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Although the Calgary Flames missed the playoffs for a third consecutive year, falling just short of the second Western Conference Wild Card slot, they experienced important growth this season. The organization is hoping to capitalize on its upward trajectory via its latest roster move. Budding right winger Matt Coronato and the team agreed to a seven-year contract extension that carries an average annual value of $6.5 million, per NHL insider Elliotte Friedman.
Flames general manager Craig Conroy is keeping his eye firmly on the future. Years from now, this move could look mighty brilliant and become one of the best bargain buys in the NHL. The 22-year-old right winger tallied 24 goals and 23 assists in his first full NHL season, quickly solidifying himself as a valuable component of head coach Ryan Huska's squad.
The future looks bright for Flames' Matt Coronato
Coronato tied MacKenzie Weegar for third-most points on the team, coming in behind Nazem Kadri (67) and Jonathan Huberdeau (62). He also posted a plus-minus of 6. If all goes as Conroy and the franchise envision, the No. 13 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft will develop into a perennial 30-plus-goal scorer. Calgary's proactive mindset shows that it is thinking well in advance, a welcome sight for a fan base that struggled to see a viable plan in place before Conroy and Huska arrived in 2023.
Things are starting to come together in Stampede City. Fresh off a 41-win campaign in which they finished tied in points with the playoff-clinching St. Louis Blues (lost tiebreaker due to wins), the Flames are charging into the offseason. It will be interesting to see if the front office focuses on settling more of its in-house business, or if it will try to surround young Matt Coronato with other impactful players.
The next couple of months will obviously be pivotal, but the city will live in the moment following this big news. It officially feels like a new era in Calgary.
