FLAMES HISTORY
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Since the Flames moved north from Atlanta to Calgary in 1980, they have built a bond with the city, becoming an essential part of its fabric. As part of the Flames 30th anniversary celebrations this season we take a look back on the memories and reflect on the great teams, players, and moments in Calgary Flames history. For 30 days, beginning September 2 and leading up the Flames home opener October 1 against Vancouver, we'll reminisce on a past Flames season and look at the unique contribution each team has made to Flames' lore. |
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2008-09 For the 2008-09 season, two new players joined the Flames’ cadre of forwards: Michael Cammalleri, who was acquired from the Los Angeles Kings during the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, and Todd Bertuzzi, who was signed to a one-year contract during the summer. At the trade deadline, two more deals saw the acquisitions of defenceman Jordan Leopold from the Colorado Avalanche and forward Olli Jokinen from the Phoenix Coyotes. The Flames lost one of their own that season with the death of Daryl “Doc” Seaman on January 11. Seaman was instrumental in bringing the Flames franchise to the city and remained one of the team’s owners until his passing. On December 23, rookie Brett Sutter became the eighth man in the Sutter family to play in the National Hockey League, scoring his first NHL goal in a 4-3 Calgary win over Anaheim. On March 1, Jarome Iginla became the Calgary Flames new franchise point leader, notching his 831st point—and his 400th goal—in a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Flames finished the season second in the Northwest Division, but with many of their star players out with injuries, they were ousted in the first round of the playoffs by the Chicago Blackhawks. |
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2007-08 In the summer of 2007, Mike Keenan was brought on board to replace Jim Playfair as the Flames’ head coach. In Keenan’s first season behind the Flames’ bench, the team finished third in the Northwest but was ousted in the first round of the playoffs in a tough, seven-game series against the San Jose Sharks. In December, the Flames became the third team in NHL history to win all six games on a single road trip, and with a 5-3 win over the St. Louis Blues on December 16, Keenan became only the sixth NHL coach to record 600 career victories. Jarome Iginla captured two franchise records that year: on November 27, he played his 804th game to surpass Al MacInnis for most games played as a Flame; and on March 10, he scored his 365th goal to pass Theoren Fleury for the Flames’ all-time lead. For the second time in his career, Iginla recorded a 50-goal season, scoring number 50 on April 5 against the Vancouver Canucks in the final game of the regular season. Iginla was a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy as league MVP that year, while Dion Phaneuf was a Norris Trophy finalist as the league’s top defenceman. |
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2006-07 Two Calgary legends were recognized by the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2006, when Flames co-owner Harley Hotchkiss was inducted in the Builder Category and broadcaster Peter Maher received the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award. In July, Darryl Sutter moved into the GM position full-time, handing over the head coaching reins to Jim Playfair. During the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, Sutter acquired Alex Tanguay in exchange for Jordan Leopold and draft picks. Other trades that season saw the acquisition of Wayne Primeau and Brad Stuart from the Boston Bruins, and the re-acquisition of Craig Conroy from the Los Angeles Kings. Dion Phaneuf and Miikka Kiprusoff appeared at the annual All-Star Game, and while Jarome Iginla was also named to the All-Star team, an injury forced him to forego the event. On February 6, the Flames retired goaltender Mike Vernon’s jersey, his #30 becoming only the second jersey to be retired by the organization. Miikka Kiprusoff set a new franchise record for shutouts by a Flame that season (21), and three players hit the 30-goal mark (Jarome Iginla, Kristian Huselius, and Daymond Langkow). The Flames finished third in the Northwest Division, but were eliminated by the Detroit Red Wings in the first round of the playoffs 4-2. |
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2005-06 With the NHL set to resume play after the 2004-05 lockout, Flames fans were eager to see their team reignite the excitement from the 2004 playoffs. A strong regular season led the Flames to the top of the Northwest Division, but they were eliminated by the Anaheim Mighty Ducks 4-3 in the first round of the playoffs. Goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff followed up his record-setting 2003-04 season by leading the NHL in shutouts (10) and goals against average (2.07), setting a new franchise record for wins in the process (42). Kiprusoff was awarded both the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goalie and the William Jennings Trophy for the fewest goals allowed during the regular season (151), and he was a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league’s most valuable player. Dion Phaneuf, who set a new franchise record for goals by a rookie defenceman (20), was a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year. With 67 points (35 g, 32 a), Jarome Iginla led the team in scoring for the fifth consecutive season. Three Flames participated in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino in February, Iginla and Robyn Regehr playing for Canada and Jordan Leopold for the United States. |
