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The Calgary Flames hockey club was honoured over the weekend for the team's philanthropic work, but players took the opportunity at the gala event to needle franchise co-owner Murray Edwards, who was among the well-heeled crowd, about their future.
In accepting the Difference Award from OneXOne, a Canadian non-profit organization dedicated to children's causes, centre Craig Conroy said he was hoping to put his name on a number of silent auction items.
"I want to bid on a bunch of stuff back there, but I don't have a contract," he said on Saturday night.
Oscar-winner Ben Affleck, who hosted the event, later got Flames centre Stephane Yelle to promise to dish about what really goes on off-ice if someone were up the ante during an auction for a Flames hockey package, before finding out Yelle too is without a contract.
"How do I know you're even going to be there?" Affleck said.
Edwards eventually placed the winning bid of $25,000 in the auction.
"They paid $25,000 to meet with the team they own. That's like American capitalism at work," Affleck said.
Edwards later politely declined to talk about contract negotiations. Conroy, meanwhile, said he just likes to rib the owners from time to time.
"Murray is a great guy," he said.
