Flames Notebook: Conroy’s summer plans don’t include free agency

CALGARY — Craig Conroy and his front office will get a chance to spend Canada Day the right way — by celebrating our nation’s birthday.

While other GMs work the phones, picking away at the few impact players left on the pricey open market, the Calgary Flames’ brass will be down at WinSport, watching their latest draft picks on display at development camp.

They will not be dipping into the world of free agency.

“With where we are, we have a lot of bodies right now anyways, and you know we’re going to see how these guys do,” said Conroy of his even younger squad.

“We’re always looking to do something, but I really don’t know how many guys are going to be available to us that make sense who fit what we’re looking for.”

Leaving spots open for youngsters to compete for is absolutely the right move.  

As quiet as the Conroy and his rebuilding bunch will be this summer, there was some news Monday in the form of updates on Connor Zary, Blake Coleman, Ryan Lomberg, Jonathan Huberdeau and a raft of players the Flames have decided to move on from:

The Flames did have to do a little housework Monday, deciding on which restricted free agents to qualify with an eye on keeping in the fold.

Obviously, recent acquisition Simon Nemec was given a qualifying offer, as were William Stromgren and defenceman Brennan Othmann.

Rory Kerins and Sam Morton were recently re-signed. 

The list of those who weren’t made a qualifying offer, and will no longer be part of the organization includes John Beecher, Parker Bell, Lucas Ciona, Artem Grushnikov, Carter King, Gavin White and goalie Owen Say.

Say needs to be cleared from a recent injury, and the belief is that he will be re-signed by the club at some point to be part of their goaltending conversation at the AHL level.

Conroy will now get to work on signing Nemec to a long-term deal, which the 22-year-old defenceman said he’s open to after being traded from New Jersey to Calgary as part of a massive six-piece deal before the draft last week.

Lomberg and crew on the way out  

Conroy clarified what has long been expected, that 31-year-old fan favourite Ryan Lomberg will not be kept past July 1.

“We brought him in, and he’s been unbelievable, but I just do think with the amount of bodies we have up front it’d probably be tough to bring back Ryan,” he said of Calgary’s only nuclear deterrent.

“I mean, we love him, and he’s always going to be a Flame, no matter what, even if he’s not here next year.”

Lomberg had long made it clear he wanted to continue being a Flame and has plans to live in Calgary when his playing days are over. Unfortunately, the colourful, effervescent winger’s spot in the lineup was taken over by youngsters in the final third of the season. 

The Flames have seven other players who will walk into unrestricted free agency Wednesday, including Jake Bean, Victor Olofsson, Clark Bishop, Justin Kirkland, Nick Cicec, Daniil Miromanov and goalie Ivan Prosvetov.  

The 24-year-old junior star hasn’t been able to gain the sort of traction he’d hoped since the Flames drafted him 24th overall in 2020.

Injuries have certainly played a role in his inability to become a more potent offensive force, as the coach and player just don’t seem to be on the same page in terms of where and how he should be used in the lineup.

The relationship simply hasn’t blossomed the way either side would have liked.

Reports have surfaced that the Flames would like a second-rounder in exchange for his services. But with his best season sitting at 14 goals and 34 points three years ago, the Flames may have to weigh whether they’d consider lowering their asking price so both sides can move on. Otherwise, no one should be surprised if the Saskatoon native opens the season in Calgary, as he has two years left on a deal paying him $3.77 million annually.  

Ahead of his final season under a contract paying him $4.9 million, the 34-year-old winger has submitted his 10-team approved trade list. However, it’s been quiet.

Perhaps that will change after the smoke clears on free agency, and a team or two may circle back. But don’t be surprised if he, too, starts the season in Calgary, where his leadership is valued.

A trade will almost certainly be in the works ahead of the trade deadline, but Conroy revealed in the spring that Coleman would consider forgoing a shot at his third Stanley Cup ring to continue being a mentor in Calgary, but only if the team extends his contract past this season. Coleman’s is a very fluid situation, as the team and player are both comfortable whatever path this takes.  

Jonathan Huberdeau’s season ended early so he could have hip resurfacing surgery, which requires several months of rehabilitation afterwards.

“I actually talked to Jonathan three or four days ago, and he’s skating,” said Conroy, of the only player on his roster he worried might not be ready for training camp.

“He said it feels great in the gym and great doing everything else. The skating is a work in progress, but he’s got a few months still, so he thinks he’ll be 100 per cent ready to go. Hubie was probably the one I was most worried about for camp, but it sounds like he’s going to be ready to go. It’s not minor surgery, you don’t really know how guys will respond to it. He said he’s pain-free, which is the first time in a long time. So that’s a great sign.”