Flames News & Rumours: Nemec Role, Conroy Approach & a Development Camp Standout

The Calgary Flames have been busier than expected since the NHL’s free agency window opened on July 1. In the last week, we’ve seen Flames prospects go through development camp, and many reactions to the business management has taken care of this offseason.

Here’s a look at the news around the Flames as we head into the second week of July.

Conroy Speaks on Nemec’s Role After Signing Extension

On Monday, the Flames announced they signed defenseman Simon Nemec to a five-year, $36.25 million contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $7.25 million. On June 23, Calgary acquired Nemec from the New Jersey Devils along with Maxim Tsyplakov for a first-round pick in both the 2027 and 2028 NHL Entry Drafts, a second-round pick (which the Devils used in the 2026 Draft) and defenseman Etienne Morin, who the Flames selected 48th overall in 2023.

While the cost may seem high, the market was already influenced by the Chicago Blackhawks, who signed Bowen Byram to an outrageous $12.5 million annual salary after they acquired him from the Buffalo Sabres. There was also 23-year-old LA Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke, who signed a five-year extension with a $7.4 million AAV, and the Anaheim Ducks re-signed 22-year-old Pavel Mintyukov for five years at $7.2 million annually (via PuckPedia).

On Sportsnet 960’s Flames Talk, general manager Craig Conroy said he got the feeling that Nemec “wants to be a big part of [the Flames]” and that they intend to offer him that, noting, “I think he’s going to play both special teams, and he’s just going to play big minutes…We’re going to be able to give him more playing time in every situation. Where in New Jersey, they had a couple of other players that were maybe right in his area, and they took a little bit away from him.”

Expect Nemec to start the season on the Flames’ top pairing with Kevin Bahl. The Flames could also use him and Zayne Parekh on the same power-play unit, or maybe head coach Ryan Huska will let them quarterback different units.

I would play them together and get Parekh on a half-wall so he can use his wicked shot more often, with Nemec facilitating from the top. The Flames don’t have enough offensive talent to separate these two to create two productive units on the man advantage.

Development Camp Standout: Mace’o Phillips

As expected, many of the team’s first-round picks and top prospects, Carson Carels, Cullen Potter, Cole Reschny, and Jack Hextall, stood out at the Flames’ development camp. However, the biggest standout was Mace’o Phillips, whom the Flames selected 80th overall in the third round of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.

At 6-foot-6, 234 pounds, Phillips is best known for his size and physicality. Last season with the Green Bay Gamblers of the United States Hockey League (USHL), he finished with the third-most penalty minutes and the fifth-most penalty minutes per game.

With 139 of his 187 penalty minutes coming from nine games when he logged 10 minutes or more in the box, it’s clear he loves the physicality and antics of junior hockey rather than costing his team careless penalties. Phillips stole the show during the prospect camp scrimmage, scoring this beautiful one-handed goal off the rush.

He followed that up by scoring another jaw-dropper in the shootout following the scrimmage.

Conroy said of Phillips’ performance at development camp: “I was sitting there, my mouth was wide open… I’m like ‘OK! Now we expect more!’”

His one goal and 11 points in 44 USHL games last season don’t jump off the page, but there is some offensive skill; it’s not often you see anyone his size attempt moves like the ones he pulled off, let alone make them look so smooth.

He’ll be joining the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League (WHL) this season and playing alongside the Ruck twins, who were both selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in this year’s draft. With a more prominent role and with more offensive talent around him, Conroy’s expectation of “more” this season is reasonable.

After development camp, Phillips is starting to look more like an impactful NHL blueliner rather than just a big-body defensive defenseman who could anchor the Flames’ third pairing someday.

Conroy Keeps Cards Close to His Chest

Following July 1, Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas closed out their 32 Thoughts podcast season by recapping the year and covering the moves teams have made. With the Flames doing very little, the conversation turned speculative with Friedman, saying he is “surprised no one has come harder after Zach Whitecloud,” and noting, “I really like the way [Conroy] approaches his job… He gives you every reason to believe he’s going to hold onto guys like Whitecloud cause he needs them.”

“I look at some of these teams trying to win the Stanley Cup, and you can’t tell me he’s not more valuable to them than he is to the Calgary Flames,” Friedman continued.

I’ve been thinking about this since January, when the Flames acquired Whitecloud from the Vegas Golden Knights for Rasmus Andersson. He is the perfect fit on any team’s blue line, plays a premium position as a right-shot defenseman, and is under control for this season and next at an incredibly low AAV amidst the rising cap and recent signings. Conroy does a great job of keeping his cards close to his chest to maintain leverage even when it’s known he wants to offload veterans to make room for younger players to get their opportunities.

It makes me wonder whether he is done, or will we see Whitecloud, or others like Morgan Frost, Dylan Strome, and Joel Farabee, be moved to contenders who weren’t able to fill all their holes by the weak free-agent class that’s left? I’m guessing we’ll have moves to discuss before October. Stay up to date with all the latest Flames stories here at The Hockey Writers.