Craig Conroy
Encyclopedia
Craig Conroy is an American
former professional ice hockey
player and currently the Special Assistant to the General Manager of the Calgary Flames
. A sixth round selection of the Montreal Canadiens
at the 1990
National Hockey League
(NHL) Entry Draft, Conroy played 1,009 NHL games for the Canadiens, St. Louis Blues
, Calgary Flames and Los Angeles Kings
during a professional career that spanned from 1994 to 2011. Internationally, he twice played with the United States National Team – at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey
and the 2006 Winter Olympics
.
Developed as a defensive specialist through much of his career, Conroy was twice a finalist for the Selke Trophy as the league's top defensive forward and was nominated for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy
as its most gentlemanly player. He played over 1,000 games in the NHL and was the second oldest player in league history to reach that milestone. Conroy, who enjoyed his greatest offensive seasons with the Flames, is a former captain
of the team and was twice honored by the organization for his leadership, dedication and humanitarian efforts.
, New York. He attended high school at Northwood School. His father Mike played minor league hockey for the Syracuse Blazers
and at four years old Conroy served as the team's mascot prior to games.
He followed in the footsteps of his father and two uncles in playing hockey at Clarkson University
for the Golden Knights
. He enrolled at Clarkson in 1990 and played four seasons for the school. During his junior season of 1992–93, Conroy scored two goals in a 5–3 victory over RPI
in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) semi-final to help lead his team to the conference championship game. Conroy reached 100 career points with the goals, joining his father Mike as the only such pair in Clarkson's history to reach that milestone. Conroy and the Golden Knights then won the ECAC title with a 3–1 victory over Brown University
.
The Golden Knights made Conroy a co-captain in his senior year of 1993–94. He led the ECAC in scoring with 66 points and was named to the conference's First All-Star Team, the National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) First All-Star Team and the NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team. He was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award
as top player in the NCAA, finishing second to Chris Marinucci
.
by the Montreal Canadiens
. He turned professional in 1994 upon completing his college career in Clarkson. At his first day of his first training camp with Montreal, he got into a fight with the team's star goaltender, Patrick Roy
, after striking the latter with a slap shot in practice. He spent the majority of the 1994–95 season
in the American Hockey League
(AHL) with the Fredericton Canadiens
, scoring 26 goals and 44 points in 55 games. He appeared in six games for Montreal that year. He played his first NHL game on February 15, 1995, against the Hartford Whalers
, and scored his first goal one night later against the New York Rangers
. Though he was an offensive star at Clarkson and Fredericton, the Canaidens sought to convert him to a defensive specialist in the NHL.
While he averaged over one point per game with Fredericton in 1995–96
, Conroy again played only a handful of games with Montreal. He again began 1996–97
in the AHL, but was traded along with Pierre Turgeon
and Rory Fitzpatrick
to the St. Louis Blues
for Murray Baron
, Shayne Corson
and a draft pick on October 29, 1996. Conroy appeared in five games with the Worcester IceCats
in the AHL, but after earning a recall to St. Louis, established himself as a regular in the NHL and appeared in 61 games with the Blues that season. Head coach Joel Quenneville
worked to develop Conroy's abilities as a defensive forward and top faceoff
specialist. Conroy responded in 1997–98 by improving to 43 points and a career-high plus-minus rating of +20. In recognition of his season, he was named a finalist for both the Selke Trophy as the NHL's top defensive forward, and the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy
as its most gentlemanly player.
Conroy remained one of the league's top defensive forwards in 1998–99. While he missed several games with a high ankle sprain, he scored his first career hat trick
on February 26, 1999, against the Calgary Flames
and finished sixth in Selke Trophy voting that season. He faced a difficult season in 1999–2000 as Queneville adopted a new strategy that abandoned the concept of a checking line. Conroy struggled at both ends of the ice, and frequently found his ice time limited as a result. He finished the season with just 27 points.
