The Calgary Flames announced today that Cranbrook born Ryan Huska has been named as the team’s new head coach.

The 47-year-old, who already calls Calgary home, has coached in the Flames organization since the 2014-15 season when he was appointed head coach of the Flames’ American Hockey League affiliate in Adirondack. He later coached the Flames top prospects in Stockton before becoming an assistant coach with the Flames in 2018.

Calgary general manager Craig Conroy stated on NHL.com: “While continuity and familiarity are a benefit, we have witnessed first-hand Ryan’s work ethic; he is a clear communicator who builds trust with his players; and he’s a critical thinker with a plan.

“Ryan provides 11 seasons of bench experience as a head coach from the WHL and the AHL and over 20 years coaching in total, including knowledge gained as an assistant coach in Calgary for the past five seasons. Ryan has earned this opportunity and we are confident he is the right coach for our team.”

“I’m honoured to have earned the trust of Flames ownership, of Craig and the entire management group to coach this team,” Huska said to NHL.com. “My position coming into this is a little different than most as I know our players very well. We have good people in our dressing room, excellent hockey players who want to win. My job is to inspire them every single day to help get our team to the next level.”

Huska started his coaching career in 2002 as an assistant coach with the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League and was appointed as the club’s head coach in 2007. Two years after being appointed, Huska led the Rockets to a WHL championship and advanced to the Memorial Cup, falling to the Windsor Spitfires in the final.

He spent seven years as the Rockets head coach and finished his junior coaching career with an overall record 303-164-37. In his 11 seasons as a head coach, he has never had a losing season and has made the playoffs eight of the 11 years.

Over the course of his coaching career in Kelowna, he helped guide his teams to four Memorial Cup appearances, winning in 2004 over the Gatineau Olympiques.

As a player, Huska spent his junior career as a teammate of former Flames captain Jarome Iginla with the Kamloops Blazers, winning three Memorial Cups in 1992, 1994 and 1995 which ties a CHL record. In total, he has competed for the Memorial Cup on seven occasions, winning four titles. He has also represented Canada on two occasions as an assistant coach in 2011 and 2012 at the World Junior Championships.

The 47-year-old was drafted in the third round, 76th overall in the 1993 NHL Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks and played three years with the Hawks’ IHL team in Indianapolis before making his NHL debut on May 1, 1995, against Calgary.

He completed his playing career in 2000 following his final two seasons with the New York Islanders and Arizona Coyotes’ AHL clubs.

Calgary Flames photo

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