Flames cement another building block with Huska extension

CALGARY – The Calgary Flames cemented another building block in place Thursday by signing coach Ryan Huska to a two-year contract extension.

Itâ€s yet another tidy piece of business by GM Craig Conroy ahead of opening night, further establishing that the culture, structure and direction of the club will continue evolving under the man who has done so well shaping it.

“First, heâ€s a teacher,†said Conroy when asked why the 50-year-old Cranbrook native has been such a good fit for the rebuilding Flames.

“Heâ€s cerebral, he lays out what he wants to do and explains, ‘this is what weâ€re trying to do, this is why weâ€re trying to do it and this is how we are going to do this.â€â€

Under Conroy and Huska, the Flames are an organization clearly trending upwards.

There is a plan. There is hope.

Itâ€s a refreshing direction for a club rewarded for taking a leap of faith in Conroyâ€s hiring as chief architect.

Up next will no doubt be a similar deal for Conroy, who is also entering the final year of a three-year pact.

A column for another day.

Extending Huska past this season is indeed another feather in Conroyâ€s cap, as it was a gamble to hire a longtime assistant to make the jump to bench boss inside his own organization.

“The organization gave me a chance, and I believed he deserved that too,†said Conroy of his decision in the summer of 2023 to replace Darryl Sutter with Huska. 

Conroy wanted someone he could work and grow with, which is exactly what theyâ€ve managed to do.    

The structure and environment Huska helped establish have been a driving force for a team known last year as one of the leagueâ€s hardest working.

That work ethic stems from a tight-knit relationship he forged immediately with the leadership group who rallied the troops, establishing a non-negotiable approach to the game that a rotating cast of youngsters and veterans have bought into.

Despite being the leagueâ€s fourth-lowest scoring team, Huskaâ€s motley crew of young and old fell just one point short of a playoff spot last season, going 11-2-3 down the stretch of a playoff chase few in the hockey world believed possible.

His new age, player-friendly approach has endeared him to a group that knows his door is always open and that he values their input. 

“Heâ€s honest with them and they respect him,†said Conroy.

“Nowadays the communication is such a big thing, and heâ€s a great communicator.

“At the end of the day, the guys have to buy into it too. They have to agree with what heâ€s selling or it doesnâ€t work.â€

Todayâ€s players want to know where they stand, what and how they can do better, and Huskaâ€s approach and preparation make him tailor-made for the task.

As evidenced by his calm, measured press conferences, Huska is a brilliant spokesman for the team, the game and the organization.

There is no bombast, there is no yelling, but the players know his word is final and that he is to be respected, as itâ€s a two-way street.

Steadying the franchise through their first year of high-profile player departures, Huska and Conroy have done well to forge a new identity for the club, making it an attractive landing spot for drafted players looking to develop.

In time, and with a new arena in sight, itâ€s reasonable to believe free agents will soon start to see Calgary as a desirable destination. 

While a well-earned extension is no surprise, it reinforces Conroyâ€s belief from Day 1 that the coaching carousel in Calgary needed to stop. Players know who is in charge and that Huska will be around for several more years to come.

For a team clawing its way into playoff relevance, this is the right call at the right time, ensuring there is no talk of Huska being a lame-duck coach playing out the final year of his deal.

Conroy has long seen Huska as a young Joel Quenneville, who Conroy played for, exuding quiet confidence while evolving into commanding leadership.

The likes of Connor Zary, Martin Pospisil, Matt Coronato and Dustin Wolf have all taken meaningful steps forward under his guidance, with a whole new crew spearheaded by Zayne Parekh, Matvei Gridin and Aydar Suniev next in line.

Wolf, in particular, emerged as a Calder Trophy contender thanks, in part, to Huskaâ€s well-thought-out deployment of the young goalie, building his confidence by putting him in position to succeed.

Expect more of the same, with Parekh in particular.

That kind of relationship-building is key in todayâ€s NHL, where locker rooms can fracture and egos can fester. Here, Huska has created cohesion.

Huskaâ€s demeanour is calm, but his expectations are high. Heâ€s demanding, intense, and passionate. But heâ€s also fair. He doesnâ€t berate players on camera or micromanage their every move. He lets them do their jobs. And when he does snap, itâ€s for a reason.

That balance — edge and empathy — is what makes Huska so effective. Although his style is an amalgamation of various head coaches he worked with over the years, heâ€s not trying to be someone else.

Heâ€s genuine, authentic.

Heâ€s guided Calgary through a hybrid rebuild with poise, purpose and progress. Heâ€s empowered youth, emboldened veterans, and given the organization direction and identity.

Extending him now isnâ€t just smart, itâ€s essential. 

It sends a message to the locker room, the fanbase, and the league: the Flames arenâ€t chasing quick fixes. Theyâ€re building something real.

Conroyâ€s calculated gamble has paid off.

And should continue to do so.

NOTES: Rory Kerins and Ivan Prosvetov were put on waivers Thursday with an eye on joining the Wranglers, meaning the Flames’ backup goalie will be Devin Cooley. Huska said the decision was based on their familiarity with Cooley. Jonathan Huberdeau is considered day-to-day after a late-game collision Wednesday night.  

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