Looking to improve their team for a playoff run in 2000–01, the Blues dealt Conroy, along with a draft pick, to the Flames for Cory Stillman
. The trade was initially unpopular in Calgary as the Flames had given up their leading scorer for Conroy, who noted that that was when he "learned not to read the papers or watch TV".
. The pair developed good chemistry, and became the best of friends. Conroy scored career highs with 28 goals and 75 points, while Iginla reached the 50-goal plateau for the first time and led the league in scoring. Iginla credited Conroy for making his breakout season possible. Additionally, Conroy was named a finalist for the Selke Trophy for a second time. The Flames named him a co-captain along with Bob Boughner
late in the 2001–02 season, and he held the role full-time in 2002–03.
Conroy was the Flames second-leading scorer in 2002–03 with 59 points and again in 2003–04 when he scored 47 points despite missing 19 games with a knee injury. Shortly before that 2003 season began, Conroy gave up the captaincy after having decided it was time for Iginla to take over leadership of the team. He reached two milestones that season; he scored his 300th career point against the Vancouver Canucks
on November 29, 2003 and played his 600th game against the Detroit Red Wings
on March 16, 2004. The Flames qualified for the 2004 playoffs
, their first trip to the post-season in eight seasons. Conroy was a key player for the team as they upset the top three seeds in the Western Conference
, the Canucks, Red Wings and San Jose Sharks
en route to a seventh game loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning
in the Stanley Cup Final. He finished second on the team in playoff scoring with 17 points. Following the season, Conroy was named to play with Team USA at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey
, but appeared in only two games for the team.
Conroy left the Flames as a free agent
following the playoff run as he opted to sign a four-year, US$
12 million contract with the Los Angeles Kings
. He later admitted that he did not truly wish to leave the Flames, but facing financial uncertainty with the 2004–05 NHL lockout looming, Conroy chose to accept the guaranteed contract. The lockout wiped out the first year of the deal, but he returned in 2005–06 to reach the 20 goal mark for the third time and 60 points for the second time in his career. During that season, he joined the United States national team for a second time, playing in the 2006 Winter Olympics
. He appeared in six games, scoring one goal and five points for the eighth place Americans.
Conroy struggled under new coach Marc Crawford
early in the 2006–07 season, falling to five goals and sixteen points in 52 games for the Kings before he was traded back to the Flames on January 29, 2007, in exchange for Jamie Lundmark
and two draft picks. An emotional Conroy, who said he was happy to return to Calgary, scored two goals the following night in his second debut with the Flames to defeat his former Kings teammates, 4–1. Conroy finished the season by scoring 21 points in 28 games for Calgary, then scored 34 points in 2007–08.
The Flames re-signed Conroy to a new contract prior to the 2008–09 season
and named him an alternate captain. He scored his 500th career point on January 3, 2009, when he assisted on Todd Bertuzzi
's game winning goal in a 3–2 win against the Nashville Predators
, and finished the year with 48 points. The 2009–10 NHL season
proved a difficult one for Conroy, as he scored only three goals and twelve assists during a season shortened by wrist and knee injures along with a broken foot. He returned for another season as the Flames re-signed him to a one-year, two-way contract for the league minimum of $500,000. At 39-years-old, Conroy played his 1,000th NHL game, against the Colorado Avalanche
, on October 28, 2010. Only Grant Ledyard
was older (age 40) when he reached that milestone.
Conroy played only nine more games after passing the milestone, and last played on December 20 against the Minnesota Wild
. A healthy scratch in 32 of 50 games, and 28 of his final 29, Conroy was waived
on January 25, 2011. After going unclaimed, he was left with the option of joining Calgary's AHL affiliate in Abbotsford
or retiring. One week later, on February 4, 2011, Conroy formally announced his retirement and accepted a management position with the Flames organization, becoming the special assistant to general manager Jay Feaster
.
