Flames’ Conroy Becomes NHL’s Youngest General Manager – Hockey Writers – Calgary Flames

If you look at the record of the Calgary Flames since the arrival of Craig Conroy, you would think that they are struggling for the position of general manager (GM). In the three seasons since he took over from Brad Treliving, the Flames have posted a disappointing 113-105-28 record, missing the playoffs all three years.

From an outsider’s perspective, it would appear that the Flames organization is not happy. They are not knocking on the door for a playoff spot, and failed to have a single player reach 50 points this past season.

Things won’t change in the future, as the club could struggle again in 2026-27. That said, Conroy isn’t currently focused as much on this current team as he is on the future of the organization as a whole. Instead he’s focused on the long-term picture, and while it’s led to frustrating hockey, it’s also helping to slowly build this team into a contender.

Conroy Finally Leads The Organization Down The Right Path

Before Conroy took over as Flames GM, fans didn’t know what team they were getting. This team would look like a legitimate Stanley Cup contender one season, then miss the playoffs the next year.

Despite never having much success reaching the playoffs, the Flames continued to rock the season and into the summer months suggesting they considered themselves Stanley Cup contenders. Those moves often frustrated fans, who didn’t know it wasn’t true. Now, finally, the organization seems to have a better understanding of what is needed.

The Flames have never made the playoffs since Conroy took over as GM. That is largely due to the fact that he has traded away many veterans since taking over including Tyler Toffoli, Nikita Zadorov, Elias Lindholm, Chris Tanev, Noah Hanifin, Jacob Markstrom, Andrew Mangiapane, Rasmus Andersson, MacKenzie Weegar, Nazem Kadri, and Blake Coleman. Those years made the Flames a very bad team, but they were well received by the fans.

The reason for that is returns. Conroy was able to pick up all kinds of draft picks and prospects in these deals. Not only do the prospects seem to be around the right NHL, but the management and scouting staff have made some great picks in recent years. Put all that together, and you see a group that is moving slowly but surely in the right direction.

Others Will Notice Soon Enough

While it’s not being talked about much right now, those across the NHL will soon notice what the Flames are building. While they continue to heat up in their efforts to bring in a real center, it seems that their entire future lineup is tied together.

The Flames not only have a young and extremely talented goaltender in Dustin Wolf, but they also have many top prospects in Zayne Parekh, Carson Cares, Hunter Brzustewicz, and Henry Mews. They also have some good young talent up front including Matvei Gridin, Cole Reschny, Cullen Potter, and Ethan Wyttenbach.

The good news for Flames fans is that Conroy seems patient enough to let this build continue until it’s time to shift gears. After trading Coleman recently, it’s clear that the 2026-27 season will be a long one for Calgary. That will hurt in real time, but it will allow the Flames to add another good prospect to next year’s draft.

While he hasn’t gotten the respect he deserves around the league, Flames fans will be the first to tell you that Conroy has been nailing this rebuild so far, and should continue to do so going forward. Given the moves he’s made so far, it’s more than fair to say he’s currently leading the charge as the NHL’s most underrated GM.