North country's Conroy, Lambert make key hires in new positions

Jun. 13—North country natives Craig Conroy and Erika Lambert, recently hired to head programs for the first time, announced key additions Monday as they continue to mold their respective teams to their visions.

Conroy, a Potsdam native, and the NHL's Calgary Flames announced the hiring of Ryan Huska as the team's head coach. Huska, who has been part of the Flames' organization for nearly 10 years, receives his first head coaching job in the NHL.

Huska had served as a Calgary assistant coach since 2018 and before that he was the head coach for the Flames' American Hockey League team, first in Glens Falls and then in Stockton, Calif.

Conroy, named the organization's general manager last month, said that he considered 15 possibilities for the job and interviewed four in person and realized Huska was the man for the job about five days ago.

"As we narrowed the search down, it became more and more clear to me that Ryan and I had the same vision," Conroy said. "Without me having to say anything, and when he went through his power-point and went through the video, I thought, I know we've both been here a long time and we've seen the team and we know what we think the team needs but ... actually to have him say it, he touched every point that I was hoping to look for in a new coach."

The Flames finished 38-27-17 and out of the postseason in 2022-23. Calgary has missed the playoffs two of the last three years and hasn't advanced as far as the conference quarterfinals since 2008-09.

Amid that frustration in the organization, Conroy mentioned that he wants a coach who can produce a team with an improved and intelligent defense and a creative offense.

Huska said he can help get the Flames back to the postseason.

"I am a big believer in that group of people and their ability and my job now as a head coach is to push them every day to get the best version of them and also to try to push them to another level, both as individuals and a team," Huska said.

Huska said that after he finished his second interview with Conroy and the Flames, he wondered whether he received the job. After three days of no response, Conroy and Huska attended the same event, where the daughter of Flames head therapist Kent Kobelka, Charley, was singing. Conroy said he didn't talk to Huska during the event and he could feel the tension. Huska joked, "I jumped in the car afterward and said, 'that's it, we're done.'"

But once Conroy got home, he texted Huska to meet him at 9 a.m. the next day, which is when the Flames offered him the job.

"Over the course of nine years together I got to see him as a head coach, to watch him the way he worked, the way he went about his business day-in and day-out in the American League," Conroy said, 'to see the growth in Rasmus Andersson, (Oliver) Kylington, (Andrew) Mangiapane, I mean numerous other guys that he put in the NHL."

LAMBERT FILLS OUT STAFF

Mannsville native Erika Lambert announced Monday the rest of the University of North Florida's coaching staff for the women's basketball team that she took over in April.

Lambert, a South Jefferson graduate who is beginning her first job as an NCAA Division I head coach, announced Chandler Merkerson, Sydnei McCaskill, Benji Mastandrea and I'Liyah Green as joining her on the Ospreys coaching staff.

Merkerson, a former North Florida player, will serve as the team's associate head coach. McCaskill and Mastandrea are assistant coaches. Green is the director of operations.

"Recruiting is all about finding the right fit and that's true of hiring coaches as well," Lambert said in a statement.

Merkerson was an assistant coach at Samford for three seasons. McCaskill was an assistant at Marshall while Mastandrea was video coordinator at Illinois State.

Green arrives from Abilene Christian University where Lambert coached previously before taking the North Florida job.

"They're knowledgeable, ambitious, loyal, fun and passionate about mentoring student athletes," Lambert said of her hires.