He is known for his outgoing and talkative nature, traits that have made him a popular figure with the fans. The Flames honored Conroy with the J. R. "Bud" McCaig Award, given by the organization to individuals that show respect, courtesy and compassion, in 2008–09. He was also named him the winner of the Ralph T. Scurfield Humanitarian Award in 2010 in recognition of his charitable efforts. Additionally, his teammates voted him the organization's nominee for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy
which is awarded to the player who best exemplifies leadership and humanitarian contributions to their community. Conroy is the spokesman for the team's charitable organization, the Flames Foundation for Life and routinely participates in team events.
Note: Conroy and Boughner shared the captaincy, in the later half of the 2001–02 NHL season, after Lowry was stripped of the role.
Conroy was then named sole captain for the 2002–03 NHL season.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
former professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player and currently the Special Assistant to the General Manager of the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
. A sixth round selection of the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
at the 1990
1990 NHL Entry Draft
The 1990 National Hockey League Entry Draft was the 28th NHL Entry Draft. It was hosted by the Vancouver Canucks at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on June 16, 1990...
National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL) Entry Draft, Conroy played 1,009 NHL games for the Canadiens, St. Louis Blues
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team is named after the famous W. C. Handy song "St. Louis Blues", and plays in the 19,150-seat Scottrade...
, Calgary Flames and Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
during a professional career that spanned from 1994 to 2011. Internationally, he twice played with the United States National Team – at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey
2004 World Cup of Hockey
The 2004 World Cup of Hockey was an international ice hockey tournament. It was the second installment of the National Hockey League -sanctioned competition eight years after the inaugural 1996 World Cup of Hockey. It was held from August 30 to September 14, 2004, and took place in various venues...
and the 2006 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 2006 Winter Olympics
-Leading scorers:-Leading goaltenders:Goalkeepers with 40% or more of their team's total minutes.-Awards:Antero Niittymäki was named the most valuable player and received the Directorate Award for best goaltender of the tournament. Directorate Awards also went to Teemu Selänne for best forward, and...
.
Developed as a defensive specialist through much of his career, Conroy was twice a finalist for the Selke Trophy as the league's top defensive forward and was nominated for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy
The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, formerly known as the Lady Byng Trophy, is presented each year to the National Hockey League "player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability"...
as its most gentlemanly player. He played over 1,000 games in the NHL and was the second oldest player in league history to reach that milestone. Conroy, who enjoyed his greatest offensive seasons with the Flames, is a former captain
Captain (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, each team can designate an official captain for each game. The player serving as captain during the game wears a "C" on his or her jersey...
of the team and was twice honored by the organization for his leadership, dedication and humanitarian efforts.
Early life
An only child, Conroy was born and raised in PotsdamPotsdam (town), New York
Potsdam is a town located in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The population was 15,957 at the 2000 census. The ZIP code is 13676. The town is named after the city of Potsdam in Germany...
, New York. He attended high school at Northwood School. His father Mike played minor league hockey for the Syracuse Blazers
Syracuse Blazers
The Syracuse Blazers were a minor league hockey team that played in the Onondaga County War Memorial and New York State Fair Coliseum in Syracuse, New York....
and at four years old Conroy served as the team's mascot prior to games.
He followed in the footsteps of his father and two uncles in playing hockey at Clarkson University
Clarkson University
-The Clarkson School:The Clarkson School, a special division of Clarkson University, was founded in 1978 as a unique educational opportunity. The School offers students an early entrance opportunity into college, replacing the typical senior year of high school with a year of college...
for the Golden Knights
Clarkson Golden Knights men's ice hockey
The Clarkson Golden Knights Men's Ice Hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college ice hockey program that represents Clarkson University. The Golden Knights are a member of ECAC Hockey...
