The Don Maloney experience with the press has now clearly shed light on the messy situation that is Flames ownership. On November 28, 2025, the Flames announced the extensions of general manager Craig Conroy, president of hockey operations Don Maloney, and assistant general manager's Dave Nonis and Brad Pascal. Noting in the release that these extensions were completed in the offseason.
On The Big Show with Rusic and Rose on The Fan 960, Frank Seravalli (trusted and valued hockey insider) voiced his certainty that the extensions were completed in the past couple of weeks, rather than the months we were told in the original press release.
Also on The Big Show, when asked why the Flames would do such a thing Mr. Seravalli responded with "to save face" after Don Maloney's interviews with Flames insider Eric Francis a number of weeks ago.
Why would Flames ownership do this?
It's been clear for a number of years that the Flames hate bad press, (Dillon Dube and Team Canada issue) and at this point would do anything to avoid being in such a position. It was a clear message by the ownership group not extending their front office until now that they didn't believe in them at all, when many experts and fans of the team ecstatic with the general manager's body of work so far.
It's also clear and obvious that the ownership worries about what a rebuild would be like on their wallets, not realizing that the way to win in this day and age of the National Hockey League is through having a top pick in the draft. They point to Buffalo who has been in a rebuild for over a decade, (albeit with poor management).
It's obvious that ownership doesn't trust the rebuild process, and didn't trust (at least until now) the direction that the Flames were going this season under Craig Conroy. The attempt to save face is going to backfire on ownership for this one.