For Craig Conroy, it was an adventure that began with Mark Giordano’s skates on his feet, Elias Lindholm’s stick in his hands and Brad Treliving’s words in his head.



It had been the wee hours of Nov. 26 — the Calgary Flames having just landed in Buffalo, a 3-2 overtime loss in Pittsburgh behind them, the Bill Peters allegations engulfing them. Treliving, general manager, pulled aside Conroy, assistant general manager, for a quick word.



“Hey,” Conroy recalled Treliving saying to him, “if we have any equipment here, what would you think about going on the ice for practice tomorrow? Just be around the guys.”



Conroy, unfailingly upbeat and universally well-liked, did not hesitate, despite the murkiness of Peters’ status and the assignment itself. There wasn’t even a time frame or a job description attached to the favour. “I said, ‘Whatever you need me to do, Brad, I’d love...