Editing Craig Conroy (section)

===Calgary and Los Angeles===
Opinion of the deal shifted considerably the following season as Conroy established himself as the Flames' first line center alongside [[Jarome Iginla]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Goold |first=Derrick |title=Conroy joins Turek in dazzling former team |work=St. Louis Post Dispatch |date=2001-10-23 |page=D1}}</ref> The pair developed good chemistry and became strong friends.<ref name="CFCapturingConroy">{{cite web |last=Board |first=Mike |url=http://flames.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=541780 |title=Capturing Conroy |publisher=Calgary Flames Hockey Club |date=2010-10-27 |access-date=2010-10-31 |archive-date=2010-11-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101104083924/http://flames.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=541780 |url-status=live }}</ref> Conroy scored career highs with 28 goals and 75 points,<ref name="LOH" /> while Iginla reached the 50-goal plateau for the first time and led the NHL in scoring.  Iginla credited Conroy for making his breakout season possible.<ref name="CFCapturingConroy" /> Additionally, Conroy was named a finalist for the Selke Trophy for a second time.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://flames.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=541788 |title=Conroy to celebrate 1,000 games |publisher=Calgary Flames Hockey Club |date=2010-10-27 |access-date=2010-10-31 |archive-date=2010-11-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101104085525/http://flames.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=541788 |url-status=live }}</ref> The Flames named him a co-captain along with [[Bob Boughner]] late in the [[2001–02 NHL season|2001–02 season]], and he was the only captain in [[2002–03 NHL season|2002–03]].<ref name="0910MediaGuide" />

[[File:Gelinas-Conroy.png|thumb|left|Conroy (right) talks with former teammate [[Martin Gélinas]] during the alumni game at the [[2011 Heritage Classic]].]]
Conroy was the Flames second-leading scorer in 2002–03 with 59 points and again in [[2003–04 NHL season|2003–04]] when he scored 47 points despite missing 19 games with a knee injury.<ref name="0910MediaGuide" /> Shortly before the 2003–04 season began, Conroy gave up the captaincy after having decided it was time for Iginla to take over leadership of the team.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=396926 |title=Iginla honored to be captain of Flames |publisher=National Hockey League |last=Rosen |first=Dan |date=2008-12-09 |access-date=2010-10-31 |archive-date=2010-11-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101116215206/http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=396926 |url-status=live }}</ref> He reached two milestones that season; he scored his 300th career point against the [[Vancouver Canucks]] on November 29, 2003 and played his 600th game against the [[Detroit Red Wings]] on March 16, 2004.<ref name="0910MediaGuide" /> The Flames qualified for the [[2004 Stanley Cup playoffs|2004 playoffs]], their first trip to the post-season in eight seasons. Conroy was a key player for the team as they upset the top three seeds in the [[Western Conference (NHL)|Western Conference]], the Canucks, Red Wings and [[San Jose Sharks]] en route to a seventh game loss to the [[Tampa Bay Lightning]] in the [[2004 Stanley Cup Finals|Stanley Cup Finals]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Gardiner |first=Andy |title=Face it: Conroy a key to Flames' run |work=USA Today |date=2004-05-27 |page=C10}}</ref> He finished second on the team in playoff scoring with 17 points.<ref>{{Cite book |title=2009–10 Calgary Flames Media Guide |publisher=Calgary Flames Hockey Club |last1=Hanlon |first1=Peter |last2=Kelso |first2=Sean |year=2009 |page=142}}</ref> Following the season, Conroy was named to play with [[United States men's national ice hockey team|Team USA]] at the [[2004 World Cup of Hockey]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/worldcup04/news/story?page=teamusaroster |title=Team USA roster |publisher=ESPN |date=2010-08-30 |access-date=2010-10-31 |archive-date=2012-10-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121002021652/http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/worldcup04/news/story?page=teamusaroster |url-status=live }}</ref> but appeared in only two games for the team.<ref name="LOH" />

Conroy left the Flames as a [[free agent]] following the playoff run, opting to sign a four-year, [[United States dollar|US$]]12 million contract with the [[Los Angeles Kings]].<ref name="SunCourt">{{cite web |last=MacFarlane |first=Steve |url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/LosAngeles/2005/12/21/1362818-sun.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130115090232/http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/LosAngeles/2005/12/21/1362818-sun.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=January 15, 2013 |title=Conroy holds court again |work=Calgary Sun |date=2005-12-21 |access-date=2010-10-31}}</ref> He later admitted that he did not truly wish to leave the Flames, but facing financial uncertainty with the [[2004–05 NHL lockout]] looming, Conroy chose to accept the guaranteed contract.<ref name="CHPartingShot">{{cite web |last=Lefebvre |first=Jean |url=http://communities.canada.com/calgaryherald/blogs/insideflames/archive/2009/01/31/parting-shot-a-conversation-with-craig-conroy.aspx |title=Parting shot: A conversation with Craig Conroy |work=Calgary Herald |date=2009-01-31 |access-date=2010-11-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130119072949/http://communities.canada.com/calgaryherald/blogs/insideflames/archive/2009/01/31/parting-shot-a-conversation-with-craig-conroy.aspx |archive-date=2013-01-19 }}</ref> The lockout wiped out the first year of the deal, but he returned in [[2005–06 NHL season|2005–06]] to reach the 20-goal mark for the third time and 60 points for the second time in his career.<ref name="0910MediaGuide" /> During that season, he joined the United States national team for a second time, playing in the [[Ice hockey at the 2006 Winter Olympics|2006 Winter Olympics]].<ref name="SunCourt" /> He appeared in six games, scoring one goal and five points for the eighth place Americans.<ref name="LOH" />

