NHL News and Rumors: Stadium Series; Kyle Dubas; and Flames name GM
The Daily Goal Horn
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NHL News and Rumors: May 24, 2023
The NHL is planning to stage two Stadium Series games on back-to-back days next February at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
The games will pit the Philadelphia Flyers against the New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers against the New York Islanders, according to The Fourth Period and NHL broadcaster Kevin Weekes on Tuesday.
MetLife Stadium opened in 2010 and is home to the NFL’s New York Giants and Jets. It has yet to host an outdoor NHL game.
The Rangers are a perfect 4-0 in outdoor games, the best record of any NHL team. The Devils and Islanders have each played one outdoor game, coming in 2014 at Yankee Stadium; the Devils lost to the Rangers in a two-game set.
The Flyers are 1-3-1 in five outdoor games and last played in one in 2021 at the “NHL Outdoors at Lake Tahoe” event.
In the 2023 Stadium Series game in February, the host Carolina Hurricanes beat the Washington Capitals 4-1 at NC State’s football stadium in Raleigh, N.C.
Check out Forever Blueshirts for more on this story.
NHL News and Rumors: Flames
The Calgary Flames named Craig Conroy the team’s general manager on Tuesday.
Conroy, 51, had served as the team’s assistant general manager. The former Flames captain also spent parts of nine seasons with the club during his playing career.
“We conducted an extensive search process and today we are thrilled to introduce Craig Conroy as our general manager,” said Don Maloney, the Flames’ president of hockey operations.
“It is rewarding for the organization to learn that the most qualified individual for the position has been preparing in house. Craig brings a fresh approach; high energy; he is a tremendous communicator; decisive; a worker; and he is relationship driven. His passion for the Flames and the community are unmatched. Craig is ready for the challenge to lead our team to the Stanley Cup.”
Conroy replaces Brad Treliving, who mutually parted ways with the Flames last month.
“Thank you to the Flames ownership group for the confidence and trust they have demonstrated by providing me with this opportunity. Also, to (Calgary Sports and Entertainment president and CEO) John Bean and Don Maloney for the very detailed process that has brought us to this moment,” Conroy said.
“Over the course of the past 12 years, I’ve put in the time in every aspect of our hockey operations to prepare myself for today. I’m ready to accept this challenge and promise our fans that our team will do the work required to make them proud on the journey to deliver a championship.”
The Flames finished 38-27-17 in 2022-23, two points out of the wild card in the Western Conference.
Also on Tuesday, the Flames announced former Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Dave Nonis joined the team as senior vice president of hockey operations and assistant GM.
“I’m excited to join the management group in Calgary and assist in building a Stanley Cup winning team here,” Nonis said.
NHL News and Rumors: Kyle Dubas
Former Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas said Tuesday that he wouldn’t “get into the specifics” of his departure from Toronto but did say the organization decided to move on while he was mulling his future.
Dubas posted the statement to Twitter four days after the Maple Leafs announced they were parting ways him.
“While I understand there is interest surrounding the circumstances of my departure, I will not get into the specifics of what I consider to be reasonable and consistent but private discussions,” Dubas wrote. “In the days that I felt I needed to assess and evaluate my own view to the future, both with respect to the necessary direction of the Club and ensuring that I had the full support of my family for what I knew would be required in the off-season and years to follow, the organization, as is their right to do, decided to go in a different direction.”
Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan said during Friday’s announcement that he heard from Dubas’ agent regarding contract requests the day before. Shanahan also said listening to Dubas talk on May 15 about his uncertainty about continuing in the role was the first time he considered the Leafs might need a new general manager.
Dubas’ statement also comes one day after it was reported that the Pittsburgh Penguins received permission to speak with Dubas about their front office openings.
Dubas said last week that he’d either be with the Maple Leafs or nowhere for the 2023-24 season.
“You won’t see me next week popping up elsewhere,” he said.
Dubas, 37, joined Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment in 2014 as assistant general manager, and he concurrently served as GM of the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League. He was promoted to Maple Leafs general manager in 2018.
–Field Level Media