'Do It The Right Way'

It’s been a transformational start to 2026 for the Flames and on Friday, at the NHL Trade Deadline, the organization took another step down that same path. 

General Manager Craig Conroy dealt his second veteran player this week - and third since the turn of the calendar - by sending centre Nazem Kadri back to a Colorado squad with whom he won a Stanley Cup four years ago.

Returning to the Stampede City, more picks, more prospects, and a vision of a club on the ascendency when Scotia Place opens in about 18 months’ time.

“This was the path we needed to go down,” Conroy asserted in a near 20-minute media session Friday afternoon. “The whole thing is to get back in the playoffs, to get going in the right direction, and have these assets, and the picks. 

“I think this is important, to continue to bring in assets. We're trying to get this thing going in the right direction as quick as possible. Right now, we're not where we want to be.”

In parting ways with both MacKenzie Weegar and Kadri this week, the Flames said farewell to a pair of leaders on the ice and in the dressing room. But amid what he termed a difficult deadline, Conroy made hay, adding nine assets from those two deals alone as he continues to restock the cupboard.

“To lose two great players - and three really, I mean, I kind of forget about Rasmus (Andersson) because it was a while ago - but to have to move on from three of those guys, it's not easy, but I think it's the best thing for the organization moving forward,” said Conroy.

That's what it's all about, what's best for the organization. It's about getting this organization back to where we want to be consistently.”

Armed with a bevy of draft selections, Conroy and his staff have the tools to make that happen. Consider that the 2026 draft will mark the third in a row for the Flames with two first-round picks (with a pair of first-rounders in 2027 and 2028 to follow), but this June in Buffalo, Calgary has the assets to make six picks over the first two rounds of the draft.

“It's a very good draft,” Conroy said. “We feel like we're very happy with some of our recent drafts, and we can't wait to get this one going.”

But on the ice, over the final 21 contests of the 2025-26 season, there are reinforcements on the way. Forwards Victor Olofsson and Ryan Strome, along with defenceman Olli Määtta, all offer veteran savvy for a young group continuing to grow with each passing game. 

Strome, acquired from the Ducks for a seventh-round pick, is three games shy of 900 for his NHL career, and adds depth down the middle of the ice following Kadri’s departure.

“I’ve heard unbelievable things about Ryan, and the type of person he is,” said Conroy of Strome, who is signed through the 2026-27 season. “I'll tell you when I called him, I mean, he's pretty excited, and he's gonna do everything his power to be in that game tomorrow (against Carolina). So, you know, when I hear that, that makes me feel good. 

“He's looking forward to showing, ‘Hey, look, I'm a good player and I'm going to show you that in Calgary.’ So he's glad to be a part of this.”

But make no mistake, the final quarter of the campaign is about youth, too. Fans at the Scotiabank Saddledome can expect to see a healthy dose of Matvei Gridin, Zayne Parekh and more between now and the regular-season finale Apr. 16.

“We're going to see more young guys down the stretch here. That's what it's going to take,” Conroy said. “We're gonna need them to grow and become better NHL players.

“When you take out MacKenzie, Rasmus, and now with Naz, other guys are gonna have to step up. You know, those minutes are huge minutes, big roles, and we need them to kind of start to rise up and show us they can do it. And that's what I'm waiting for.”

As Conroy arrives in his office every day, he sees an ever-growing reminder of what’s to come. Every day, the hard-working crews continue to add to the Flames’ new home at Scotia Place. 

A symphony of construction. A visage of better days ahead.

“When I was over in the new building the other day, thinking it won't be next year, but the year after, we're gonna be there, I want to be on that upswing going where we're pushing to make the playoffs,” said Conroy. “The goal is always to make the playoffs every year, and then continuing the push to win the Stanley Cup.

“I would love to be in a playoff series next year in the Scotiabank Saddledome in its last year. That would be amazing for me, a special place for me. But we're gonna do it the right way. We're not gonna try to just rush something for one year.”