Calgary Flames

The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the Calgary Tigers (1921–26) and Calgary Cowboys (1975–77).

The Flames arrived in the city of Calgary in 1980 after spending their first eight seasons in Atlanta, Georgia, as the Atlanta Flames. The Flames spent their first three seasons playing in the Stampede Corral before moving into their current home arena, the Olympic Saddledome (now Pengrowth Saddledome), in 1983. The Calgary Flames have an agreement to manage the Olympic Saddledome until July 2014. In 1986, the Flames became the first Calgary team since the Tigers in 1924 to compete for the Stanley Cup. In 1989, the Flames captured the Cup for the first time.

Calgary is one of two NHL franchises in Alberta, with the other being the Edmonton Oilers. The cities' proximity has led to a famous rivalry, known as the Battle of Alberta. Games between the teams are often heated events.

Atlanta
The Flames were the result of the NHL's first pre-emptive strike against the upstart World Hockey Association. In December 1971, the NHL hastily granted a team to Long Island&mdash;the New York Islanders&mdash;to keep the WHA's New York Raiders out of the brand new Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. This came less than a year after the Vancouver Canucks and Buffalo Sabres joined the league. Needing another team to balance the schedule, the NHL awarded a team to an Atlanta-based group that owned the National Basketball Association's Atlanta Hawks, headed by prominent local real estate developer Tom Cousins. Cousins named the team the "Flames" after the fire resulting from the March to the Sea in the American Civil War by General William Tecumseh Sherman, in which Atlanta was nearly destroyed. They played home games in the Omni Coliseum in downtown Atlanta.

The Flames were relatively successful early on. Under head coaches Bernie “Boom Boom” Geoffrion, Fred Creighton and Al MacNeil, the Flames made the playoffs in six of eight seasons in Atlanta. In marked contrast, their expansion cousins, the Islanders, won only 31 games during their first two years in the league combined. This relative success would not translate in the playoffs, however, as the Flames won only two post-season games during their time in Atlanta.

Despite the on-ice success, the Atlanta ownership was never on sound financial footing. Fletcher said years later that Cousins' initial financial projections for an NHL team did not account for the WHA entering the picture. The Flames were also a poor draw, and failed to sign a major television contract.

In 1980, Cousins was in considerable financial difficulty and was forced to sell the Flames to stave off bankruptcy. With few serious offers from local groups, he was very receptive to an offer from a group of Calgary businessmen fronted by Canadian entrepreneur (and former Oilers owner) Nelson Skalbania. A last-ditch effort to keep the team in Atlanta fell short, and Cousins sold the team to Skalbania for $16 million. a record sale price for an NHL team at the time. On May 21, 1980, Skalbania announced that the team would move to Calgary. He chose to retain the Flames name, feeling it would be a good fit for an oil town like Calgary, while the flaming "A" logo was replaced by a flaming "C". Skalbania sold his interest in 1981, and the Flames have been locally owned since.

1980–1985


Unlike the WHA's Calgary Cowboys, who folded three years previous, the Flames were immediately embraced by the city of Calgary. While the Cowboys could manage to sell only 2,000 season tickets in their final campaign of 1976–77, the Flames sold 10,000 full- and half-season ticket packages in the 7,000 seat Stampede Corral.

Led by Kent Nilsson's 49-goal, 131-point season, the Flames qualified for the playoffs in their first season in Calgary with a 39–27–4 record, good for third in the Patrick Division. The team found much greater playoff success in Calgary than it did in Atlanta, winning their first two playoff series over the Chicago Black Hawks and Philadelphia Flyers before bowing out to the Minnesota North Stars in the semi-finals. This early success was not soon repeated. After a losing record in 1981–82, General Manager Cliff Fletcher jettisoned several former Atlanta players who couldn't adjust to the higher-pressure hockey environment and rebuilt the roster. Over the next three seasons, he put together a core of players that would remain together through the early 1990s.

