Dave Lowry is familiar with the C of Red.
And it’s a big reason why he’s back in Calgary, for a third stint in the Flames organization.
The veteran coach - and former Calgary captain - was announced as the club’s new assistant coach earlier this week.
For Lowry, it’s a return to familiar environs, around familiar people,
“Calgary is home for us: it’s home for a couple of kids - my one daughter lives there year-round, Adam returns in the summer - my kids grew up in Calgary,” Lowry said over the phone Thursday. “For us as a family, it’s familiar going back into the 'Dome, it’s exciting.
“I know everybody except Trent (Cull) on the Flames staff, so that there is really familiar.”
That introduction won’t be far away, with the Flames making their final preparations in advance of training camp later this month, and the 2025-26 regular season Oct. 8 in Edmonton.
Lowry admits the job came about quite quickly, after former Calgary assistant Brad Larsen stepped away from the club for family reasons.
“Unfortunate circumstances with Brad and his family, it was a real quick process,” Lowry said. “It’s interesting, right? I had a cup of coffee with Ryan (Huska) in Canmore at a Hockey Alberta golf tournament, just what the plans were through the winter and all that.
“I was prepared to stay available, and stay ready. I got a call on a Monday, I met with Ryan on the Wednesday, and things came together real quick.”
Since his last stop in the Stampede City - one that included a run to the WHL final as Hitmen head coach before three years as a Flames assistant, Lowry has held down a few different gigs.
He was WHL Coach of the Year twice with the Victoria Royals, and had NHL stops in Winnipeg and Los Angeles before a three-year run in Seattle that drew to a close this past spring.
With the Kraken, he had a first-hand look at last season’s upstart Flames group that finished ever-so-close to a postseason berth.
“Ninety-six points, and one point away from qualifying for the playoffs, right? The exciting part is you want to build and help sustain the momentum that has been created with Ryan and his staff,” Lowry explained. “From the outside looking in - to now coming in and being a part of it on the inside - you love the compete, you love the preparation, how the team plays, and the team-first mentality and everybody playing for each other.
“It was a really big reason why they had success.”
Here - at home - Lowry’s role will be a supporting one, assisting Huska and the rest of the staff with whatever’s needed.
But since his last stint with the Flames, he’s also had a chance to grow, and learn with bright minds from across the hockey world.
Work skills, life skills, that Lowry will get to put into practice this winter in his back yard in this next stop in his hockey journey.
“I’ve been extremely fortunate, I’ve worked with great individuals, great players and guys that have had success,” he said. “Every step, you try and take something from somebody that you’ve worked with, somebody that you’ve worked for, and you just try and find ways that you can make yourself better.
“I was fortunate that I had an opportunity to coach in Winnipeg - real good team, real good players - and then I worked with John Stevens in L.A. I worked with Dave Hakstol in Seattle. Just the preparation, the organizational skills - the people skills - and how you communicate with your players.
“You just try and take those little pieces and you try and make yourself better, not only as a coach but as a person.”