. He enrolled at Clarkson in 1990 and played four seasons for the school. During his junior season of 1992–93, Conroy scored two goals in a 5–3 victory over RPI
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Stephen Van Rensselaer established the Rensselaer School on November 5, 1824 with a letter to the Rev. Dr. Samuel Blatchford, in which van Rensselaer asked Blatchford to serve as the first president. Within the letter he set down several orders of business. He appointed Amos Eaton as the school's...
in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) semi-final to help lead his team to the conference championship game. Conroy reached 100 career points with the goals, joining his father Mike as the only such pair in Clarkson's history to reach that milestone. Conroy and the Golden Knights then won the ECAC title with a 3–1 victory over Brown University
Brown Bears men's ice hockey
The Brown Bears men's ice hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college ice hockey program that represents Brown University. The Bears are a member of ECAC Hockey. They play at the Meehan Auditorium in Providence, Rhode Island.-External links:*...
.
The Golden Knights made Conroy a co-captain in his senior year of 1993–94. He led the ECAC in scoring with 66 points and was named to the conference's First All-Star Team, the National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA) First All-Star Team and the NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team. He was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award
Hobey Baker Award
The Hobey Baker Award is an annual award given to the top National Collegiate Athletic Association men's ice hockey player.It is named for hockey player and World War I veteran Hobey Baker, who played collegiately at Princeton University and learned the game at St...
as top player in the NCAA, finishing second to Chris Marinucci
Chris Marinucci
Christopher Jon Marinucci is a American retired ice hockey player who played briefly in the NHL with the Los Angeles Kings and the New York Islanders...
.
Montreal and St. Louis
Conroy was selected in the sixth round, 123rd overall, at the 1990 NHL Entry Draft1990 NHL Entry Draft
The 1990 National Hockey League Entry Draft was the 28th NHL Entry Draft. It was hosted by the Vancouver Canucks at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on June 16, 1990...
by the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
. He turned professional in 1994 upon completing his college career in Clarkson. At his first day of his first training camp with Montreal, he got into a fight with the team's star goaltender, Patrick Roy
Patrick Roy
Patrick Edward Armand Roy is a former Canadian ice hockey goaltender. Nicknamed "Saint Patrick," Roy split his professional career between the Montreal Canadiens, whom he played with for 10 years, and the Colorado Avalanche, whom he played with for 8 years, both of the National Hockey League...
, after striking the latter with a slap shot in practice. He spent the majority of the 1994–95 season
1994–95 AHL season
The 1994–95 AHL season was the 59th season of the American Hockey League. The All-Star Game is revived, with All-Stars grouped into "Team Canada" and "Team USA." Sixteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule...
in the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
(AHL) with the Fredericton Canadiens
Fredericton Canadiens
The Fredericton Canadiens, or the 'Baby Habs' were a professional ice hockey team in Fredericton, New Brunswick. The Canadiens played their home games at the Aitken Centre...
, scoring 26 goals and 44 points in 55 games. He appeared in six games for Montreal that year. He played his first NHL game on February 15, 1995, against the Hartford Whalers
Hartford Whalers
The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.A.. The club played in the World Hockey Association from 1972–79 and in the National Hockey League from 1979–97...
, and scored his first goal one night later against the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
. Though he was an offensive star at Clarkson and Fredericton, the Canaidens sought to convert him to a defensive specialist in the NHL.
While he averaged over one point per game with Fredericton in 1995–96
1995–96 AHL season
The 1995–96 AHL season was the 60th season of the American Hockey League. The AHL expands by two teams and realigns into two conferences, and four divisions. The Northern Conference includes the North and Atlantic Divisions...
, Conroy again played only a handful of games with Montreal. He again began 1996–97
1996–97 AHL season
The 1996–97 AHL season was the 61st season of the American Hockey League. The league renames its divisions due to relocating teams. The Northern Conferences consists of the Atlantic Division becoming the Canadian Division, and the Central Division becoming the Empire State Division...
in the AHL, but was traded along with Pierre Turgeon
Pierre Turgeon
Pierre Turgeon is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League for the Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders, Montreal Canadiens, St. Louis Blues, Dallas Stars and the Colorado Avalanche...
and Rory Fitzpatrick
Rory Fitzpatrick
Rory B. Fitzpatrick is a former American professional ice hockey defenseman who played 10 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens, St. Louis Blues, Nashville Predators, Buffalo Sabres, Vancouver Canucks and Philadelphia Flyers...
to the St. Louis Blues
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team is named after the famous W. C. Handy song "St. Louis Blues", and plays in the 19,150-seat Scottrade...
for Murray Baron
Murray Baron
Murray McElwain Baron is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Philadelphia Flyers, St...
