The Calgary Flames gave their management team a major vote of confidence by announcing on Friday two-year extensions for President Don Maloney and GM Craig Conroy. According to Sportsnet, the deals were signed before the season began.
While the announcement underscores ownership’s faith in Maloney and Conroy, the move has caused a stir among NHL fans. Some fans took to social media to express their surprise at the team sticking with Maloney and Conroy.
Here’s a look at what fans had to say on social media:
“A very mid-level leadership group,” a fan commented.
“They are dead last and they get an extension,” this fan weighed in.
“Do You WANT to stay MID for 2 more years!?” another fan chimed in.
Meanwhile, some fans let out a collective cry for Maloney to get the heave-ho. These fans took to social media to make their thoughts known. Let’s take a look at these comments:
“FIRE MALONEY,” a fan called out.
“You guys can’t do anything right,” this fan wrote on X.
“Maloney??? Are you kidding me,” another fan remarked.
The Calgary Flames currently find themselves 31st in the NHL, one point ahead of the last-overall team, the Nashville Predators. Nashville, however, has two games in hand on the Flames.
Craig Conroy optimistic about Flames future
Craig Conroy has come under scrutiny for the Flames’ performance. The team came painfully close to a playoff spot last season, but ultimately fell short. Expectations were high this season. However, an awful start has doomed the Flames to the bottom of the standings.
Nevertheless, Conroy is not deterred by the tough start. As Sportsnet quoted Conroy, the Flames’ GM believes the team is headed in the right direction.
He started:
“I am grateful for the opportunity to continue leading this hockey club… We have made important strides the last two years, and I believe in the culture of this team. We are excited about the future, and we are all committed to do everything we can to bring success to this franchise.”
The team has not made the playoffs since 2022. The team, while not openly admitting a rebuild, has tried its best to retool on the fly. But the losses of key players like the late Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk impacted its success.
Those moves, notwithstanding, are not on Conroy. The Tkachuk trade falls on the shoulders of his predecessor, Brad Treliving. Conroy took over in the summer of 2023 after Treliving departed to take over the GM role for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
While the ship to the playoffs may have all but sailed this season, there is hope that young players like Connor Zary, Zayne Parekh, and Dustin Wolf can usher a new ear of success in for Calgary.
Edited by Nestor Quixtan
