Latest news with #RyanHuska
National Post
3 days ago
- Business
- National Post
Calgary Flames promote Trent Cull to full-time assistant, announce Brad Larsen will return
The Calgary Flames have rewarded Trent Cull with a permanent promotion, while Brad Larsen is ready to return and Dan Lambert has been released from his contract and will be looking for work elsewhere. Article content Article content The Flames announced those updates on Friday afternoon, essentially finalizing their coaching staff for the 2025-26 campaign. Article content Cull was previously the skipper for the AHL's Wranglers, but he spent the second half of this season on the big-league bench after Larsen was granted a leave of absence for family reasons. Article content Article content The 51-year-old Cull made such a positive impact — on the penalty-kill units, in particular — that he's now been named a full-time assistant on Ryan Huska's crew. Article content The Flames are also thrilled to welcome back Larsen, a valuable sounding board for Huska since he has previous experience as both a player and a head coach at the highest level. Larsen, now 47, was hired as an assistant last June. He has been away from the organization since early December. Article content Lambert, who had one year remaining on his contract in Calgary, is the odd man out. He was responsible for the defence in 2024-25. Article content 'Facing a challenging situation last season, Trent stepped in and was very impressive managing his assignments with our NHL club,' said Flames general manager Craig Conroy in Friday's announcement. 'We thank Dan for his contributions to the organization during the past two seasons and wish him every success with his future in the game.' Article content Cull's promotion means the Wranglers will be searching for a new shot-caller. With the stockpile of exciting prospects who will be developing next season at the AHL level, that's considered a very important post. Article content
National Post
21-05-2025
- Sport
- National Post
FLAMES RETOOL TRACKER: Jonathan Huberdeau's new-look year offers encouraging signs
Article content Jonathan Huberdeau wants more points next season. What player doesn't? Article content Article content It speaks to his evolving role with the Calgary Flames, though, that nobody else seems overly concerned with him adding more goals or assists. Article content A successful season for the Flames' left-winger will not be defined solely by his offensive production. Article content This is the team's most expensive player, though, and a guy who is under contract until the 2030-31 season. Only Matt Coronato currently has a contract to be with the Flames for longer. Article content Article content Huberdeau is one of the very most important players to the next half-decade of Calgary hockey, plain and simple. Article content So, if Huberdeau's contributions are going to be judged by something other than his offence, it bears asking: What exactly does a successful season look like in 2025-26 for the soon-to-be 32-year-old? Article content 'I want the same guy to come back,' Flames head coach Ryan Huska explained on exit day. 'In conversations with Hubie, the one area he wants to bump up some more — and he knows he's not going to blow it through the roof — he can still increase his point total a little bit more. That can be done without changing what he did for us this year.' Article content What Huberdeau did in 2024-25 was focus on becoming a more well-rounded player. It may have been his points production with the Florida Panthers that made him a star, but that has fallen off since he arrived in Calgary in the summer of 2022 as the key piece of the package the Flames received in exchange for Matthew Tkachuk. Article content Article content Huberdeau had scored 115 points the previous season. There's no reasonable expectation that he's going to replicate that now. Article content Article content After putting up 55 points in his first year with the Flames and then 52 in Year 2, he shifted his focus. Article content In 2024-25, he played on the Flames' penalty kill. He improved his play retrieving pucks along the boards, becoming what his teammates jokingly called a power forward. Article content The 62 points he put up is obviously nowhere near what he managed with the Panthers, but in the Flames' eyes, the improvements in other areas of his game more than made up for that. Article content 'I would say I'm most proud of the 200-foot game,' Huberdeau explained on exit day. 'Points-wise, you always want to get more, but I think overall I found a way to be more successful in Calgary with my game and I became more of an all-around player and penalty killing.
CTV News
09-05-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
These Calgary Flames are playing in the world hockey championship
Calgary Flames' Rasmus Andersson, right, celebrates his goal with teammate Mikael Backlund during second period NHL hockey action against the Columbus Blue Jackets in Calgary on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh) The IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship is kicking off in Sweden and Denmark on Friday and a handful of Calgary Flames are there to represent their country. Five Flames are currently on rosters at the tournament, along with head coach Ryan Huska, who is an assistant coach for Team Canada. Defenceman Mackenzie Weegar is donning the maple leaf, representing Canada. He finished the 2024-25 season tied for third in points on the Flames, notching eight goals and 39 assists for 47 points. Forward Mikael Backlund and defender Rasmus Andersson are representing their home country of Sweden. Andersson was named the team's captain, while Backlund is an assistant. Backlund finished the year with 15 goals and 17 assists. Andersson had 11 goals and 20 assists in 81 games but noted he was playing through a broken fibula down the stretch of the year. Goaltender Dan Vladar also made the trip for the tournament to join Czechia's roster. He started between the pipes in 29 games last year, winning 12, with a 2.80 goals-against average and a .898 save percentage. 2023 first-round pick Samuel Honzek was also selected to play for Slovakia. The 20-year-old forward suited up in five games with the Flames last season but spent most of the year with the Calgary Wranglers in the AHL, putting up eight goals and 13 assists. Zayne Parekh, the Flames' 2024 ninth-overall pick, joined Team Canada for their pre-tournament games, but was not included on the roster for the preliminary round. The puck drop for Canada's first game against Slovakia is scheduled for 4:20 a.m. on Saturday morning. Sweden takes on Slovakia at 12:20 p.m. on Friday, while Czechia faced off against Switzerland on Friday morning. Canada is in Group A for the preliminary stage, along with Austria, Finland, France, Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden. TSN is carrying every game of the world hockey championship, taking place in Stockholm, Sweden; and Herning, Denmark. Visit the tournament's website for the full schedule.