Fletcher's efforts to match the Oilers led him to draw talent from areas previously neglected by the NHL. The Flames were among the earliest teams to sign large numbers of U.S. college players, including Joel Otto, Gary Suter and Colin Patterson. Fletcher also stepped up the search for European hockey talent, acquiring Hakan Loob and other key players. He was among the first to draft players from the Soviet Union, including HC CSKA Moscow star Sergei Makarov in 1983, but Soviet players were not released to Western teams until 1989. Still, the team was sufficiently improved to challenge the Oilers, who required the maximum seven games to defeat the Flames en route to their 1984 Stanley Cup Championship.

In 1983, the Flames moved into their new home, the Olympic Saddledome (now known as the Pengrowth Saddledome). Located on the grounds of the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede, the Saddledome was built as a venue for the 1988 Winter Olympics. In three seasons in the Corral, the Flames lost only 32 home games. In 1985, the Flames hosted the 37th NHL All-Star Game, a 6–4 victory by the Wales Conference.

1985–1990
The players acquired by Fletcher matured into one of the strongest teams in the league during the mid-1980s and early 1990s. From 1984-85 to 1990-91, the Flames tallied 90 points in every season but one. However, they were usually unable to transfer that success into a deep playoff run, largely because they were unable to get the better of their provincial rivals, the powerhouse Oilers. The NHL's playoff structure of the time made it very likely that the Flames would meet the Oilers in either the first or second round, rather than in the conference finals. From 1983 until 1990, either the Oilers or the Flames represented the Campbell Conference in the Stanley Cup Finals.

By 1986 the Flames had landed forwards Doug Risebrough, Lanny McDonald, and Dan Quinn, defenceman Al MacInnis, and goaltender Mike Vernon. Finishing second in the Smythe with a 40–31–6 record (the only season from 1984 to 1991 in which they did not finish with 90 or more points), the Flames swept the Winnipeg Jets in the first round of the playoffs, setting up a showdown with the Oilers. Edmonton finished 30 points ahead of Calgary during the season, and was heavily favoured to win a third Cup in a row. However, the Flames upset the Oilers in seven games, with the series-winning goal coming at the hands of Oilers' rookie Steve Smith as he accidentally shot the puck off of goaltender Grant Fuhr's leg and into his own net. The goal remains one of the most legendary blunders in hockey history.

From there, the Flames went on to defeat the St. Louis Blues in another seven game series. This time, Calgary had to survive a scare of its own, shaking off the Monday Night Miracle at the St. Louis Arena. Doug Wickenheiser scored in overtime to cap off a comeback from 5–2 down with 10 minutes to play in the third period in game six, forcing the Flames to a seventh game. Calgary would win game seven at home, 2–1, advancing into the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time. In the Cup Finals, the Flames proved to be no match for the Montreal Canadiens, losing in five games. Montreal rookie goaltender Patrick Roy was nearly unstoppable in the last two games, allowing only four goals en route to winning the Conn Smythe Trophy.

The Flames followed up their run to the Finals with their best regular seasons in team history. Calgary's 46–31–3 record in 1986–87 was good for third overall in the NHL. However, the Flames were unable to duplicate their playoff success of a year prior, losing their first round match-up with the Jets in six games. The season was also difficult off the ice, as 1986 first round draft pick George Pelawa was killed in a car accident prior to the season's start.

The Flames recorded their first 100-point season in 1987–88, earning the Presidents' Trophy for having the league's best record and ending the Oilers' six-year reign atop the Smythe Division in the process. However, they were swept by the Oilers in the second round of the playoffs. Joe Nieuwendyk became the second rookie in league history to score 50+ goals, earning the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year. Looking to bolster the line-up for a playoff run, the Flames dealt young sniper Brett Hull, along with Steve Bozek, to the Blues for Rob Ramage and Rick Wamsley on March 7, 1988. Their playoff frustrations continued, however, when after defeating the Los Angeles Kings in five games, Calgary was swept out of the playoffs in four straight by the Oilers.

