Overview
- Calgary’s GM Craig Conroy publicly said the team must improve its scoring as it opens the last season at the 43-year-old Saddledome.
- Conroy accelerated a youth movement that traded veteran players and now expects 20-somethings such as Matt Coronato, Joel Farabee, Morgan Frost, Matvei Gridin, Connor Zary, Martin Pospisil and Adam Klapka to raise their production.
- The Flames finished last season as the NHL’s lowest-scoring team and missed the playoffs for a fourth straight year, a shortfall Conroy cited as the reason for urgent change.
- Coach Ryan Huska named Dustin Wolf the opener’s starter and described an active internal competition with Devin Cooley, noting Cooley is now a trusted game option after stronger play last season; Wolf and Cooley’s prior numbers show contrasting results in save percentage and goals-against average.
- Mikael Backlund remains captain while Jonathan Huberdeau starts the year sidelined for hip recovery and the alternate captain role will rotate among Joel Farabee, Jake Middleton and Ryan Strome as the club balances leadership, lineup openings and ongoing roster asset moves.