The Calgary Flames are on the hunt for a new general manager following the departure of Brad Treliving. Candidates have received their interviews, and now it seems that the hunt is nearing its end.

The Flames are in the “final stages” of their general manager search, according to NHL insider Frank Seravalli. There is no word on how close we are to the finish line, though Seravalli indicated an announcement could come next week.

Seravalli mentioned that four external candidates received in-person interviews. Among those external candidates are former Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin, former Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Dave Nonis, and former Chicago Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman.

However, the “odds-on favorite” for the Flames GM job is an internal candidate. Seravalli names former Flames player and current assistant GM Craig Conroy as the favorite to land the gig.

Conroy joined the Flames front office after retiring as a player in 2011. He received a promotion to assistant GM in 2014, a role he has held ever since. Conroy has long been considered as the favorite to land the job.

The other known candidates are interesting in their own right. Certainly the most eye-opening is Stan Bowman, who left the Blackhawks in 2021. Bowman left the organization after the Blackhawks failed to report an incident in 2010 where a member of their staff sexually assaulted a player in the organization.

Bergevin spent nine years as Canadiens GM after spending nine years with the team. He currently serves as an advisor to Los Angeles Kings GM Rob Blake.

Nonis, meanwhile, began his career as Vancouver Canucks GM back in 2004. Vancouver fired him in 2008, and he found work with the Anaheim Ducks. The Maple Leafs hired him as GM in 2013, and they fired him after the 2014-15 season.

This is certainly a major decision for the Flames, as it could mean the difference between a return to the playoffs and further futility. Flames fans undoubtedly can't wait to find out who the next decision-maker is.