National Post
09-05-2025
- Sport
- National Post
‘Way to go bud': Flames coach Ryan Huska celebrates son's hockey achievement
Article content This was a proud parent moment for Calgary Flames head coach Ryan Huska. Article content Article content Currently overseas as part of Team Canada's bench staff at the world championship tournament, Huska was thrilled to learn that his son Luke was selected by the Swift Current Broncos in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft. Article content Way to go bud - proud of you. — Ryan Huska (@ryanhuska) May 8, 2025 Article content Luke Huska, who turns 15 in July, skated this winter with the U-15 prep squad at Edge School. He notched 14 goals and 41 points in 34 games. Article content The Broncos believe this left-shot centre has a bright future ahead. They called his name at No. 44 overall in Thursday's second round. Article content Luke is sometimes spotted around Saddledome, where his dad has been on the Flames coaching staff for the past seven seasons. Perhaps, he'll someday skate onto that same sheet for a WHL clash with the Calgary Hitmen. Article content 'I really like Luke,' Broncos general manager Chad Leslie said. 'I think if you take the name-bar off his jersey and you're just looking at the player … Certainly, his name had no bearing on why we took him. Article content 'I really like Luke's individual sense and his ability to make plays. He sees the ice so well. He's such a high-percentage player. He has great habits. A lot of things happen off his stick. He's reliable defensively. He wants to be a player. His lack of physical strength is really dictating for him right now, which is really exciting for us. Article content Article content 'We feel the upside is huge and it's a great family. All he wants to do is be a player. He just is concerned about getting better, getting stronger, developing. And you can tell he's a coach's kid by how he plays with his habits.' Article content Article content Luke's dad, before he transitioned to coaching, had a heck of a run as a WHL player, helping the Kamloops Blazers to three Memorial Cup crowns in a four-year span from 1992-95. His teammates during that stellar stretch included Shane Doan, Jarome Iginla, Scott Niedermayer and Darcy Tucker. Article content
Calgary Herald
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
‘Way to go bud': Flames coach Ryan Huska celebrates son's hockey achievement
Article content This was a proud parent moment for Calgary Flames head coach Ryan Huska. Article content Article content Currently overseas as part of Team Canada's bench staff at the world championship tournament, Huska was thrilled to learn that his son Luke was selected by the Swift Current Broncos in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft. Article content Way to go bud - proud of you. — Ryan Huska (@ryanhuska) May 8, 2025 Article content Luke Huska, who turns 15 in July, skated this winter with the U-15 prep squad at Edge School. He notched 14 goals and 41 points in 34 games. Article content Article content The Broncos believe this left-shot centre has a bright future ahead. They called his name at No. 44 overall in Thursday's second round. Article content Luke is sometimes spotted around Saddledome, where his dad has been on the Flames coaching staff for the past seven seasons. Perhaps, he'll someday skate onto that same sheet for a WHL clash with the Calgary Hitmen. Article content 'I really like Luke,' Broncos general manager Chad Leslie said. 'I think if you take the name-bar off his jersey and you're just looking at the player … Certainly, his name had no bearing on why we took him. Article content 'I really like Luke's individual sense and his ability to make plays. He sees the ice so well. He's such a high-percentage player. He has great habits. A lot of things happen off his stick. He's reliable defensively. He wants to be a player. His lack of physical strength is really dictating for him right now, which is really exciting for us. Article content Article content 'We feel the upside is huge and it's a great family. All he wants to do is be a player. He just is concerned about getting better, getting stronger, developing. And you can tell he's a coach's kid by how he plays with his habits.' Article content Article content Luke's dad, before he transitioned to coaching, had a heck of a run as a WHL player, helping the Kamloops Blazers to three Memorial Cup crowns in a four-year span from 1992-95. His teammates during that stellar stretch included Shane Doan, Jarome Iginla, Scott Niedermayer and Darcy Tucker. Article content
