Breaking down Craig Conroy’s history in free agency

The day is here. One of the busiest dates on the NHL calendar, NHL Free Agency. From franchise-altering signings to puzzling decisions and everything in between, July 1 always delivers plenty of drama across the NHL.

Now entering his third offseason in charge of the Calgary Flames, General Manager Craig Conroy has taken a patient, methodical approach to free agency. If history is any indication, 2026 will be no different. Let’s take a trip down memory lane and look at every free-agent signing the Flames have made under Conroy on July 1st.

2024

Conroy’s first NHL free agency in charge of the Flames was a little busy, as he signed four players, albeit all to short, low-value contracts.

Anthony Mantha (1 x $3.5mil AAV)

Conroy’s biggest swing in 2024 was the signing of Anthony Mantha to a one-year, prove-it deal. At the time, this looked like a great low-risk, potentially high-reward move for the retooling Flames. Mantha was coming off one of his best seasons in years with 44 points, and was just traded for second and fourth round picks a couple of months prior. By signing him to a one-year deal at a low price, the Flames had virtually nothing to lose.

The thought process was obvious. Pair Mantha with fellow Quebecois Jonathan Huberdeau, watch him pile up points, then ship him elsewhere for draft picks at the trade deadline. The plan was working perfectly at the start of the season, with Mantha posting four goals and seven points in 13 games. Unfortunately, a serious knee injury ended his season in November, and the Flames ended up watching him walk in free agency for nothing.

Ryan Lomberg (2 x $2mil AAV)

Was Ryan Lomberg worth $2 million AAV in 2024? Absolutely not. Not even close. The veteran was coming off a season in which he posted just seven points. The Flames didn’t sign Lomberg for his play, though. They signed him for the vibes. For a retooling team with endless cap space, this was a perfectly fine move to inject some veteran leadership and energy into your locker room. Lomberg delivered too, becoming a fan favourite over the span of the contract.

Jake Bean (2 x $1.75mil AAV)

To help add some veteran depth to the Flames’ blueline, Conroy signed former CSEC President John Bean’s son, Jake Bean, to a modest two-year deal. As soon as this deal was announced, the general thought was, sure I guess? Bean had never posted anything more than middling results at the NHL level, but the contract was short and cheap at least.

Bean was absolutely dreadful for the length of this contract and ended up missing most of the 2025-26 season due to injury. The good news is Joe Iginla has taken over his nepo baby role in the organization.

Martin Frk (1 x $775k AAV)

A strictly AHL deal, veteran Martin Frk was brought in to help out a Wranglers team in need of some depth. Frk was actually a great signing, posting 60 points in the AHL as one of the team’s best players in 2024-25. He also played a key role in mentoring the organization’s youth in the AHL, like Rory Kerins and William Stromgren.

2025

2025 free agency was even quieter than 2024 in Calgary, with the Flames signing three players and only one proven NHLer.

Joel Hanley (2 x $1.75mil AAV)

After it seemed all but certain veteran Joel Hanley would be heading to market and leaving the Flames, the team circled back at the last moment and locked him up for another two years. The Flames had reportedly set their eyes on Ryan Lindgren as an upgrade over Hanley, but after Lindgren rejected their contract offer, the team was forced to pivot and go back to Hanley.

This wasn’t a bad move, as it was once again a short-term, low-value contract. The question was more so, why? The Flames already had a crowded blueline and really had no use for Hanley. There’s a good chance we don’t even see him in the NHL in 2026-27 in the final year of this deal.

Ivan Prosvetov (1 x $950k AAV)

With backup goalie Dan Vladar leaving for more playing time elsewhere, the Flames took a low-risk gamble on former NHL goalie Ivan Prosvetov as the new backup behind Dustin Wolf. To say this move didn’t work out would be an understatement. Prosvetov was absolutely horrible in preseason, and didn’t even make the Flames’ roster out of training camp. He ended up posting an ugly .887 save percentage with the Wranglers and didn’t suit up for a single game with the Flames all year.

Nick Cicek (1 x 775k AAV)

In the only other deal on July 1st last year, Conroy signed defender Nick Cicek to a one-year deal. Coming off a year in Europe, Cicek was nothing more than a depth move for a Wranglers team in need of bodies. He ended up skating in 70 games for the team and didn’t play any NHL games in 2025-26.

A history of small moves

Conroy has been among the most patient general managers in the entire NHL when it comes to free agency. He’s yet to hand out a single contract longer than two years, and for more than $3.5 million AAV. Odds are that won’t change this year either, as the team looks to continue to build for the future through the draft and not free agency.