft day.

Marc Savard Being Considered For Head Coach, MacKenzie Weegar Changes Agents

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  • Add Marc Savard’s name to the long list of head coaching candidates in Calgary as TSN’s Darren Dreger reported in a recent Insider Trading segment that the long-time NHL center is also under consideration. Savard has spent the last two seasons coaching with OHL Windsor and also has a single season behind an NHL bench, serving as an assistant in St. Louis in 2019-20.  The Flames are seeking a new bench boss after letting Darryl Sutter go at the beginning of the month.
  • Still with the Flames, MacKenzie Weegar has a new agent as Nick Riopel of Propulsion Sports Agency announced (Twitter link) that they are now representing the blueliner. He had previously been with Mazerolle & Lemay.  Weegar will begin his new contract next season, an eight-year deal that carries an AAV of $6.25MM, making him Calgary’s highest-paid defenseman.

Toronto Maple Leafs Hire Brad Treliving

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The rather short courting period is over, and Brad Treliving is now officially the general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs. The move was announced today with a statement from team president Brendan Shanahan:

I’m very pleased to welcome Brad into the Maple Leafs organization. Brad brings a wealth of knowledge from his years of experience as a general manager and hockey executive in Calgary, Arizona and beyond. He has earned tremendous respect amongst his peers throughout his years in the NHL and has built excellent relationships at all levels within the game. We are confident that Brad’s leadership and strategic vision will elevate the Maple Leafs in our continued pursuit of a championship.

Treliving replaces the outgoing Kyle Dubas, fired by the Maple Leafs just before his contract expired this summer. The former Calgary GM released his own statement on the new role:

I am very excited and honored to join the Toronto Maple Leafs as general manager. I would like to thank Brendan, MLSE and its Board for their support throughout this process. I’m thrilled to join an Original Six team and recognize how much the Maple Leafs mean to this community. This is a very exciting day for my family and I.

The team will introduce Treliving to the media tomorrow morning, but he immediately takes over as the 18th GM in club history, and has a huge list of important items to get to this summer. Auston Matthews and William Nylander are both eligible to sign extensions on July 1, as they enter their last seasons under contract before unrestricted free agency. Ten other roster regulars are pending UFAs, including names like Ryan O’Reilly and Michael Bunting who should have plenty of interest on the open market.

There’s also the issue of coaching, as he inherits Sheldon Keefe after another disappointing playoff exit, but without upstart assistant Spencer Carbery who took a position with the Washington Capitals. Reports have emerged today that Keefe may not actually be on the chopping block, though that has been said many times just before a dismissal is made.

Looming over all of that is a growing sentiment (at least among fans) that the core group of Maple Leafs is not built for playoff success. Matthews, Nylander, Mitch Marner, and John Tavares cost the team nearly $40MM against the cap every year but have won just a single second-round game in their time with the Maple Leafs. A no-movement clause kicks in for Marner this offseason, and even more money would have to be shelled out to retain Matthews and Nylander.

It could be a dramatic few weeks in Toronto, though Treliving should be used to that. He’s the GM that had to watch two 100-point players walk out the door last offseason, when Johnny Gaudreau left for Columbus, and Matthew Tkachuk essentially forced a trade to Florida. Many praised the manager for making the best of a bad situation by landing Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar, but Calgary took a noticeable step back while Tkachuk has just led the Panthers to the Stanley Cup Final.

If another massive trade is on the horizon for Treliving, Maple Leafs fans will have to hope he’s on the right side of it this time.

Toronto Maple Leafs Closing In On Brad Treliving

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Per a report from TSN’s Darren Dreger Tuesday night, the Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to name Brad Treliving their new general manager “in the very near future.”

Treliving fills the seat vacated by Kyle Dubas less than two weeks ago after the team informed him they wouldn’t be renewing his contract. The Calgary Flames mutually parted ways with Treliving, who was also on an expiring contract, last month.

Treliving certainly checks off the experience box that Leafs president Brendan Shanahan was looking for in his general manager hire. The 53-year-old had spent nearly a decade in his post with Calgary after joining the team ahead of the 2014-15 season.

He also brings the experience of working in a Canadian market, although simply nothing compares to the pressure-cooker market that is Toronto. Treliving has made a number of shrewd trades and signings throughout his time in Calgary, although he’s had some significant misses as well.

The impending arrival of Treliving as general manager comes at a critical time for the Maple Leafs, who are looking to keep the band together as they aim to claw deeper into the playoffs. Treliving’s immediate focus turns to the contract situations of Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and Mitch Marner, who are all slated for unrestricted free agency in the next two years.

