Flames open final Saddledome season Thursday against Kraken
Calgary GM Craig Conroy says a youth movement must start producing offence as the Flames begin their last year in the 43-year-old arena before moving to Scotia Place.
The Calgary Flames host the Seattle Kraken Thursday in their final home-opener at the Saddledome, the last season before the team relocates across the street to Scotia Place. GM Craig Conroy, entering his fourth year in the role, said the club accelerated a youth movement last season after a 1-8 start derailed any playoff push following a 2025 campaign that fell just one point short.
Calgary was the NHL's lowest-scoring team last season and has missed the playoffs four straight years. Conroy said forwards including Matt Coronato, Joel Farabee, Morgan Frost, Matvei Gridin, Connor Zary, Martin Pospisil and Adam Klapka need to raise their production this season as the team looks to "take a step."
Conroy, 55, played 1,009 NHL games, more than half with Calgary across two stints between 2000 and 2011, including the 2004 run to the Stanley Cup final. He said the Saddledome's final season carries personal and team-wide emotion as the Flames prepare for the new building.
Dustin Wolf will start in goal Thursday, with head coach Ryan Huska saying he now has increased confidence in backup Devin Cooley compared to last year. Wolf went 23-29-3 with a 3.01 goals-against average last season, while Cooley posted a 10-10-6 record with a 2.69 average. The Flames also confirmed Mikael Backlund will serve a fourth straight season as captain, with Jonathan Huberdeau and Zach Whitecloud as alternates; Huberdeau will miss the start of the season recovering from hip surgery.
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