Flames GM Already on Hot Seat

The Calgary Flames' general manager could already on the hot seat in just his second year with the organization.

Jun 28, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Zayne Parekh is selected by the Calgary Flames with the 9th overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft at The Sphere. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

The Calgary Flames are in a difficult position as an organization. A few years ago, the team lost star forward Johnny Gaudreau to free agency and traded another star forward in Matthew Tkachuk. Several seasons later and the Flames are a team on the rebuild, led by general manager and former player Craig Conroy.

Conroy was hired in May of 2023 to take over for former GM Brad Treliving. Before that, he worked within the Flames organization as a special assistant and assistant GM. His longevity and knowledge of the organization made him an excellent candidate to replace Treliving and guide the Flames into the next stage of their franchise.

But a year and few months later, the Flames may not have the same confidence in Conroy. Under his management, the Flames went 38-39-5 this past season. Along the way, Conroy shipped out veteran players on expiring deals like Noah Hanifin and Elias Lindholm. He also moved on from players who were seeking a trade, like goaltender Jacob Markstrom.

With no superstars on the roster to build around, the Flames aren't in a position to escape the basement of the Western Conference anytime soon. The team has an anchor on defense in MacKenzie Weegar, but a 30 year old defender with one season of 50 points or more is not a player to build your team around.

The same can be said for forwards Yegor Sharangovich, Nazem Kadri and Jonathan Huberdeau. Kadri and Huberdeau have been solid veterans in the NHL for a long time, but neither is a pillar of a franchise. Similarly, Sharangovich broke out in a huge way last year for the Flames, but he shouldn't be counted on as the team's top offensive weapon.

Where the Flames have succeeded under Conroy is building through the draft. The team selected forward Samuel Honzek in the first round of the 2023 draft, giving them a promising top-six forward. This most recent draft, they selected Zayn Parekh with the ninth overall pick, hopefully giving the team a defenseman to build around for years to come.

Unfortunately for Conroy, he may not be around to see his plan come to fruition. The Flames project to be a bottom-feeder again in 2024. That may not be a problem for the Flames next season, but Conroy is certainly under some pressure to prove that his vision will pay off in Calgary before it's too late.

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