, Shayne Corson
Shayne Corson
Shayne Corson is a retired Canadian professional hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens, Edmonton Oilers, St. Louis Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Dallas Stars...
and a draft pick on October 29, 1996. Conroy appeared in five games with the Worcester IceCats
Worcester IceCats
The Worcester IceCats were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA at the Worcester Centrum...
in the AHL, but after earning a recall to St. Louis, established himself as a regular in the NHL and appeared in 61 games with the Blues that season. Head coach Joel Quenneville
Joel Quenneville
Joel Norman Quenneville is the head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks professional ice hockey team. He is a former ice hockey defenseman and former head coach of the Colorado Avalanche and St. Louis Blues...
worked to develop Conroy's abilities as a defensive forward and top faceoff
Faceoff
A face-off is the method used to begin play in ice hockey and some other sports. The two teams line up in opposition to each other, and the opposing centres attempt to gain control of the puck after it is dropped between their sticks by an official. One of the referees drops the puck at centre ice...
specialist. Conroy responded in 1997–98 by improving to 43 points and a career-high plus-minus rating of +20. In recognition of his season, he was named a finalist for both the Selke Trophy as the NHL's top defensive forward, and the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy
The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, formerly known as the Lady Byng Trophy, is presented each year to the National Hockey League "player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability"...
as its most gentlemanly player.
Conroy remained one of the league's top defensive forwards in 1998–99. While he missed several games with a high ankle sprain, he scored his first career hat trick
Hat Trick
Hat trick, hat-trick or hattrick may refer to:* hat-trick — in various sports, achieving three goals, wickets, etc. in a single match* Hattrick — online football management game** Hattrick Limited — producers of this game...
on February 26, 1999, against the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
and finished sixth in Selke Trophy voting that season. He faced a difficult season in 1999–2000 as Queneville adopted a new strategy that abandoned the concept of a checking line. Conroy struggled at both ends of the ice, and frequently found his ice time limited as a result. He finished the season with just 27 points.
Looking to improve their team for a playoff run in 2000–01, the Blues dealt Conroy, along with a draft pick, to the Flames for Cory Stillman
Cory Stillman
Cory Stillman is a former Canadian professional ice hockey player.- Playing career :Stillman grew up in Peterborough, Ontario playing hockey for the Minor Petes program. He also played competitive baseball. In 1989–90, Stillman played for the Peterborough Roadrunners Jr.B...
. The trade was initially unpopular in Calgary as the Flames had given up their leading scorer for Conroy, who noted that that was when he "learned not to read the papers or watch TV".
Calgary and Los Angeles
Opinion of the deal shifted considerably the following season as Conroy established himself as the Flames' first line center alongside Jarome IginlaJarome Iginla
Jarome Arthur-Leigh Adekunle Tig Junior Elvis Iginla is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League . A six-time NHL All-Star, he is the Flames' all-time leader in goals, points, and games played, and is second in assists to Al MacInnis...
. The pair developed good chemistry, and became the best of friends. Conroy scored career highs with 28 goals and 75 points, while Iginla reached the 50-goal plateau for the first time and led the league in scoring. Iginla credited Conroy for making his breakout season possible. Additionally, Conroy was named a finalist for the Selke Trophy for a second time. The Flames named him a co-captain along with Bob Boughner
Bob Boughner
Robert Boughner , nicknamed The Boogieman, is a retired professional ice hockey defenceman and was an assistant coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets for the 2010/11 season...
late in the 2001–02 season, and he held the role full-time in 2002–03.
