Comments From Out of Touch Maloney Ignite Flames Fan Outrage

A recent interview has poured gasoline on an already blazing fire in Calgary. The President of Hockey Operations of the Calgary Flames, Don Maloney, said the fans have no appetite for a rebuild and suggested the team won’t be making big trades ahead of this season’s NHL Trade Deadline. Needless to say, Flames fans aren’t thrilled with his comments.

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Speaking with Sportsnet, Maloney was asked where the Flames are going, given that they are sitting dead last in the standings. Fans expected transparency, urgency, or at least some acknowledgment that the organization needs sweeping change. Instead, Maloney doubled down on the idea that there is “no appetite to burn it to the studs.” The reality is that’s exactly what most fans want.

He added, “The only time you enjoy the first pick of the draft is at the draft — there’s a lot of suffering to get there, and that’s the farthest from our mind.” That statement couldn’t be more inaccurate.

“Nobody Wants a Rebuild,”, Says Maloney

Maloney repeatedly dismissed the idea of a teardown, claiming “nobody wants a rebuild,” a comment fans immediately called delusional. His insistence on leaning heavily on veterans like Nazem Kadri, Blake Coleman, and Rasmus Andersson — players who won’t be impact pieces when the team is competitive again — only created more frustration.

Maloney didn’t completely rule out making trades, saying that if something came across the desk of GM Craig Conroy that was too good to pass up on, they would look. However, he noted, “We know we’ve got real things to sort out short term here, but we’re going to continue this process of drafting well, developing well, work at deals that make sense to us longer term.”

Things hit a boiling point when Maloney praised the so-called “Dallas model,” arguing Calgary can build through mid-round picks instead of bottoming out. He seemed to suggest the team would be fine drafting at No. 3 or No. 6, versus moving pieces to work toward a better draft position.

Maloney brushed off the idea of tanking for a top pick as “fantasy hockey,” a comment widely mocked online. Fans don’t want fantasy — they want a plan. Instead, Maloney’s comments suggested the organization remains completely out of touch.

The result? The fanbase is upset. Trending topics like #FireDonMaloney and #SellTheTeam are now everywhere as fans believe leadership is ignoring the reality staring them in the face.

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