NHL Rumors: Flames Promote Ryan Huska to Head Coach to Replace Darryl Sutter

The Calgary Flames have found Darryl Sutter's replacement behind their own bench.

Ryan Huska, who has served as an assistant coach in Calgary since 2018, will be the Flames' next head coach, ESPN's Kevin Weekes reported Friday.

Calgary fired Sutter after three seasons when the Flames missed the playoffs this spring. Huska previously served as the head coach of Calgary's AHL affiliate the Stockton Heat, formerly the Adirondack Flames, from 2014 to 2018.

Under Huska's direction, the Flames' penalty kill finished fifth in the NHL with an 82.6% kill rate in 2022-23. Since Huska took over the unit five seasons ago, Calgary escaped 81.7% of penalties unscathed, good for sixth-best in the league during that span, according to the Score's Kayla Douglas.

In addition to his work on the man disadvantage, Huska is known in Calgary for his direct communication style, the Calgary Sun's Wes Gilbertson reported.

"Huska has a reputation as a strong communicator, something [general manager Craig Conroy] has mentioned time and time again as a crucial quality," wrote Gilbertson. "It speaks volumes that in two-plus decades in the coaching biz, he has never been fired."

Huska finished out his time in the AHL with a 135-118-27 record over four seasons, during which he coached future NHLers including Rasmus Andersson and Oliver Kylington. Prior to that, he spent seven seasons as head coach for the WHL's Kelowna Rockets.

The Rockets rose to the top of the WHL under Huska's leadership. Kelowna claimed the 2009 championship, then became the eighth club in WHL history to win 57 games in 2014. Meanwhile, Huska was tapped to serve as a Team Canada assistant for two IIHF World Junior Championships.

As a player, Huska was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the third round of the 1993 draft. He spent most of his career in the minor leagues, and won back-to-back WHL championships alongside Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla with the Kamloops Blazers.

Leading up to Sutter's firing were rumors that the Flames' former coach had created a negative environment for players that may have helped push current Florida Panther star Matthew Tkachuk out of Calgary. It seems Huska will need to overhaul that locker room culture to get the Flames back on track toward the 2024 postseason.