Flames’ Andersson credits new coach Huska with ‘pushing’ him into NHL career

CALGARY – In the fall of 2016, Rasmus Andersson showed up, by the defenceman’s own admission, overweight and out of shape for the Calgary Flames training camp.

Then a Flames prospect who was taken 53rd overall in the 2015 NHL Draft, Andersson was assigned to the team’s American Hockey League affiliate in Stockton, Calif., a club that was coached by Ryan Huska.

Huska, who was named the Flames’ new head coach on Monday after nine seasons with the organization, was tasked with developing the 19-year-old Andersson – and it was not easy for either party.

“That first year was tough, for sure. I was not in my best shape I’ve been and came in a little overweight and that kind of stuff, but he really, really pushed me,” Andersson said.

“Some days I absolutely hated him and he probably hated me, too. But then, looking back at it, that first year was so good for me,” he said of his 2016-17 AHL season in Stockton.

Flames general manager Craig Conroy cited Huska’s work with Andersson and others in Stockton as one of the reasons why the 47-year-old former Flames assistant coach ultimately was hired.

“To see growth in Rasmus Andersson, [Oliver] Kylington, [Andrew] Mangiapane, numerous other guys he put in the NHL, it’s hard because everyone wants to win as a coach, but in the American league, we’re trying to develop players for the NHL,” Conroy said.

“I know at times Ryan probably wanted to play some different guys in different key situations, but he did what the mandate was, which was to get those guys better and ready for the NHL.”

As for Andersson and Huska, their relationship has come a long way since that 2016-17 campaign.

Conroy consulted Andersson and other Flames players when he was interviewing candidates for the Flames head coach position after the team parted ways with Darryl Sutter last month.

Andersson vouched for the boss he once “absolutely hated.”

“I said right away I think ‘Husk’ would be a really good head coach for our team,” he said.

“I’ve had him as a head coach. I know he has both sides…he can be very, very nice to you and he can yell at a team when he needs to.”

Huska has a reputation of being a good communicator, detail-oriented, and extremely prepared.

“If he shows you a video clip, you understand it right away because he explains it well,” Andersson said.

Don Hay coached Huska, a three-time Memorial Cup champion, in junior with the Western Hockey League’s Kamloops Blazers from 1991 to 1995 and, even back then, believed that the teenager had a future in either teaching or coaching.

“He really was a student of the game,” Hay said.

“I thought Ryan could definitely be a coach because he understood the game so well. He had a real knack to helping his teammates and explaining things to them. I really thought he’d go on to be a teacher post-playing career…he was in the weight room at that time when young players were just learning what it took, off ice, to become pro players.”

Huska’s first major head coaching gig was with the Kelowna Rockets in 2007. In his second season at the helm, the Rockets won the WHL championship.

Huska’s incredible work ethic left an impression on Rockets owner Bruce Hamilton. Huska was frequently at the rink for 11 hours a day.

“Hard, hard-working person,” Hamilton said.

“He worked on his schooling, he has some education. Very, very disciplined.”

Hamilton commended Huska’s teaching abilities during that 2009 title run.

“The way he got the players to understand what you had to do and the sacrifice you had to make along the way, and he was a great tactician,” Hamilton said.

“Certainly our team wasn’t the best team, but in my mind we were the best coached team.”

Many people around the hockey community are thrilled that after more than 20 years of paying his dues in the WHL and AHL, Huska will finally get to run an NHL bench. 

“The day he left was probably one of the hardest days for me,” Hamilton said. 

“He’s just such a good person…I’m just thrilled for him and our entire organization is so proud of him.”

Seven years after that memorable start to his pro career, Andersson is looking forward to working with Huska in a different capacity starting in September.

“I’m super excited for Ryan and his family,” Andersson said.

“He’s definitely earned this…If I didn’t have that first year and if he didn’t push me the way he did, I wouldn’t be in the NHL right now.”