- 1980
- 1983
- 1989
-
Moving to Calgary
Cousins announced that he was seeking to sell the club following the Flames’ exit from the playoffs. He claimed to have suffered significant financial losses on the team while low viewership hampered his ability to sign a television contract for the team. The team, estimated to have lost $12 million in its eight years, had been rumored for months to ... -
Olympic Saddledome Opens
In 1983, the Flames moved into their new home, the Olympic Saddledome, now known as the Scotiabank 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. The Saddledome hosted the 37th NHL All-Star ... -
Stanley Cup Winner 1989
The 1989 Stanley Cup Final was between the Calgary Flames and the Montreal Canadiens, the top two teams during the 1988–89 NHL regular season. As of 2012, this is the most recent time that the first two seeds met in the Stanley Cup Final, as the New Jersey Devils had one win less than the Detroit Red Wings in 2000 ...
History of the Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are the third major professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the Calgary Tigers (1921–1927) and Calgary Cowboys (1975–1977). The Flames are one of two NHL franchises based in Alberta, the other being the Edmonton Oilers. The cities' proximity has led to a rivalry known as the "Battle of Alberta."
The team was founded in 1972 in Atlanta as the Atlanta Flames before relocating to Calgary in 1980. The Flames played their first three seasons in Calgary at the Stampede Corral before moving into the Scotiabank Saddledome (originally the Olympic Saddledome) in 1983. In 1985–86, the Flames became the first Calgary team since the 1923–24 Tigers to compete for the Stanley Cup. In 1988–89, the Flames won their first and only Stanley Cup title. The Flames' unexpected run to the 2004 Stanley Cup Finals gave rise to the Red Mile, and in 2011, the team hosted and won the second Heritage Classic outdoor game.
Established
1972
City
Atlanta – Calgary
League History
1972 – Present / National Hockey League
Team History
1980 – Present / Calgary Flames
1972 – 1980 / Atlanta Flames
Nickname
Flames – When the team moved to Calgary, they were sold to a group headed by Nelson Skalbania on May 21, 1980, and the franchise moved to Calgary for the 1980 – 1981 season. After holding a name-the-team contest, the ownership group voted to retain the Flames name and change the logo from a flaming “A” to a flaming “C.” “Flames” would be a good fit for an oil town like Calgary.
Championship
Stanley Cup 1
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
