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Flames Nearing Extension With GM Craig Conroy

Originally posted on NHL Trade Talk | Last updated Nov 26, 2025 7:53 PM ET

It appears the Calgary Flames are about to make official the contract extension for general manager Craig Conroy. Elliotte Friedman reported on Wednesday night, “Hearing tonight that the Calgary Flames and GM Craig Conroy are making progress on a contract extension. Been a lot of conversation about this locally the last few days…not sure when it will be finalized, but we are headed to that conclusion.”

It was an interview by Flames’ President Don Maloney this week that really stirred up the conversation about Conroy’s future. The GM is inexplicably without an extension, and Maloney was asked about the status of any talks. He responded that he wouldn’t discuss it, and that was all staying internal. Noting there was a process the team was going through, he added, “As we go through every day, everything’s an evaluation.

That triggered NHL insider Frank Seravalli, who said in his Frankly Hockey podcast, “The sooner that Craig Conroy and the rest of the Calgary Flames staff don’t have to report to Don Maloney, is the sooner that the rest of this franchise will be better off.” It was clear Seravalli thought the Flames were being clueless and irresponsible not getting this done and waiting to make any kind of announcement, simply because the team didn’t have a few more wins.

It’s unclear if Seravalli’s heated comments had anything to do with the Flames shifting their timeline on things, but Seravalli wasn’t alone in feeling like Maloney made a PR error in the way he talked about the future of his current GM.

Friedman then reported in his written 32 Thoughts column:

“I’d be surprised if Calgary GM Craig Conroy, in the final year of his contract, is not re-signed. For one thing, I don’t believe head coach Ryan Huska is the only person in the organization to receive a recent extension, so the Flames are taking care of business. An executive from another team told me it’s not unheard of for conversations to slow down or halt when things are rough. Doesn’t mean it changes your long-term plans, but there is an allergy to reward when on-ice results go sideways. I don’t think Don Maloney should be fired for last week’s comments. You just need to know the right time. A GM needs someone to manage up.”

This article first appeared on NHL Trade Talk and was syndicated with permission.

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