Conroy struggled under new coach [[Marc Crawford]] early in the [[2006–07 NHL season|2006–07 season]], falling to five goals and 16 points in 52 games for the Kings before he was traded back to the Flames on January 29, 2007, in exchange for [[Jamie Lundmark]] and two draft picks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.canada.com/topics/sports/story.html?id=baf20a29-fac4-4bcc-bdca-9cce215ac864 |title=Conroy back with Flames |publisher=Canwest News Service |date=2007-01-29 |access-date=2010-10-31 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121109111234/http://www.canada.com/topics/sports/story.html?id=baf20a29-fac4-4bcc-bdca-9cce215ac864 |archive-date=2012-11-09 }}</ref> An emotional Conroy, who said he was happy to return to Calgary, scored two goals the following night in his second debut with the Flames to defeat his former Kings teammates, 4–1.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/16897736/ |title=Kings already burned by Conroy trade |publisher=MSNBC Sports |date=2007-01-31 |access-date=2010-10-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120723130701/http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/16897736/ |archive-date=2012-07-23 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Conroy finished the season by scoring 21 points in 28 games for Calgary, then scored 34 points in [[2007–08 NHL season|2007–08]].<ref name="LOH" />

The Flames re-signed Conroy to a new contract prior to the [[2008–09 NHL season|2008–09 season]] and named him an alternate captain.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/langkow-conroy-among-flames-re-signed-1.743279 |title=Langkow, Conroy among Flames re-signed |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=2008-06-27 |access-date=2010-10-31 |archive-date=2012-11-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108093720/http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/story/2008/06/27/flames-signings.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=b10df975-eef8-4199-9c90-f42b7cd1b791 |title=Conroy to sport 'A' for Flames' season opener |work=Calgary Herald |date=2008-10-09 |access-date=2010-10-31 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121109111239/http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=b10df975-eef8-4199-9c90-f42b7cd1b791 |archive-date=2012-11-09 }}</ref> He scored his 500th career point on January 3, 2009, when he assisted on [[Todd Bertuzzi]]'s game-winning goal in a 3–2 win against the [[Nashville Predators]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/recap?gameId=290103027 |title=Flames' Bertuzzi breaks tie vs. Preds with 23.4 seconds left |publisher=ESPN |date=2009-01-03 |access-date=2010-10-31 |archive-date=2009-04-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090424165456/http://espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=290103027 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and finished the year with 48 points. The [[2009–10 NHL season|2009–10 season]] proved a difficult one for Conroy, as he scored only three goals and 12 assists during a season shortened by wrist and knee injures along with a broken foot.<ref>{{cite web |last=Busby |first=Ian |url=http://www.calgarysun.com/sports/hockey/2010/02/25/13018776-calsun.html |title=Flames back at it |work=Calgary Sun |date=2010-02-25 |access-date=2010-10-31 |archive-date=2012-07-21 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120721002036/http://www.calgarysun.com/sports/hockey/2010/02/25/13018776-calsun.html |url-status=live }}</ref> He returned for another season as the Flames re-signed him to a one-year, two-way contract for the League minimum of $500,000.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=330242 |title=Flames sign Conroy to one-year contract |publisher=The Sports Network |date=2010-08-11 |access-date=2010-10-31 |archive-date=2010-08-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100815071652/http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=330242 |url-status=live }}</ref> At the age of 39 years, Conroy [[List of NHL players with 1,000 games played|played his 1,000th NHL game]], against the [[Colorado Avalanche]], on October 28, 2010. Only [[Grant Ledyard]] was older (age 40) when he reached that milestone.<ref name="AOLIcy" />

Conroy played only nine more games after passing the milestone, and last played on December 20 against the [[Minnesota Wild]]. A healthy scratch in 32 of 50 games, and 28 of his final 29, Conroy was [[waivers (NHL)|waived]] on January 25, 2011. After going unclaimed, he was left with the option of joining Calgary's AHL affiliate in [[Abbotsford Heat|Abbotsford]] or retiring.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=351317 |title=Conroy considering retirement after clearing waivers |publisher=The Sports Network |date=2011-01-27 |access-date=2011-01-28 |archive-date=2011-01-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110130043131/http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=351317 |url-status=live }}</ref> One week later, on February 4, 2011, Conroy formally announced his retirement.<ref name="Retirement">{{cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/conroy-retires-moves-to-flames-front-office-1.1065742 |title=Conroy retires, moves to Flames front office |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=2011-02-04 |access-date=2011-02-04 |archive-date=2011-02-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110206082248/http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/story/2011/02/04/sp-conroy-status.html |url-status=live }}</ref>