Free Agency
Obviously, with the new direction of the Flames under Craig Conroy, free agency hasn't been a massive priority, with the team adding a few players in that time such as Anthony Mantha, Devin Cooley, Jake Bean and Ryan Lomberg.
Some have worked out, others haven't, and given how the team have prioritized building things through the draft, it makes sense that the 2025 summer and the upcoming 2026 off-season were very quiet for Calgary in free agency. In the years to come, they may be searching for complimentary pieces in free agency, but for now, they just haven't needed to add pieces that way, and with the team not letting many pieces get their way to free agency, it's been solid for Conroy.
Grade: C+
Trades
Back in 2021/22, the Flames had a fantastic core, and while it fell apart very quickly with the move of Matthew Tkachuk and the free agency departure of Johnny Gaudreau, the team still had some solid veterans left behind. Since that time, Conroy has dealt the likes of Jacob Markstrom, Elias Lindholm, Chris Tanev, Nikita Zadorov, Noah Hanifin and this past season, he added to that by moving Nazem Kadri, Ramus Andersson and Mackenzie Weegar.
In return, the Flames have added significant draft capital, as well as a cache of young players and prospects, and with some other veterans to move over the next 12 months, it's safe to say that this isn't the end. While some trades haven't netted the return that fans would have hoped, Conroy has got great assets in return and opened up spots for the young players in the organization, and as a result, he's transformed the future outlook of the Flames franchise.
Grade: B+
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