Conroy was the Flames second-leading scorer in 2002–03 with 59 points and again in 2003–04 when he scored 47 points despite missing 19 games with a knee injury. Shortly before that 2003 season began, Conroy gave up the captaincy after having decided it was time for Iginla to take over leadership of the team. He reached two milestones that season; he scored his 300th career point against the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
on November 29, 2003 and played his 600th game against the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
on March 16, 2004. The Flames qualified for the 2004 playoffs
2004 Stanley Cup Playoffs
The 2004 Stanley Cup playoffs for the National Hockey League began on April 7, 2004, following the 2003–04 regular season. The playoffs ended with the Tampa Bay Lightning securing the Stanley Cup with a seven-game series win over the Calgary Flames on June 7. It was Tampa Bay's first Stanley Cup...
, their first trip to the post-season in eight seasons. Conroy was a key player for the team as they upset the top three seeds in the Western Conference
Western Conference (NHL)
The Western Conference is one of two conferences in the National Hockey League used to divide teams. Its counterpart is the Eastern Conference....
, the Canucks, Red Wings and San Jose Sharks
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
en route to a seventh game loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...
in the Stanley Cup Final. He finished second on the team in playoff scoring with 17 points. Following the season, Conroy was named to play with Team USA at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey
2004 World Cup of Hockey
The 2004 World Cup of Hockey was an international ice hockey tournament. It was the second installment of the National Hockey League -sanctioned competition eight years after the inaugural 1996 World Cup of Hockey. It was held from August 30 to September 14, 2004, and took place in various venues...
, but appeared in only two games for the team.
Conroy left the Flames as a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
following the playoff run as he opted to sign a four-year, US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
12 million contract with the Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
. He later admitted that he did not truly wish to leave the Flames, but facing financial uncertainty with the 2004–05 NHL lockout looming, Conroy chose to accept the guaranteed contract. The lockout wiped out the first year of the deal, but he returned in 2005–06 to reach the 20 goal mark for the third time and 60 points for the second time in his career. During that season, he joined the United States national team for a second time, playing in the 2006 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 2006 Winter Olympics
-Leading scorers:-Leading goaltenders:Goalkeepers with 40% or more of their team's total minutes.-Awards:Antero Niittymäki was named the most valuable player and received the Directorate Award for best goaltender of the tournament. Directorate Awards also went to Teemu Selänne for best forward, and...
. He appeared in six games, scoring one goal and five points for the eighth place Americans.
Conroy struggled under new coach Marc Crawford
Marc Crawford
Marc Joseph John Crawford is a Canadian professional ice hockey head coach, most recently employed by the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League. He was previously the head coach of three other organizations and won a Stanley Cup in 1996 with the Colorado Avalanche...
early in the 2006–07 season, falling to five goals and sixteen points in 52 games for the Kings before he was traded back to the Flames on January 29, 2007, in exchange for Jamie Lundmark
Jamie Lundmark
Jamie Lundmark is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who is currently playing with Dinamo Riga of the KHL.-Playing career:...
and two draft picks. An emotional Conroy, who said he was happy to return to Calgary, scored two goals the following night in his second debut with the Flames to defeat his former Kings teammates, 4–1. Conroy finished the season by scoring 21 points in 28 games for Calgary, then scored 34 points in 2007–08.
The Flames re-signed Conroy to a new contract prior to the 2008–09 season
2008–09 NHL season
The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the...
and named him an alternate captain. He scored his 500th career point on January 3, 2009, when he assisted on Todd Bertuzzi
Todd Bertuzzi
Todd Bertuzzi is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League...
's game winning goal in a 3–2 win against the Nashville Predators
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
, and finished the year with 48 points. The 2009–10 NHL season
2009–10 NHL season
The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010...
proved a difficult one for Conroy, as he scored only three goals and twelve assists during a season shortened by wrist and knee injures along with a broken foot. He returned for another season as the Flames re-signed him to a one-year, two-way contract for the league minimum of $500,000. At 39-years-old, Conroy played his 1,000th NHL game, against the Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
, on October 28, 2010. Only Grant Ledyard
Grant Ledyard
Grant Stuart Ledyard is a former National Hockey League defenceman. He was never drafted in the NHL Entry Draft.Ledyard made his NHL debut in the 1984–85 season with the New York Rangers. A journeyman, he played with nine NHL teams during his career. He spent the most time with the Buffalo...
was older (age 40) when he reached that milestone.