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2004-05 The fall of 2004 felt eerily familiar to hockey fans who remembered the beginning of the 1994-95 season ten years before. Without a collective bargaining agreement in place, on September 15, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced a lockout of the players. During negotiations between the league and the players’ association, many hoped a compromise could be reached early enough to salvage some portion of the season. But it was not to be. On February 16, the 2004-05 NHL season was cancelled in its entirety. Almost 400 players chose to play in European leagues that year, including Flames Martin Gelinas, Marcus Nilson, Roman Turek, and Miikka Kiprusoff. As Chairman of the NHL Board of Governors, Flames co-owner Harley Hotchkiss would prove instrumental in finding common ground with the players and ultimately settling the dispute. Junior hockey reaped some benefits from the lack of an NHL season, gaining fans and viewers across North America. The IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships in December and January pulled higher television ratings than usual, while the Calgary Hitmen set WHL and CHL records for attendance with 362,227. The Hitmen averaged 10,062 fans per game that year, the highest of any junior or professional hockey team in North America. |
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2003-04 For the 2003-04 season, Flames’ Head Coach Darryl Sutter added the position of General Manager to his title, and with his first pick at the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, he chose defenceman Dion Phaneuf in the first round (9th overall). Midway through the season, goaltender Roman Turek suffered a knee injury that prompted Sutter to acquire Miikka Kiprusoff from the San Jose Sharks. Kiprusoff would set an NHL record for lowest goals against average that season, recording a GAA of 1.69. Craig Conroy introduced the green hard hat, awarded to the unsung hero of the game after each Flames win, and for the second time in his career, Jarome Iginla won the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy, tying Rick Nash and Ilya Kovalchuk for most regular-season goals (41). But hockey fans will best remember 2003-04 as the season in which the Flames made their incredible bid for the Stanley Cup. In their first playoff appearance in seven years, the Flames eliminated the Vancouver Canucks, Detroit Red Wings, and San Jose Sharks before taking on the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Cup finals, losing in a hard fought seven-game series. Thousands of fans gathered at a rally in Calgary’s Olympic Plaza following the conclusion of the playoffs to thank the Flames for their tremendous run. |
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2002-03 In an effort to bolster their lineup prior to the start of the 2002-03 season, the Calgary Flames executed a blockbuster trade on October 1, acquiring Chris Drury and Stephane Yelle from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Dean McAmmond, Derek Morris, and Jeff Shantz. Other lineup moves that season included two separate trades with the Pittsburgh Penguins, the first bringing Andrew Ference to the team, and the second seeing the acquisition of winger Shean Donovan. There were changes behind the bench as well, as Head Coach Greg Gilbert was fired in December. Assistant General Manager Al MacNeil took over as interim bench boss until the arrival of Darryl Sutter later that month. The second Sutter brother to coach the Flames, Darryl had an immediate impact on the struggling team, recording a 19-16-8-1 record for the remainder of the season. Jarome Iginla led the team in goals (35) and points (67), and made his second consecutive appearance at the NHL All-Star Game. Flames mascot Harvey the Hound also made headlines that season. During a game against Edmonton in January, Oilers’ head coach Craig MacTavish ripped out Harvey’s signature red tongue after the mascot had repeatedly taunted the Oilers’ bench. The Flames won the game 4-3. |
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2001-02 Prior to the start of 2001-02, the Flames pulled off two significant draft day trades, acquiring goaltender Roman Turek from the St. Louis Blues, and right winger Rob Niedermayer from the Florida Panthers. In his first two games, Turek recorded back-to-back shutouts against Edmonton and Chicago, and he tied a Flames record with five shutouts during the regular season. Despite getting off to a quick start, going 13-2-2-2, the Flames were unable to maintain the pace and ultimately missed the playoffs. Jarome Iginla established himself as one of the top-tier players in the NHL that season, leading the team—and the league—with 96 points (52 g, 44 a) and becoming only the eighth player in franchise history to score 50+ goals. Iginla captured three coveted NHL awards that year: the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy (for most goals), the Art Ross Trophy (for most points), and the Lester B. Pearson Award (for MVP as voted by the players). He was also a key member of Team Canada at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, where he scored two goals in the final game against the United States to help Canada win its first gold medal in ice hockey in 50 years. |
