The Calgary Flames have decided that they are going forward with Ryan Huska as the team's head coach for the foreseeable future. General manager Craig Conroy announced that the team and Huska have come to an agreement on a two-year contract extension.
The Flames have been quite competitive under Huska the past two seasons, and they finished one point out of a playoff position last season. Huska has led the team to a 79-66-16 record during the last two seasons.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue leading this team and to build on the foundation we’ve started,” said Huska, per Flames.com. “I believe in this group, in their character, talent, and potential. I’m excited about the direction we are heading. I want to thank Craig, the ownership, and the entire organization for their trust and support. We are committed to pushing forward and bringing success back to Calgary.”
Huska has been a part of the Flames organization since 2014. He started off as the team's American Hockey League Adirondack affiliate. He went on from there to coach the Flames' minor league team in Stockton.
He was promoted to a position as the team's assistant coach in 2018 and he was named the team's head coach shortly after the conclusion of the 2022-23 season.
Flames made run at playoff spot last year
The Flames played sharp, alert hockey throughout the majority of the 2024-25 season. Huska's team finished the season with a 41-27-14 season. They finished with 96 points, and that was the same as the eighth-seeded St. Louis Blues. However, the Flames were forced to sit out the postseason because the Blues had the tiebreaker advantage.
While there are no guarantees for the upcoming season, the Flames have been moving in the right direction under Huska. Top line center Nazem Kadri is an excellent 200-foot player. He has shown he can score clutch goals and set up his teammates, and he is also solid in the defensive zone.
Kadri has played 16 years in the NHL, including the last three with the Flames. The 34-year-old scored a career-best 35 goals last year along with 32 assists for 67 points.
Kadri centers a line with Joe Farabee on the left side and Yegor Sharangovich on right wing.