Conroy played only nine more games after passing the milestone, and last played on December 20 against the Minnesota Wild
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
. A healthy scratch in 32 of 50 games, and 28 of his final 29, Conroy was waived
Waivers (NHL)
Waivers is a National Hockey League labor management procedure by which an NHL team makes a professional ice hockey player’s contract and rights available to all other NHL teams. The term refers to the term that other NHL teams 'waive' any claim to a player designated for assignment, re-entry from...
on January 25, 2011. After going unclaimed, he was left with the option of joining Calgary's AHL affiliate in Abbotsford
Abbotsford Heat
The Abbotsford Heat are a professional ice hockey team based in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada. The Heat began play during 2009-10 season, and are the affiliate of the National Hockey League's Calgary Flames...
or retiring. One week later, on February 4, 2011, Conroy formally announced his retirement and accepted a management position with the Flames organization, becoming the special assistant to general manager Jay Feaster
Jay Feaster
Harry Jay Feaster is a National Hockey League executive. He is currently the general manager of the Calgary Flames, appointed on May 16, 2011, after serving as acting general manager since December 28, 2010, following Darryl Sutter's resignation...
.
Off the ice
Conroy has a wife, Jessie, and three daughters, Taylor, Sophia and Sydney. Conroy and his family chose to remain in Calgary following his retirement as a player, though they had considered other options including returning to his home town of Potsdam.He is known for his outgoing and talkative nature, traits that have made him a popular figure with the fans. The Flames honored Conroy with the J. R. "Bud" McCaig Award, given by the organization to individuals that show respect, courtesy and compassion, in 2008–09. He was also named him the winner of the Ralph T. Scurfield Humanitarian Award in 2010 in recognition of his charitable efforts. Additionally, his teammates voted him the organization's nominee for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy
King Clancy Memorial Trophy
The King Clancy Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and who has made a significant humanitarian contribution to his community. Since the award was established in 1988, no player has won it more than...
which is awarded to the player who best exemplifies leadership and humanitarian contributions to their community. Conroy is the spokesman for the team's charitable organization, the Flames Foundation for Life and routinely participates in team events.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1990–91 | Clarkson Golden Knights Clarkson Golden Knights men's ice hockey The Clarkson Golden Knights Men's Ice Hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college ice hockey program that represents Clarkson University. The Golden Knights are a member of ECAC Hockey... |
ECAC ECAC Hockey League ECAC Hockey is one of the five NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey conferences that compete in NCAA Division I ice hockey. The conference used to be affiliated with the Eastern College Athletic Conference, a consortium of over 300 colleges in the eastern United States. This relationship ended in... |
39 | 8 | 22 | 30 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1991–92 | Clarkson Golden Knights | ECAC | 32 | 20 | 16 | 36 | 38 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1992–93 | Clarkson Golden Knights | ECAC | 35 | 10 | 23 | 33 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1993–94 | Clarkson Golden Knights | ECAC | 34 | 26 | 39 | 65 | 48 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1994–95 1994–95 AHL season The 1994–95 AHL season was the 59th season of the American Hockey League. The All-Star Game is revived, with All-Stars grouped into "Team Canada" and "Team USA." Sixteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule... |
Fredericton Canadiens Fredericton Canadiens The Fredericton Canadiens, or the 'Baby Habs' were a professional ice hockey team in Fredericton, New Brunswick. The Canadiens played their home games at the Aitken Centre... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
55 | 26 | 18 | 44 | 29 | 11 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 6 | ||
| 1994–95 | Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1995–96 1995–96 AHL season The 1995–96 AHL season was the 60th season of the American Hockey League. The AHL expands by two teams and realigns into two conferences, and four divisions. The Northern Conference includes the North and Atlantic Divisions... |
Fredericton Canadiens | AHL | 67 | 31 | 38 | 69 | 65 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 6 | ||
| 1995–96 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1996–97 1996–97 AHL season The 1996–97 AHL season was the 61st season of the American Hockey League. The league renames its divisions due to relocating teams. The Northern Conferences consists of the Atlantic Division becoming the Canadian Division, and the Central Division becoming the Empire State Division... |