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2000-01 2000-01 was a season of many changes for the Flames. General Manager Al Coates was fired at the end of 1999-2000, and in June the organization hired Craig Button as his replacement. After three seasons behind the Flames’ bench, Brian Sutter was also let go. Don Hay became the new head coach, but Hay would only retain the job until March, when Greg Gilbert was brought on board to help resuscitate the team. With their first round draft pick, the Flames selected Calgary Hitmen goaltender Brent Krahn, and in June, the team welcomed back a familiar goalie when Mike Vernon was re-acquired from Minnesota. For away games, the “flaming horse” third jersey became the Flames’ official road jersey that year, and at home, the team’s arena changed hands and was renamed the Pengrowth Saddledome. At the trade deadline, the Flames dealt sniper Cory Stillman to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for Craig Conroy and a seventh round pick. Jarome Iginla led the team in points (71) and goals (31) and was the recipient of the Ralph Scurfield Humanitarian Award. At the end of a tumultuous season, the Flames finished in fourth place in the Northwest Division. |
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1999-2000 With so many young Flames players on the roster, the organization adopted a “Young Guns” theme as the team’s marketing slogan for 1999-2000. But it was a veteran who made headlines just prior to the start of the season when Calgary acquired former Edmonton Oiler goalie Grant Fuhr from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for a third round draft pick. Fuhr served as the backup to Fred Brathwaite, who recorded 25 wins and a 2.75 goals against average that season. Valeri Bure led the team in points (75) and goals (35), and he and his brother, Pavel, set a new NHL record for most goals by brothers in a single season (93). Phil Housley tied for fourth in the league in defence scoring with 55 points (11 g, 44 a), as he and Bure represented the Flames at the 2000 All-Star Game. At age 20, rookie defenceman Robyn Regehr became the youngest nominee ever for the NHL’s Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy after his recovery from a serious car accident that left him with two broken legs in the summer of 1999. The Flames won a record-setting 11 overtime games that season, but failed to qualify for the playoffs for the fourth straight year. |
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1998-99 The NHL realigned its divisions for 1998-99, moving to its current six-division structure and shifting the Flames from the Pacific to the Northwest Division. Calgary launched their season with a two-game series at the Yoyogi Arena in Tokyo against the San Jose Sharks, with the teams playing to a 3-3 draw in the first game and the Flames winning the second game 5-3 on the back of a Theoren Fleury hat trick. Injuries dogged the Flames that season, particularly to their goalies, and in January they signed Fred Brathwaite, who had helped Team Canada win the Spengler Cup in Switzerland the month before. In his first game, Brathwaite recorded a 1-0 shutout against the Dallas Stars. On February 28, the Flames traded Theoren Fleury along with Chris Dingman to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Rene Corbet, Wade Belak, Robyn Regehr, and a second round draft pick. Before he left Fleury set numerous club records, and was the last remaining Flame on the roster from the 1989 Stanley Cup winning team. 1998-99 also saw the introduction of the “flaming horse” third jersey in conjunction with the “Year of the Cowboy.” Calgary finished the season third in the Northwest and ninth in the Western Conference. |
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1997-98 This was a year of new faces and new ventures for the Calgary Flames. Prior to the beginning of the season, Brian Sutter was hired to replace Pierre Page as the team’s head coach. A native Albertan, Sutter won the 1991 Jack Adams Award as coach of the St. Louis Blues. Major trades also brought new team members to the ice: Andrew Cassels and Jean-Sebastien Giguere were acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes for Gary Roberts and Trevor Kidd, and Valeri Bure came from the Montréal Canadiens in exchange for Zarley Zalapski and Jonas Hoglund. 1996 first-round draft pick Derek Morris played all 82 regular season games and was named to the NHL Rookie All-Star Team, while veteran Theoren Fleury again led the team in scoring (27 g, 51 a, 78 p), becoming the all-time franchise leader in goals when he netted his 315th on November 29 in a 3-2 OT win over Anaheim. Fleury also played for Team Canada during the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. New projects for the Flames in 1997-98 included the purchase a local junior team, the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League (WHL), and the launch the Flames Foundation as the charitable arm of the club. |