In 1988–89, the Flames continued to improve. They captured their second consecutive Presidents' Trophy with a franchise record 117 points, finishing 26 points better than the second-place Kings in the Smythe Division. Fletcher continued to tinker with the roster, acquiring Doug Gilmour as part of a six player deal at the trade deadline. In the playoffs, the Flames were stretched to seven games in the first round by the Canucks, relying on several saves by goaltender Mike Vernon, including a famous glove save off a Stan Smyl breakaway in overtime. The save remains a defining moment in Flames history. Joel Otto would score the winning goal.

The Flames then made short work of the Kings, defeating them in four straight, before eliminating the Chicago Blackhawks in five games to set up a rematch of the 1986 Stanley Cup Finals against Montreal. This time, the Flames won in six games, the last being a 4–2 victory in Montreal on May 25, 1989. The clinching win was especially significant in that it marked the only time that an opposing team defeated the Canadiens to win the Stanley Cup on Montreal Forum ice. Al MacInnis captured the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoffs most valuable player, while long-time captain Lanny McDonald announced his retirement. The 1989 Stanley Cup win gave Flames co-owner, Sonia Scurfield, the distinction of being the first (and only) Canadian woman to have her name engraved on the Stanley Cup.

In 1989, thanks in part to Cliff Fletcher's diplomatic efforts, the Soviets finally gave permission for a select group of Soviet hockey players to sign with NHL teams. The first of these players was Sergei Pryakhin. Although Pryakhin never became an NHL regular, his arrival blazed a trail for the large number of Russian players who entered the NHL beginning in 1989–90. Sergei Makarov joined the Flames that season and, though already in his thirties, became the fifth Flame to win the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league's Rookie of the Year. The selection would prove controversial, prompting the league to amend the rules to exclude any player over the age of 26 from future consideration.

1991–2003
In 1991, Fletcher left the Flames to become the general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs. He had been the team's general manager since its inception in 1972. He was succeeded in Calgary by Doug Risebrough, and the two quickly completed a ten player mega-trade that saw disgruntled forward Doug Gilmour dealt to Toronto with four other players for former 50 goal scorer Gary Leeman and four others. The trade transformed both clubs. The formerly inept Leafs turned into a contender almost immediately, while Leeman scored only eleven goals in a Flames uniform. Despite the blossoming of Theoren Fleury into an NHL star, the Flames missed the playoffs entirely in 1992, only a year after finishing with their third 100-point season in franchise history. It was the first time the Flames had missed the playoffs since 1975, when they were still in Atlanta. It was also only the third time out of the playoffs in the franchise's 20-year history.

Calgary rebounded to make the playoffs for the next four seasons, including two consecutive division titles. However, they failed move past the first round of the playoffs each time. The 1994 and 1995 Division titles led to Game 7 home defeats in the opening round to the Canucks, and then the San Jose Sharks, both lost in Double overtime. In the 1995-96 Season, Nieuwendyk would hold out and was later traded to the Dallas Stars in a deal that acquired Jarome Iginla. Iginla would make his Flames debut in the 1996 postseason, but the Flames again were beaten in the opening round again, this time in a four game sweep by the Chicago Blackhawks. In 1997, only two years after winning their second consecutive division title, the Flames missed the playoffs and would not return for seven years. The low point came in the 1997-98 season, in which the Flames finished with only 67 points--the second-lowest point total in franchise history (and only two points below the 1972-73 Atlanta Flames).

During this time, the Flames found it increasingly difficult to hold onto their best players, as salaries escalated while the Canadian Dollar lost value against the American Dollar. The NHL's small-market Canadian teams found it increasingly difficult to compete in the new environment. In 1999, for example, the Flames traded Fleury to the Colorado Avalanche midway through the season. The trade came shortly after Fleury became the franchise's all-time leading scorer (a rank he still held as of the beginning of the 2007-08 season. Jarome Iginla passed this mark on March 10, 2008 in a game against the St. Louis Blues). Fleury was due to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, and the Flames didn't want to risk losing him without getting anything in return.

