Calgary Flames GM Conroy makes it clear why Huska remains the right man for the job
Though expectations surrounding the Calgary Flames have been low as of late, there is still pressure that comes from the fan base.
One individual who can certainly attest to that is head coach Ryan Huska, who had his fair share of detractors come out of the woodwork. Unfortunately, such is life when you’re tasked with coaching a rebuilding team.
Another unfortunate reality for any NHL head coach is that they don’t tend to last long in their positions. For example, Huska, who has been in his current role for just three seasons, is already the league’s eighth-longest tenured coach.
To some, that could suggest that Huska may not have a lot of runway left. That doesn’t appear to be the case, however, as GM Craig Conroy boasted to Mike Richards on The Raw Mike Richards Show about why the 51-year-old continues to be the right man for the job.
“He does a great job,” Conroy explained. “He’s a teacher; he’s articulate when he’s explaining what he wants from the players. If you didn’t even know hockey, you would understand what he wants out of you, what he expects, and how we’re going to get there. He does a great job with our young guys.”
Interestingly enough, one big critique of Huska last season was the opportunity, or perhaps lack thereof, that he gave to young players. Whether a fair criticism or not, things are undoubtedly going to be different in 2026-27 given how many veterans Conroy has traded away.
“People are going to be mad if he didn’t put this person out or that, but he’s always doing the best for the team, and I never question [the team] being prepared, focused, and having a game plan,” said Conroy. “Now, it’s about going out and executing. He does a great job with that.
“It is exciting to have Ryan here, and the whole staff. They do an amazing job.”
Through his first three seasons at the helm, Huska has led the Flames to a 113-106-29 record. He’ll look to improve on that in 2026-27 in what is somewhat of a new era for this organization.
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