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1996-97 This season marked a transition year for the Flames, with the emergence of some talented younger players. In their first full seasons with the team, rookies Todd Simpson and Jarome Iginla were two of only three Flames to play in all 82 regular season games (the third was Dave Gagner). Simpson led NHL rookies with 208 penalty minutes, while Iginla recorded 50 points (21 g, 29 a) and eight power play goals to lead all rookies in those categories. Iginla was also the runner-up to the New York Islanders’ Bryan Berard for the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league’s best rookie. At the 1996 NHL Entry Draft, Calgary drafted Derek Morris and Toni Lydman, both of whom would go on to play key roles in their time with the team. In his ninth season, veteran Theoren Fleury continued to excel as a scoring forward, leading the Flames with 67 points (29 g, 38 a). It was the seventh consecutive time that Fleury ended a season as one of the team’s top three scorers. The Flames finished the season fifth in the Pacific, failing to qualify for the playoffs for only the second time since their arrival in Calgary. |
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1995-96 Pierre Page joined the Flames in 1995-96, replacing Dave King as the team’s head coach. A former bench boss with the Minnesota North Stars and Quebec Nordiques, Page’s Flames opened the season with a seven-game road trip while extensive renovations to the Canadian Airlines Saddledome were being completed. The team struggled early on, posting a 4-15-5 record through October and November, but their fortunes improved with the return of Gary Roberts, who had been recovering from a severe neck injury that sidelined him for most of the previous season. In the 35 games after his return, Roberts posted 22 goals and 42 points, winning the league’s Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for his perseverance and dedication to hockey. In December, after unsuccessful contract negotiations, Joe Nieuwendyk was traded to the Dallas Stars in exchange for Corey Millen and junior star, Jarome Iginla. The Flames finished the regular season second in the Pacific, but were again ousted in the first round of the playoffs, losing to Chicago in five games. The lone bright spot of the postseason was Jarome Iginla’s debut. In a harbinger of things to come, Iginla scored a goal and an assist in his first two games as a Flame. |
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1994-95 Flames fans had to wait longer than usual for their team to hit the ice in 1994-95. After playing the previous season without a collective bargaining agreement, the NHL owners instituted a lockout of the players on October 1, 1994. It took 104 days of negotiations before the season finally began on January 20, 1995, with each team only slated to play 48 games. Prior to the lockout, two Flames were traded—Mike Vernon to Detroit in exchange for Steve Chiasson, and Al MacInnis to St. Louis for Phil Housley and draft picks. Housley led the Flames in assists that season with 35, while Theoren Fleury topped the team in scoring with 58 points (29 g, 29 a), sixth overall in the NHL. In 43 starts, Trevor Kidd lodged a 2.61 goals against average, the lowest GAA in team history for a 20+ game season. Kidd won the Molson Cup that year, while Joe Nieuwendyk was awarded the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for his leadership both on and off the ice. The Flames finished first in the Pacific to capture their second consecutive division title, but failed to make it past the San Jose Sharks in round one of the playoffs. |
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1993-94 1993-94 was a season of change for the entire NHL. Divisions were renamed and reorganized according to geographical alignment, and a new playoff structure was introduced, seeding eight teams from each conference rather than four from each division. The Flames moved into the Pacific Division, a shift that obviously agreed with them—they finished the season in first place, capturing the first-ever Pacific Division title. Calgary went on to play the Vancouver Canucks in round one of the playoffs, but lost in seven games despite leading the series 3-1. The season started on a high note for Joe Nieuwendyk, who recorded a 10-game point streak, a franchise record for the beginning of a season. It was also a notable year for Flames rookies, including first-round draft pick Trevor Kidd, who appeared in 31 games, the most by a rookie goaltender in Flames history. Kidd also set rookie records for goals against average (3.16), wins (13), and minutes played (1,614). Other Flames rookies that season included German Titov, who scored 27 goals in his first NHL season, however did not qualify as a rookie due to the NHL’s age restriction; and goaltender Andrei Trefilov, who became the first rookie goaltender to record back-to-back shutouts for the Flames. |