As the Flames sank in the standings, their attendance also sagged. For most of their first 16 years in Calgary, Flames tickets were among the toughest in the NHL. However, by 1999, attendance had fallen off so severely that the owners issued an ultimatum--buy more season tickets or the team would join its departed counterparts in Winnipeg and Quebec City in leaving for the United States. The fans responded by buying enough season tickets to keep the Flames in Calgary for the 2000-01 season. However, the Flames were forced to issue another appeal for more season tickets in the summer of 2000. The campaign, aimed at increasing season ticket sales from a franchise low of 8,700 to 14,000, proved successful. The increased sales did not halt the Flames' financial losses, however, as the team estimated it lost $14.5 million between 2001 and 2003.

One of the few bright spots in this stretch was Iginla, who captured the Rocket Richard and Art Ross Trophies in 2001–02 as NHL goal- and point-scoring champion after scoring 52 goals and 96 points. Iginla again won the Rocket Richard Trophy, tied with Rick Nash and Ilya Kovalchuk, with 41 goals in 2003–04. Another bright spot for the team during this time was defenceman Robyn Regehr who became the youngest nominee ever for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which recognizes perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. Regehr had suffered two broken legs in a car accident the summer of 1999, but recovered in time to play 57 games at the age of 19.

During the 2002–03 season, the Flames hired Darryl Sutter as the team's head coach, replacing Greg Gilbert, who was fired as the Flames languished in last place in the Western Conference. Sutter also became the team's general manager following the season, and is credited with revitalizing the franchise. Among Sutter's first moves was to acquire goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff, whom he had previously coached in San Jose, early in the 2003–04 season. Kiprusoff responded by setting a modern NHL record for lowest goals against average at 1.69.

2004–present
After seven consecutive seasons of not making the playoffs, the Flames finally returned to the post-season in 2004. The Flames became the first team in NHL history to defeat three division champions en route to becoming the first Canadian team in a decade to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals. The Flames' first victim was the Northwest Division champion Vancouver Canucks, whom they defeated in seven games. It was the Flames' first playoff series win since they won the 1989 final.

The Flames then upset the Detroit Red Wings, who had garnered the league's best record, in six games. After eliminating the Pacific Division champs, the San Jose Sharks, in six games in the Western Conference Final, the Flames earned a trip to the 2004 Stanley Cup Finals to face the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C., flew the Flames flag beside the Flag of Canada, while Prime Minister Paul Martin dubbed the Flames "Canada's team".

The final series went to seven games, with the Flames suffering a controversial non-goal in game six at home. Replays showed that Martin Gelinas came close to scoring what would have been the go-ahead goal late in the third period; however, the referees never signaled a goal, and later replays were ruled inconclusive. The Lightning would go on to win the game in double overtime, before winning game seven at home to capture the Stanley Cup. Despite the loss, 30,000 fans packed into Olympic Plaza to celebrate the Flames run.

The Flames would not raise their Western Conference championship banner for nearly 15 months, as the 2004–05 season was wiped out by a labour dispute. During the lockout, team owner and Chairman of the Board, Harley Hotchkiss, attempted to save the season by engaging in discussions with National Hockey League Players Association president Trevor Linden. While their discussions failed to save the season, Hotchkiss was credited with easing tensions that allowed for a successful negotiation of a new collective bargaining agreement.

The Flames played their 25th season in Calgary in 2005–06, finishing with 103 points. It was their best total since the 1989 Cup winning season, and good enough to capture their first division title in 12 years. However, the Flames lost to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in seven games during the first round of the playoffs. Miikka Kiprusoff captured both the William M. Jennings Trophy and the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top goaltender, while defenceman Dion Phaneuf set a franchise record for goals by a rookie blue-liner with 20.

