Flames invite sons of late Broncos coach to NHL draft

League waives rule so both Haugan boys allowed to be team’s runners on the floor

Brad Treliving can’t promise they’ll have much to do.

But the Calgary Flames general manager wants Carson and Jackson Haugan, the young sons of the late Humboldt Broncos coach Darcy Haugan, to be part of their team this weekend at the National Hockey League Draft as the organization’s runners on the draft floor.

“We’re really honoured that they’re going to come in and we’ll get to spend some time with them,” Treliving said. “They can have some fun over the weekend and have a memorable weekend here. We’re excited to see them and excited to have them with us for the weekend.”

The Flames formulated the idea after conversations with Airdrie’s Ryan Straschnitzki and reached out to Christina Haugan, who was in Vegas on Wednesday with Carson and Jackson to accept the inaugural Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award posthumously on Darcy’s behalf.

“We’re thankful she took us up on the offer,” Treliving said. “We’re thankful to the league, too. The rules are that you are allowed one runner, but we wanted both boys here. So they’re both going to join us.”

Carson, 13, and Jackson, nine, are thrilled.

It’s a positive distraction for the Haugans, considering everything the family has been through over the last few months.

“Everyone in the hockey world was affected by it,” Treliving said. “At the end of the day, if we can provide a little time for them to have some fun and for them to be around the scouts and experience everything that goes on at the draft

We’re excited to see them and excited to have them with us for the weekend.

and just to have a fun weekend, that’s the idea.

“Hopefully it’ll be fun for them, but it’ll be special for us to have them with us.”