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1992-93 In May 1992, General Manager Doug Risebrough hired Dave King as the Flames’ new head coach. A former Canadian national team coach, King led the Flames to 97 points and a second-place finish in the Smythe. In one of the season’s most memorable games, Calgary routed San Jose on February 10 by a score of 13-1. The Flames set a series of franchise records that night, including: most goals scored in one game (13), greatest margin of victory (12), fastest four goals (1:21), most assists by a goaltender (3), and highest plus/minus by a player (+9). Theoren Fleury led the team in scoring that year with 100 points (34 g, 66 a), the second time in three seasons that he hit the 100-point mark, while Al McInnis became the franchise leader in games played, registering his 706th game on February 23. Mike Vernon reached two milestones, becoming the first Flames goaltender to win back-to-back shutouts, and the first to record 200 wins in a Flames uniform. In round one of the playoffs against the Los Angeles Kings, the Flames put on another offensive display, breaking the record for most goals in a six-game series (28), but the Kings wound up taking the series, winning 4-2. |
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1991-92 The Calgary Flames experienced some significant changes before the start of their twelfth season. In May 1991, Bill Hay became President and C.E.O., and Cliff Fletcher stepped down to take the General Manager position with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Head Coach Doug Risebrough assumed the Flames’ GM duties, and in one of the most controversial moves in NHL history, Risebrough and Fletcher orchestrated a 10-player trade that saw the departure of Doug Gilmour, Ric Nattress, Jamie Macoun, Rick Wamsley, and Kent Manderville. The Flames would struggle that year, finishing fifth in the Smythe and failing to make the playoffs for the first time since arriving from Atlanta, but the season was not without its highlights. Gary Roberts netted 53 goals, ranking him third in the league, and he became the first player in NHL history to record 50 goals and 200 penalty minutes in the same season. On March 16, Al MacInnis scored his first career hat trick, only the second Flames defenceman to do so. And on March 19, Mike Vernon backstopped the Flames in a 3-1 victory over San Jose to record his 193rd career win and become the winningest goaltender in Flames history. |
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1990-91 In an effort to restructure the team prior to the 1990-91 season, Flames General Manager Cliff Fletcher fired Terry Crisp and handed over the head coaching reins to Doug Risebrough. The Flames responded with a strong offensive season. They led the league with 344 goals, thanks in part to a breakout year from Theoren Fleury. The feisty forward potted 51 goals, tying him for second in the league and matching Joe Nieuwendyk’s record for the second-highest single-season total by a Flame. On defence, Al MacInnis continued to dominate, leading the NHL in scoring by a defenceman. MacInnis set team records for defensive points (103) and assists (75), and became only the fourth d-man in NHL history to record a 100-point season.Both Fleury and MacInnis—along with Gary Suter and Mike Vernon—were named to the Campbell Conference All-Star Team. The Flames ended the regular season in second spot in the Smythe, two points behind the division-leading Los Angeles Kings, but had to face the defending Stanley Cup champion Edmonton Oilers in round one of the playoffs. Despite finishing 20 points ahead of the Oilers, the Flames were ousted in a tough seven-game series, losing the final game in overtime. |
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1989-90 The Flames celebrated their tenth season in Calgary as the defending Stanley Cup champions. For the second straight year they finished first in the Smythe Division with 99 points, ranking them second only to the Boston Bruins in the league’s overall standings. Russian superstar Sergei Makarov, drafted by the Flames in the last round of 1983 NHL Entry Draft, came from the Soviet Union to play in the NHL, and his 86-point performance earned him the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie. For the sixth year in a row, forward Tim Hunter led the Flames in penalty minutes, equalling the six-year run when Willi Plett held the PIM title (1976-77 to 1981-82). Meanwhile, centre Joe Nieuwendyk continued to cement his reputation as a top scorer, leading the team with 95 points (45 g, 50 a) and winning the Molson Cup for most three-star selections during the season. Along with Joe Mullen, Al MacInnis, and Mike Vernon, Nieuwendyk was one of four Flames named to the Campbell Conference All-Star team. Despite a strong regular season, a repeat of their Stanley Cup victory was not to be, as the Flames went down to the Los Angeles Kings 4-2 in the division semi-finals. |
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1988-89 The Calgary Flames closed out the 1980s in championship style. The team capped off its ninth NHL season with a second consecutive Presidents’ Trophy before going on to capture the Smythe Division, the Campbell Conference, and ultimately the Stanley Cup. In a thrilling six-game final against the Montréal Canadiens, the Flames avenged their 1986 loss, becoming the only visiting team ever to win the Cup on Montreal Forum ice. Flames’ co-owner Sonia Scurfield, wife of the late Ralph Scurfield, remains the first and only Canadian woman to have her name engraved on Lord Stanley’s Mug. With his 31 playoff points, defenceman Al MacInnis won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP—the first defenceman to do so in 11 years; and with the championship finally under his belt, fan favourite Lanny McDonald retired after a season in which he collected his 500th goal and 1,000th point. 1988-89 was also a landmark year for two more Flames players: Joe Mullen, who set an NHL record for single-season points by a U.S. born player (110); and Joe Nieuwendyk, who matched his 51-goal output from the previous year to become only the third player to score 50 goals in each of his first two seasons. |
