Great people, smart hockey guys, and I think they’ll do a great job for Calgary. Some fresh air,” said Backlund, who played with Conroy and was coached by Huska back in their Kelowna days. “I think it’s exciting times in Calgary with those guys coming in. Ditto rookie head coach Ryan Huska, who moves up from his assistant role under the abrasive Darryl Sutter.
He finds the optimism in long-serving assistant GM Conroy earning his promotion. I have that connection to Calgary and the passion for Calgary, and that is more like me personally, what my thoughts are.”īacklund holds a 10-team no-trade list, so he will have some control over his fate in 2023-24. “But I’ve been in Calgary so long that that’s not the main focus for me. And of course, you know, if all those guys leave and Lindy, it would affect me a little bit,” Backlund said. “Uh… it’s more about, like, how I feel myself.