The 2006 off-season began with a trade for Alex Tanguay, formerly of the Colorado Avalanche, and with Darryl Sutter relinquishing his head coaching position to assistant Jim Playfair so he could focus on his duties as general manager. Despite a marked improvement in team offence and a solid 96-point season, the Flames were pushed into eighth place in the Western Conference, largely because seven teams in the West finished with over 100 points. In the playoffs, Calgary fell in six games to the top seeded Detroit Red Wings in the first round. During the series, the Flames were fined by the NHL for several stick-related penalties in the fifth game. Notably, backup goaltender Jamie McLennan was suspended five games for slashing Red Wings forward Johan Franzén. Franzén would score the series clinching goal in the Game 6 defeat in Double Overtime.

Prior to the start of the 2007–08 season, the Flames demoted Playfair to associate coach, bringing in Mike Keenan as the team's third head coach in three years. During the season, Jarome Iginla became the Flames' all-time leader in games played, passing Al MacInnis' mark of 803. Iginla also passed Theoren Fleury's mark of 364 goals to become the Flames all-time goal scoring leader on March 10, 2008. Despite a solid 94-point season and 7th place seed in the western conference, they fell in the quarterfinals to the Pacific Division champs, the San Jose Sharks, in 7 games.

Flames Foundation
The Flames have maintained an active presence in the community since their arrival in Calgary. Through the team's non-profit charity, the Flames Foundation, the team has donated over $29 million to causes throughout southern Alberta. Along with the Rotary Club, the Flames are helping to fund the first children's hospice in Alberta, and one of only six in North America.

The Flames are also close partners with the Alberta Children's Hospital. Among the many activities the Flames participate in, the Wheelchair Hockey Challenge with the Townsend Tigers has remained a highly popular tradition for both the players and the children involved. In 2007, the Tigers defeated the Flames 10–9, to move to a perfect 26–0 record since the challenge was first instituted in 1981.

Red Mile
During the Flames' run to the Stanley Cup Finals of 2004, the city of Calgary essentially became the host of a "non-stop party". The 17th Avenue SW entertainment district, which runs west from the Pengrowth Saddledome, saw as many as 35,000 fans pack the streets during the first three rounds of the playoffs, and over 60,000 in the finals. The Red Mile party received widespread coverage in newspapers across North America, as the parties remained peaceful and incidents were minimal despite the large number of people in a small area.

In April 2006, the Calgary Police Service announced that Red Mile gatherings would not be encouraged, and that measures would be taken to discourage them, including traffic diversions, a zero-tolerance policy on noise and rowdy behaviour, and the presence of plain-clothed officers among the crowd to ticket offenders. After meeting with the Chief of Police, Mayor Dave Bronconnier convinced the Calgary Police Service to relax their ban on the "Red Mile" and encouraged people to make their way to 17th Ave, however the police retained their zero-tolerance policy on public nudity and drunkenness.

The "C of Red"
During the Flames' run to the Stanley Cup Finals of 2004, most of the Flames fans attending the hockey games at the Saddledome wore a red jersey with Calgary's flaming C on it. Sales of the Flames red home jersey, introduced at the start of the 2003–04 campaign, were so strong during the playoffs that the team set a league record for sales of a new jersey design. The tradition of the C of Red dates back to the 1986 Stanley Cup playoffs against the Oilers. Oiler fans were donning hats promoting "Hat Trick Fever" in their quest for three straight Stanley Cups. Flames fans countered by wearing red. In the 1987 playoffs against the Winnipeg Jets, the Jets responded to the C of Red by encouraging fans to wear white, creating the Winnipeg White Out.

Logo
The Flames primary logo is the "Flaming C" design, introduced when the team came to Calgary in 1980. The design of the logo has remained constant since it was created, though the Flames use a different coloured logo for the home and away jerseys. From 1980 until 2000, the home logo was red on a white background, while the road logo was white on a red background. In 2003, the NHL switched to using coloured jerseys for the home team. The home logo became black, with the road logo red on a white background. The original "Flaming A" logo of the Atlanta Flames has been restored for use as a patch denoting the team's alternate captains. The flaming horse logo was retired in 2007 with the introduction of the new Rbk Edge jerseys.

