- 1974
- 1980
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Atlanta Flames Team Formation
It announced on November 9, 1971, that it was expanding to Long Island and Atlanta. The Atlanta franchise was awarded to Tom Cousins, who also owned the Atlanta Hawks basketball team, and would play out of the Omni Coliseum. The team cost $6 million. -
Move to Calgary
As the team stagnated on the ice, the Flames struggled at the gate. They peaked at an average of 14,161 fans per game in their second season, 1973 – 1974, but fell to 12,258 three years later and then 10,500 in 1977 – 1978. Concerns that low attendance could result in the relocation of the team surfaced by 1976, prompting ...
History of the Flames
The Atlanta Flames were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia. The team was founded in 1972 as part of the World Hockey Association (WHA) and joined the National Hockey League (NHL) when it merged with the WHA in 1979. They played their home games at The Omni Coliseum from 1972 to 1980 before moving to Calgary, Alberta, and becoming known as the Calgary Flames.
Throughout their eight seasons in Atlanta, they compiled an overall record of 206-288-66 while making four playoff appearances during that time frame. In addition to this success on the ice, they became popular amongst fans due to their unique logo design, featuring a flaming "A" for "Atlanta." Their most successful season came during 1975–76 when they made it all way to the semi-finals after defeating both New England Whalers and Cleveland Crusaders, respectively, before being eliminated by eventual champions Houston Aeros 4–1 by the series scoreline.
Despite this success, however, they never won any championship titles or trophies throughout their stay within the NHL, leading many people to believe that relocation was inevitable given the lack of competitive edge over other teams' leagues. Ultimately, the franchise moved up north Canada, where it would later become one of the most successful franchises ever, winning multiple Stanley Cups in 1989 and 1990 along with numerous division championships since then - proving to be a pretty beneficial move long run despite initial disappointment leaving behind loyal fan base in southeast US region.
Established
1972
City
Atlanta – Calgary
League History
1972 – Present / National Hockey League
Team History
1980 – Present / Calgary Flames
1972 – 1980 / Atlanta Flames
Nickname
Flames – The Atlanta Flames, an NHL franchise from 1972-1980, have a unique and exciting history behind their name. The name was inspired by the city of Atlanta’s connection to the Civil War and its prosperous southern heritage. During the war, General William Tecumseh Sherman famously set fire to much of what is now downtown Atlanta in 1864 as part of his famous “March to the Sea” campaign, during which he destroyed Confederate supply lines and morale. This fire became known as “the Great Fire of Atlanta” or simply "the flames."
To commemorate this historical event in Georgia while representing strength and courage on ice, owners Tom Cousins & Irv Kupcinet used "Flames" as their new NHL team's nickname when they were awarded an expansion franchise in 1972. It was a fitting choice given that hockey is often referred to as being played with fiery intensity on both sides - something that could be seen at every single home game for eight seasons until 1980, when ownership moved them up north into Calgary, where they still exist today under only slightly different branding (Calgary Flames).
For those sports fans who remember watching games at The Omni or cheering from afar during those eight years between '72-'80, though, there will always be fond memories tied directly back to these original "Atlanta Flames."
Championship
Stanley Cup 0
1989
Arena
1983 – Present / Scotiabank Saddledome
1980 – 1983 / Stampede Corral
*Atlanta*
1972 – 1980 / Omni Coliseum
Owner
1980 – Present / Calgary Flames Limited Partnership
1972 – 1980 / Tom Cousins
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
Retired Number
9 / Lanny McDonald
12 / Jarome Iginla
30 / Mike Vernon
99 / Wayne Gretzky
*Blue is this team’s history