While the headlines surrounding the Calgary Flames are all about their Battle of Alberta playoff series against the Edmonton Oilers, the organization does have some major unrelated news as well. The American Hockey League announced Monday that its Board of Governors has approved the relocation of the Flames’ affiliate, the Stockton Heat, from Stockton, California to Calgary. The league’s official announcement read as follows:
American Hockey League President and Chief Executive Officer Scott Howson announced that the AHL Board of Governors, convening last week for its Spring Meeting, has approved the relocation of the franchise owned by the Calgary Flames from Stockton, Calif., to Calgary, Alta., beginning with the 2022-23 season.
Details relating to the transfer are in progress and the AHL and the Flames will provide more information when finalized. Division alignment for the 2022-23 AHL season, which will begin October 14, will also be finalized at a later date.
There is no word on yet on where the Flames’ affiliate will be playing in Calgary, but this move comes as part of a larger trend towards moving AHL affiliates closer to their NHL parent clubs. The Montreal Canadiens, Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks and Vancouver Canucks are all teams that have moved their AHL affiliates closer to their home markets in the past.
The Canucks example is particularly relevant for the Flames because of the success of their move from an established AHL market in Utica, New York to Abbotsford, British Columbia. Patrick Williams of TheAHL.com notes that the success of the Canucks’ move to Abbotsford gives confidence that the Flames’ move will prove a success. Because optimizing for easier travel and smaller travel costs is so important for the health of minor league sports, the fact that the success of the Canucks and their move can serve as a blueprint for the Flames’ move is no small factor. At the very least, this relocation will make it so the logistical challenge of the Flames calling up AHL-ers on short notice will be significantly reduced.
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