Former Flame will work to hone development in organization
The Calgary Flames announce today that they have added former Flame Matt Stajan to their hockey staff as a skills consultant. He will be responsible for working daily with the NHL Flames and AHL Wranglers’ players in honing their individual skill development.
“We are constantly searching for ways to improve our club by adding valuable resources and the right people,” said Flames General Manager Craig Conroy. “Matt is a great addition providing extensive NHL playing experience, familiarity with our players and organization, and a passion for wanting our group to succeed. Having Matt dedicated solely to each player’s individual skills will enhance their development and thus our team’s success.”
Following a 16-year NHL playing career, the final nine seasons with the Flames, Stajan turned his focus to coaching. In 2021, he was named to the Calgary Hitmen (WHL) coaching staff as an assistant coach where he spent two years behind the bench in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons.
“I am very excited to get started,” said Stajan. “In today’s NHL, coaching staffs are more intricate, so having an additional person to assist players with game details and individual skills to support their development, is very important. I appreciate the Flames’ trust in me to join the organization in this role, and I am excited to once again be a part of the Calgary Flames.”
As a player, Stajan’s career had many highlights. He became a fan favourite in Calgary as he netted 59 goals along with 131 assists for 190 points in his nine seasons (2009-2018) and played his 1,000th NHL game in 2018 before retiring in December of 2019 with 413 career points. He is fondly remembered for scoring the series-clinching goal when Calgary beat Vancouver in the opening round of the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs. Originally drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second round (57th overall) of the 2002 NHL Draft, he was acquired by the Flames in a trade in January of 2010.
For the past 14 years, Matt and his wife Katie, along with their two sons, Elliot and Dylan, have made Calgary their home. They have actively contributed to the city, serving as spokespeople for the Alberta Children’s Hospital and raising over $100,000 for the neonatal intensive care unit at Foothills Medical Centre. Additionally, they are strong supporters of the Ronald McDonald House. Matt’s humanitarian efforts have been recognized by the Flames, as he received the Ralph T. Scurfield Humanitarian Award in 2013 for perseverance, dedication, and leadership, and the J.R. Bud McCaig Award in 2014 for virtues of respect, courtesy, and compassion towards all individuals.