Looking at Treliving’s history, this is where he may shine. While his parting gifts to Calgary came in the form of long-term deals for Jonathan Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weegar, and Nazem Kadri that are too young to be judged, his body of work regarding contracts for his star players is stellar. He signed defenseman Mark Giordano to a six-year, $6.75MM deal in 2015, Johnny Gaudreau to the same contract a season later, and Dougie Hamilton to a five-year, $5.75MM deal in 2015 as well. All of those contracts provided solid value to Calgary in one way or another.

This story will be updated further as more details emerge.

Flames To Interview Gerard Gallant

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  • The Calgary Flames have contacted former New York Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant, who will be part of an extensive interview process as they look to replace the outgoing Darryl Sutter. Gallant has had great success in all his head coaching roles but has never made it through a third season with the same team.

Free Agent Focus: Calgary Flames

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Free agency is now a little more than a month away and teams are looking ahead to when it opens.  There will be several impact players set to hit the open market in July while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign as well.  We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Calgary Flames.

Key Restricted Free Agents

For the Calgary Flames this offseason, they do not currently have any restricted free agents going into this summer’s free agency period. Although the team’s outlook on this front may become a bit more complicated next summer as the contract of Dillon Dube comes to an end, the team currently will not have this issue to deal with this summer, unless making an acquisition.

Key Unrestricted Free Agents

F Milan Lucic – After being acquired from the Edmonton Oilers in the 2019-20 offseason (albeit at a 12% discount), Lucic has become a serviceable player for the Flames up to this point. Being paid $5.25MM per season over the last four years, Lucic has scored 35 goals and 48 assists in 283 games over his time in Calgary. Although not offering the offensive production that most would expect with a $5MM+ player, Lucic’s physical abilities have transferred into the back half of his career.

The number of hits are down throughout his tenure with the Boston Bruins, Los Angeles Kings, and Edmonton Oilers, but Lucic has still managed to accrue well over 100 hits a season, breaking the 200-hit mark during the 2021-22 season with the Flames. Entering free agency for the first time before signing his 7-year, $42MM contract prior to the 2016-17 season with the Oilers, Lucic should be headed towards a familiar role next year.

As he now seems to be unable to crack even the 15-goal mark, Lucic has isolated himself into a depth forward position moving forward. With his tenure, and also having the experience of winning the Stanley Cup in 2011 with the Bruins, Lucic will potentially be able to mentor younger players on any roster. There is a very real possibility that Lucic will have to settle for a training camp invite as this summer closes, but the possibility remains that a team reaches out with a guaranteed contract offering him a very specific role on their hockey club.

F Troy Stecher– After being acquired from the Arizona Coyotes at this year’s trade deadline, Stecher reached the same point totals with the Flames as he did with Arizona, in 50% less of the games played. In 61 games played in Arizona prior to the trade deadline, Stecher accrued seven assists, not managing to find the back of the net. In 20 games in Calgary, the defenseman was able to score three goals and four assists.

After being traded twice in back-to-back trade deadlines, Stecher has been unable to find the depth defensive scoring that he managed with the Vancouver Canucks between 2016-19. In his first three seasons in the NHL spent with the Canucks, Stecher was able to score 58 points in 217 games, playing on the Vancouver team that took the Vegas Golden Knights to the seventh game of the 2020 NHL playoffs’ second round.

F – Nick Ritchie – Acquired in the same trade as Stecher from the Coyotes, Ritchie was wholly unable to find his offensive game in Calgary. Becoming a healthy scratch for several games down the stretch, Ritchie only managed to score one goal and five assists in 16 games played for the Flames.

Unexpected to be retained by Calgary this offseason, the maximum that Ritchie should be expecting on the open market is similar to the 2-year, $2.5MM contract that Derek Ryan signed with the Oilers prior to the 2021-22 NHL season.

F – Trevor Lewis – After receiving a $200K increase from his 2021-22 salary, Lewis decided to renew his contract with the Flames for the 2022-23 season. Being a bottom-six forward for most of his career, Lewis was able to crack the 20-point mark for the first time since the 2017-18 season with the Kings, scoring 20 points in 82 games for Calgary this season. Proving that he is able to handle over 12 minutes a night for a competitive Western Conference team this season, Lewis should be able to find a spot in a lineup next year.

Other UFA’s: D Michael Stone

Projected Cap Space

Unfortunately for the Flames, the problem becomes extremely dire when looking at the projected cap space for next season. Especially considering the team was unable to qualify for the 2022-23 NHL playoffs, the team will only have $1.25MM available headed into the offseason.

Although the team does not have any game-breakers headed for free agency this offseason, if the team hopes to succeed in a tough Pacific Division, Calgary will need to come up with more cap space than what they currently have available. With players such as Tyler Toffoli, Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin, and Mikael Backlund expected to make the jump to unrestricted free agency after next year, it is imperative that the Flames find cap space to retain such vital parts of the organization.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.  Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.

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