Jerseys
The Flames' original jerseys used red and orange striping. In 1994, the Flames added black to the team's colour scheme, while also adding a diagonal stripe from the base of the jersey to below the logo. In 1998, to celebrate the "Year of the Cowboy", the Flames introduced their third jersey design, the "flaming horse" logo on a black background. Two years later, the jersey became the Flames road jersey, while the home jersey was updated to incorporate the same V-style striping on the arms and waist of the jersey. This jersey was once again relegated to third jersey status in 2003 when the NHL adopted the coloured jerseys for the home team. In 2007, with the introduction of the Rbk Edge jersey, the Flames updated their look once again, replacing the horizontal striping with vertical striping down the sides. To honour the team's heritage, the Flames added the flags of Alberta and Canada as shoulder patches.

Mascot
Harvey the Hound is the Flames' mascot. He was created in 1983 to serve both with the Flames and the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. Harvey was the first mascot in the NHL. Harvey is famous for an incident in January 2003 where he had his tongue ripped out by Edmonton Oilers head coach Craig MacTavish as he was harassing their bench. The incident made headlines throughout North America and led to much humour, including having many other NHL team mascots arrive at the 2003 All-Star Game with their tongues hanging out.

Honoured members
Several members of the Flames organization have been honoured by the Hockey Hall of Fame during the team's 27-year history in Calgary. Lanny McDonald was the first Flame player inducted, gaining election in 1992. McDonald recorded 215 goals in 492 games for the Flames, including a team record 66 goals in 1982–83. He was joined in 2000 by a fellow member of the 1989 Stanley Cup championship team, Joe Mullen. Mullen spent five seasons with the Flames, recording 388 points and capturing two Lady Byng Trophies. Grant Fuhr, elected in 2003, became the third former Flames player to enter the Hall. Fuhr played only one season in Calgary; however, he recorded his 400th career win in a Flames uniform, a victory over the Florida Panthers on October 22, 1999. In 2007, Al MacInnis became the fourth former Flame inducted into the Hall. MacInnis was a member of the Flames from 1981 until 1994. He is best remembered for his booming slapshot, as well as for winning the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1989 as playoff MVP.

Former head coach "Badger" Bob Johnson joined McDonald in the class of 1992, gaining election as a builder. Johnson coached five seasons with the Flames from 1982–87, and his 193 wins remain a team record. Cliff Fletcher was the Flames general manager from the organizations inception in 1972 until 1991 – a span of 19 years. During that time, the Flames qualified for the playoffs sixteen consecutive times between 1976 and 1991. Fletcher was inducted in 2004. In 2006, Harley Hotchkiss became the third Flames builder to gain election. Hotchkiss is an original member of the ownership group that purchased and brought the Flames to Calgary in 1980. He has served many years as the chairman of the NHL Board of Directors, during which he played a significant role in the resolution of the 2004–05 lockout.

Flames radio broadcaster Peter Maher was named the recipient of the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award in 2006 for his years of service as the radio play-by-play announcer for the Calgary Flames. During his career, Maher has called Flames games since 1981, six All-Star Games, and four Stanley Cup Finals.

The Calgary Flames have retired two numbers, and a third one was retired league-wide. The Flames have retired Lanny McDonald's #9, who played right wing for the Flames from 1981 to 1989, and captaining the Flames in 1989, who won the Stanley Cup. Mike Vernon's #30 is also retired; he was their goaltender for fourteen years, from 1982–94 and 2000–02. Wayne Gretzky's #99 was retired league-wide in 2000.

Franchise scoring leaders
These are the top-ten point-scorers in the history of the Flames (both Atlanta and Calgary). Figures are complete to the middle of the 2009-10 NHL season.

Note: GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points, P/G = Points Per Game, * = Active Player