Fredericton Canadiens | AHL | 9 | 10 | 6 | 16 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1996–97 | Worcester IceCats Worcester IceCats The Worcester IceCats were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA at the Worcester Centrum... |
AHL | 5 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1996–97 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 61 | 6 | 11 | 17 | 43 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | ||
| 1997–98 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 81 | 14 | 29 | 43 | 46 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | ||
| 1998–99 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 69 | 14 | 25 | 39 | 38 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | ||
| 1999–00 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 79 | 12 | 15 | 27 | 36 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 2000–01 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 69 | 11 | 14 | 25 | 46 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | Calgary Flames Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the... |
NHL | 14 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 81 | 27 | 48 | 75 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 79 | 22 | 37 | 59 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 63 | 8 | 39 | 47 | 44 | 26 | 6 | 11 | 17 | 12 | ||
| 2005–06 | Los Angeles Kings Los Angeles Kings The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL | 78 | 22 | 44 | 66 | 78 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 52 | 5 | 11 | 16 | 38 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 28 | 8 | 13 | 21 | 18 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | ||
| 2007–08 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 79 | 12 | 22 | 34 | 71 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 | ||
| 2008–09 2008–09 NHL season The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the... |
Calgary Flames | NHL | 82 | 12 | 36 | 48 | 28 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2009–10 2009–10 NHL season The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010... |
Calgary Flames | NHL | 63 | 3 | 12 | 15 | 25 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 2010–11 NHL season The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech... |
Calgary Flames | NHL | 18 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 1009 | 182 | 360 | 542 | 603 | 81 | 10 | 20 | 30 | 52 | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Comp | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 2004 World Cup of Hockey The 2004 World Cup of Hockey was an international ice hockey tournament. It was the second installment of the National Hockey League -sanctioned competition eight years after the inaugural 1996 World Cup of Hockey. It was held from August 30 to September 14, 2004, and took place in various venues... |
USA | WCH World Cup of Hockey The World Cup of Hockey is an international ice hockey tournament. Inaugurated in 1996, it is the successor to the previous Canada Cup, which ran from 1976 to 1991... |
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2006 Ice hockey at the 2006 Winter Olympics -Leading scorers:-Leading goaltenders:Goalkeepers with 40% or more of their team's total minutes.-Awards:Antero Niittymäki was named the most valuable player and received the Directorate Award for best goaltender of the tournament. Directorate Awards also went to Teemu Selänne for best forward, and... |
USA | Oly | 6 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 2 | |
| International totals | 8 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 2 | |||
Awards and honors
| Award | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| University | ||
| ECAC First All-Star Team | 1993–94 | |
| NCAA National Collegiate Athletic Association The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States... First All-Star Team |
1993–94 | |
| NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team | 1993–94 | |
| Calgary Flames team awards | ||
| J. R. "Bud" McCaig Award | 2008–09 2008–09 Calgary Flames season The 2008–09 Calgary Flames season was the 29th season for the Calgary Flames, and the 37th for the Flames franchise in the National Hockey League . The Flames finished second in the Northwest Division, and qualified for the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs as the fifth seed in the Western Conference,... |
|
| Ralph T. Scurfield Humanitarian Award | 2009–10 2009–10 Calgary Flames season The 2009–10 Calgary Flames season was the 30th season for the Calgary Flames, and the 38th for the Flames franchise in the National Hockey League . The Flames entered the season with a new head coach as Brent Sutter replaced Mike Keenan. The year opened with the 2009 NHL Entry Draft on June... |
|
External links
Conroy was then named sole captain for the 2002–03 NHL season.