After an embarrassing blowout loss to the Seattle Kraken in the Calgary Flames’ season opener, fingers are already pointing at head coach Ryan Huska.
It’s natural that after a 6–1 loss to start a season, fans and critics alike take a look at who’s behind the bench.
The Calgary Flames fanbase is split down the middle on their opinion of Huska. Some are growing tired of his dump-and-chase style of hockey. Others are coming to his defence, praising what he’s done with the roster he’s been dealt.
This isn’t a “hit piece” on Ryan Huska; he’s done a lot of things right. Notably helping restore the once negative, bitter locker room culture from years past. Despite crushing losses, Huska has helped this young group leave losses in the past and come to the rink ready to start anew. Flames management has backed Huska, trusting him to be Calgary’s bench boss through the 2027–28 season.
But not everyone is buying what Huska is selling anymore.
So, should the Flames consider moving on from the former Kelowna Rockets head coach?
The Negatives
No matter which way you cut it, the facts are the facts. The Calgary Flames have regressed on the ice every year since Huska took the reins.
From the standpoint of “team tank,” Huska has been the ideal “tank commander”
The season opener against the Kraken proved just that. The Flames looked uncoordinated, uncomfortable and simply unprepared.
And there’s still the burning question: Have the Calgary Flames actually taken a step forward as a club under Huska?
Throughout the now-3-year tenure of Huska’s Flames, older veterans have seen a lot of frankly undeserved ice time. This morning, 35-year-old 7th defenceman Joel Hanley was playing on the second defensive pairing with Simon Nemec.
Adam Klapka has continued to see ice time over hungry young players like Aydar Suniev, who gritted his teeth and earned a roster spot during the preseason.
Connor Zary was healthy-scratched seemingly out of nowhere for the Flames’ 4–1 loss to the Canucks on October 3, and after playing against the Kraken, was placed on waivers.
Former 16th overall pick Brennan Othmann has spent most of his Flames tenure eating popcorn from the press box.
Huska has infamously over-relied on his star goaltender, Dustin Wolf. Huska rode Wolf hard last season, starting Wolf in 18 of Calgary’s first 21 games of the season.
There was also criticism stemming from the home opener. Huska left Wolf out to dry, keeping him in net for that aforementioned 6–1 blowout.
The Flames’ power play under Huska has been abysmal, and it took a big step back in 2025–26.
The Calgary Flames’ power play percentage dropped from 20.6% in 2024–25 to just 16.6% in 2025–26.
Is It Time To Move On?
For most of the Flames faithful, we don’t expect the Flames to come close to sniffing the playoffs. But we expect to see some positive steps forward on the ice, not seeing our team struggle in the same areas as in years prior.
When the doors of Scotia Place open next fall, Joel Hanley or Brayden Pachal on the second pairing isn’t what’s going to get fans excited for the team’s future.
The 2026–27 season should be the final year of Ryan Huska’s tenure.
The NHL coaching market features a lot of interesting names, with names like Bruce Cassidy, David Carle, Jay Woodcroft and Patrick Roy, just to name a few.
The Flames are pushing to make Scotia Place a fresh start. The beginning of a new and successful chapter in Flames history should have a new name behind the bench as part of that plan.
No matter your stance, you have to respect the work Huska and his coaching staff have put in off the ice for the Calgary Flames. His culture and leadership building have been one of his only crowning achievements in his tenure as Flames head coach.
But the question remains: is it time to move on?
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