Folks, it seems like just yesterday that Craig Conroy became general manager of the Calgary Flames, but it was actually almost a year and a half ago.

While it feels like Conroy’s been part of the Flames organization as a player or member of management forever, he actually has spent time elsewhere – it’s shocking, we know. As we commemorate the return to Calgary of Ryan Lomberg, we’re looking back at the careers of other Flames who have spent two stints with the club as players.

So let’s look at Conroy’s long run with the Flames, and his stints with other teams.

A product of Potsdam, New York, Conroy played four seasons at Clarkson University and was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the sixth round of the 1990 NHL Draft before his freshman season.

Conroy spent two seasons and part of the third in Montreal’s system, appearing in 13 games for the Habs. He was traded to St. Louis early in the 1996-97 season (as part of the trade that sent Pierre Turgeon to the Blues), where he quickly found a niche as a checking centre and soon built a reputation for himself as a really good one.

By the 2000-01 season, Conroy had never really blossomed as an offensive powerhouse – his career high was 14 goals and 43 points – but he was somebody reliable and responsible that you could throw out into any game situation. He regularly appeared on Selke Trophy ballots, too.

Late in the 2000-01 season, on trade deadline day, the Blues made an attempt to upgrade their offensive attack for a playoff run, sending Conroy and a 2001 seventh-round pick to the Flames in exchange for Cory Stillman.

Conroy finished out 2000-01 with the Flames and then re-upped his deal, ultimately spending another three full seasons with the club during that stint. Despite early anxiety about the team adding another checker – at the time leading scorer Jarome Iginla reportedly grumbled about losing Stillman for someone with Conroy’s skill set – Conroy ultimately found chemistry with the Flames’ top players and it led to him setting career offensive numbers and serving time as co-captain and later the team’s captain.

So after the Flames’ 2004 run to the Stanley Cup Final, Conroy signed as a free agent with Los Angeles. The big X-factor looming over that entire off-season was the upcoming lockout. Nobody knew what was going to happen in terms of the league’s financial system,  or even if there was going to be a season at all.

In this environment, the Kings offered a four year deal and Conroy took it. The first season was wiped out by the lockout. The second season saw him post 66 points and qualify for the American Olympic team. The third season saw Conroy struggle offensively, which led to another trade.

In late January 2007, the Flames sent Jamie Lundmark, a 2007 fourth-round pick and a 2008 second-round pick to Los Angeles in exchange for Conroy. The Kings were in the midst of a western road trip – his final game with Los Angeles was in Edmonton – and they infamously left him in Red Deer after the trade took place. His first game back with the Flames was against the Kings.

C0nroy finished out 2006-07 with the Flames, then played three more full seasons with the club as he entered his late 30s.

Gradually, Conroy slowed down a bit and his role diminished on the club as a consequence. By 2010-11, Conroy was on the fourth line and in and out of the lineup. After playing his 1,000th game in late October 2010, he didn’t get in very often. In February 2011, a week after clearing waivers, Conroy opted to retire and took a management position as special assistant to general manager Jay Feaster.

Over a decade later, Conroy’s still with the Flames, having progressed to become the club’s GM. Overall, he’s been with the Flames pretty much continuously since March 2001, aside from the brief stopover he had with the Kings.