Earlier this week, Ryan Huska was talking excitedly about what the future could hold for the Calgary Flames.
The bench boss started with some of the 20-somethings that have already emerged as core pieces, a list that is headlined by face-of-the-franchise goalie Dustin Wolf.
He soon transitioned to the prospect pipeline, understandable since a pair of talented teenagers — speedy forward Matvei Gridin and soon-to-be power-play quarterback Zayne Parekh — have been among the biggest stories of training camp.
The Flames feel they have a growing collection of future difference-makers. They made it clear Thursday, in announcing a two-year extension for Huska, they also believe they have the right coach to ensure those kids reach their full potential.
“I’m really high on our young players that we currently have now, and some have earned some really nice contracts here over the last little bit — Kevin Bahl, Matt (Coronato), Wolfie,” Huska said after Wednesday’s morning skate at the Saddledome. “Like, there are a lot of really good young players here. And I don’t want to disrespect them, but I do feel like the guys that are coming from behind, when they’re ready, when the time is right, are going to be a different level. They’re going to help our team immensely as we continue to get going here.
“So they’ve found a way to find some good young players in the draft. And now, it’s up to our job to continue to develop them.”
That will remain Huska’s job for the next few winters.
He had one year remaining on his current contract, so his extension carries through the end of the 2027-28 campaign.
What happens at that point will hinge largely on how those up-and-comers are performing, whether they have the Flames looked like a perennial playoff squad and bonafide contender-in-the-making.
Huska doesn’t hyperbolize much, so it means something that he has more than once mentioned his belief that Coronato could someday score at a 40-goal clip. Can he help him reach those heights?
Calgary Flames coach Ryan Huska speaks during a post-game press conference.
Will Bahl continue to blossom into a shutdown stalwart? Could he be the perfect partner for Parekh, who must be allowed to do a little freelancing?
How can the coach put Gridin in position to utilize his blazing wheels as an asset at both ends of the rink?
How will he eventually implement Cole Reschny and Cullen Potter, the Flames’ first-round picks from 2025? Just as important, how will he handle the veterans as they need to be eased into reduced roles, the ultimate sign that an organization is on an upward trajectory?
“I love everything about this team — the players, the coaches, the managers,” Huska told Postmedia earlier in training camp. “I love everything about it. If I could stay here for a hundred years, this is the place I’d love to be.”
Huska, who turned 50 in July, hates to talk about the fact he has never been fired, an anomaly in the behind-the-bench business.
But there’s a reason for it. Because he’s been leaned on to develop young players — including a four-season stint as skipper for the Flames’ farm club — and has achieved results.
Go ask Rasmus Andersson, now 500-and-some games into his NHL career, about Huska’s impact on his ascent from second-round selection to top-pairing minutes. It’s not a short answer.
As Flames general manager Craig Conroy summed up in Thursday’s extension announcement: “His communication, work ethic, and commitment to developing our players have been outstanding.”
Conroy & Co. are banking on that to continue. It’s how these next three seasons will ultimately be judged.