According to multiple reports, Craig Conroy is expected to be named the next general manager of the Calgary Flames. The official announcement of his hiring is set to take place on Tuesday, following an interview process which evaluated over 40 candidates.
Conroy has been a part of the Flames organization as an executive since 2010 when he first joined the front office. For the past nine years, he’s served as the team’s assistant general manager. With his promotion to the general manager role, one of his most pressing tasks will be finding a new head coach to replace Darryl Sutter, who was fired in early May.
The decision to hire Conroy comes after the Flames let go of former general manager Brad Treliving in April, ending his nine-year tenure with the team. Treliving’s contract was set to expire on June 30. Despite a messy divorce which allegedly included Calgary blocking Treliving from interviewing with other clubs, the former GM expressed his excitement and support for Conroy.
Before transitioning into a management role, Conroy had a successful 18-year NHL career as a player. He played 1,009 games, including two stints with the Calgary Flames. Throughout his career, Conroy recorded 182 goals, 542 points, and 603 penalty minutes.
Calgary missed out on the postseason after posting a 38-27-17 record (93pts) in 2022-23. However it was off-ice issues which plagued the team down the stretch, ultimately leading to sweeping change with the coaching staff and front office.
Following the blockbuster Matthew Tkachuk trade, expectations were high for the Flames. However, rumoured friction between the players and former coach Darryl Sutter was a source of constant conversation amongst the Calgary faithful. Things at one stage were alleged to have soured to the point where several players privately submitted trade requests at season’s end. Requests that were reportedly rescinded once Sutter was let go.
As part of the transition, it’s also expected that former NHL executive Dave Nonis and Calgary icon Jarome Iginla will also be named to the new leadership group as well. While it’s not yet clear what roles they will play, speculation around the league is that Nonis will occupy a senior management role, while Iginla will serve as a team advisor to start.
Nonis previously spent time with the Vancouver Canucks, Anaheim Ducks, and Toronto Maple Leafs in various roles including general manager. Iginla played 1554 NHL contests accumulating 625G, and 675A for 1300 career points. The former Flames captain spent 17 seasons with the team between 1995 and 2013.
-Kyle Skinner
Twitter: @JKyleSkinner
Photo: Resolute. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.