'Everyone's Pounding The Table'

For those waiting with bated breath, hammering the F5 key and accomplishing nothing at the office in hopes of catching a first glimpse of breaking trade news…

Craig Conroy isn’t making any promises.

BUT (and there’s always a but)…

“If there's one to be made there, for sure,” Conroy laughed as he addressed the media Thursday ahead of the 2025 NHL Draft. “I think a splash on a Tuesday during the season is just as much fun. Anytime you can make xa splash, you want do it. You always want to move up, you always want to do something. (Former Flames executive Brian) Burkie texted me today, 'Don't be afraid to move up, it's not against the rules!'

“But if it's not there, I think just drafting new young prospects into your organization is a splash, anyway.

“Just like last year, we didn't make any moves up or down, but to get the players we're really excited about and now, here we are again ready to do it all over again with two picks in the first round.

“We're very excited.”

With Picks No. 18 and 32 in tow, Conroy and the Flames’ amateur scouting staff are now in the ‘fine-tuning’ stages as they prepare the list for this weekend’s ‘decentralized’ NHL Draft.

Organizationally, the GM has made no secret that adding a centre is a top priority for the franchise.

But in a draft with so much uncertainty beyond the first pick – projected to be Erie Otters blueliner Matthew Schaefer to the New York Islanders – the longstanding strategy of ‘BPA,’ or Best Player Available, is how the Flames plan to approach things.

“If that player is a centre, that'd be great. If we get to 18 and we have a player that's 10 on the list and that player's a defenceman... We're not just going to take a position to take a position,” Conroy said. “We're going to take the best player.

“This is a draft where you're going to find value later in the draft, in the first round especially. Everybody's got their opinion on what their needs are and it's not as clear-cut as it used to be. Sometimes, we've picked maybe the first 28 players. You might not have the right order, but you'd have the right players.

“I don't know if it's going to like that this year.”

Which, naturally, brings us back to all the trade chatter that’s dominating the news cycle, thanks to league insiders.

While the Flames – like 31 other teams, in all likelihood – have an interest in moving up to snag someone they’re especially high on, trades like that don’t tend to happen until the draft is fully underway. And the unpredictability of this year’s event makes that possibility particularly intriguing for everyone involved, even from afar.

“You've had talks with teams and they're open to it, but…” Conroy said. “Like I said, nobody has a clear-cut (idea of) who's going to be there at their pick. So, as we get closer to the picks, 'Would you be willing to move?'

“So, we'll see if teams are willing to do that, but it's going to come on draft night.”

For now, the debate soldiers on inside the Flames' remote command centre at the Scotiabank Saddledome, with 24 hours ‘til showtime.

“You know, it's funny,” Conroy said. “In all the other (scouting meetings), there's no fighting. Now, we're down to the final, there's a lot of fighting. I thought I was going to come to blows in there the other day.

“Everyone's pounding the table because they see where our picks are, players that they want to (make) a Calgary Flame. But I want guys to fight for a player. I want them to be excited when you pull a jersey on a guy – whether it's a first-rounder or a seventh-rounder.

“Like, 'Hey, this is a guy I really want in the organization.'”

Free Agent Frenzy

The draft isn’t the only marquee event on the hockey calendar this week.

With July 1st – and the opening of NHL free agency – only days away, Conroy provided an update on where things stand with a handful of Flames in need of new contracts.

Connor Zary and Kevin Bahl (RFAs):

“No real updates. We've been in contact. ... We're trying to get the other guys maybe ahead a little bit, try to get them going. But I think we'll get those guys done, we're just working away at it. But with all the draft stuff, it's been a busy week. But hopefully we can get it done sooner than later.”

Dan Vladar (UFA):

“Always open. We had a contract offer out to Dan. We love Dan. Dan's done a great job for us, but again, it's an opportunity to become a UFA and be a free agent. I think with the way Wolfie played definitely affected things, too. He definitely wants to be a starter in this league and that's his goal.”

Anthony Mantha and Kevin Rooney (UFAs):

“With the amount of contracts we have, probably both those guys, the door is closed a little bit on them. But they were great for us. They did an amazing job. Just doesn't feel like, at this time, it's a fit. And it's never out of the question after July 1st, things always change – you get some players, you don't get other players. So, those guys were great players for us and could always look at it, but as of today, they'll probably hit the market.”

Finally, while Rasmus Andersson still has another year left on his deal, Conroy addressed where things stand on that front as well:

“I talked to Ras this morning and we're all good. ... He loves being a Flame. If he's a Flame next year, he's good with anything. He's wide open, and he's going to do his best. And he knows it's a contract year, too, so he wants to have a great year. He wants to be in the Olympics. All those things are so important to him.”

As for whether or not the Flames are expected to be a big player in the Canada Day fireworks, Conroy didn’t provide specifics. But with about $25 million in projected cap space to work with, all avenues remain open.

“I think we've targeted some players we'd like to talk to and see if they'd be willing to come to Calgary. Like I said, we always want to get better. It's one of those situations where you don't have to spend assets – now, it's just spending money. We have some money to spend and we'd love to improve our team and make it better.”