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1987-88 Following a disappointing showing by the Flames in the 1987 playoffs, head coach Bob Johnson resigned in May after five seasons behind the bench. His replacement, Terry Crisp, would help lead the team to its most successful season to date. Not only did the 1987-88 Flames finish first overall to claim the Presidents’ Trophy, they also set new benchmarks for most wins (48), most points (105), and most goals scored in one season (397). Forwards Hakan Loob and Joe Nieuwendyk both hit the 50-goal mark, Loob becoming the first (and thus far only) Swedish player in NHL history to do so, and Nieuwendyk becoming only the second rookie to net 50+. Gary Suter led all defencemen in points (91) and set or tied several Flames records, including most assists by a defenceman in a single season (70) and highest consecutive game point streak (16). Goalie Mike Vernon finished with the league’s best winning percentage (.644), fewest losses (16), and second most wins (39) and games played (64), the latter two setting new team records. The Flames also sent a franchise record five players to the All-Star Game: Al MacInnis, Gary Suter, Mike Vernon, Brad McCrimmon, and Joe Nieuwendyk. |
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1986-87 At the time, the Calgary Flames’ 1986-87 season was their most successful in franchise history: with 46 wins and 95 points, they finished third overall in the National Hockey League standings.The team was unable to maintain that success in the playoffs, however, and was ousted in the first round by the Winnipeg Jets. In his first full season as a Flame, Joe Mullen led the team with 87 points (47 g, 40 a), and topped the league with 12 game winning goals, a club record that stands to this day. Mullen was also awarded the NHL’s Lady Byng Memorial Trophy. Young defenceman Al MacInnis set a club record for most points in a season by a defenceman (76) and was named a second team All-Star. In the final game of the regular season, Lanny McDonald celebrated his 1,000th NHL game—only the sixth player in league history to do so. McDonald was also recognized for his work off the ice, being named the first winner of the Ralph T. Scurfield Humanitarian Award for his leadership and dedication to community service. Mr. Scurfield, an original owner of the Calgary Flames, died tragically in an avalanche in the winter of 1985. |
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1985-86 Despite an 11-game losing streak midway through 1985-86, the Calgary Flames finished their sixth season in the number two spot in the Smythe, and claimed the franchise’s first Clarence S. Campbell Bowl. The losing streak ended when Calgary native Mike Vernon, recently called up from the American Hockey League, won his first NHL game on January 9 against the Vancouver Canucks. Sniper Joe Mullen was acquired from the St. Louis Blues midway through the season and assisted in the development of a young line-up that had 10 Flames rookies hit the ice that year. The team had a remarkable playoff run, taking down the heavily favoured Edmonton Oilers in a seven-game series that is best remembered for Oiler defenceman Steve Smith scoring on his own net—a goal that wound up being the series winner for the Flames. Calgary forward Perry Berezan was credited with the goal even though he was on the bench when the puck went in. The Flames advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals but lost in five games to the Montréal Canadiens. Defenceman Gary Suter captured the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league’s top rookie, and was also named to the NHL All-Rookie Team. |
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1984-85 At the 1984 NHL Entry Draft prior to the start of their fifth season, the Calgary Flames selected forward Gary Roberts with their first round pick, adding Brett Hull and Gary Suter in later rounds. All of them would go on to have illustrious careers in the league. The Flames had a tremendously successful regular season, tying a franchise record for wins with 41, and setting new team marks for points (94) and goals (363). Kent Nilsson led the team in scoring with 99 points, while he and fellow Swede Hakan Loob tied for the team lead in goals with 37. Despite the records, the Flames only managed to finish third in the Smythe Division and fell to the Winnipeg Jets in the first round of the playoffs. Following another disappointing postseason, General Manager Cliff Fletcher made changes to his club that included trading leading scorer Nilsson to the Minnesota North Stars for draft picks that would later include Joe Nieuwendyk and Stephane Matteau. Calgary was also host city of the 1985 NHL All-Star Game, with two Flames players—Al MacInnis and Paul Reinhart—representing the team. |
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1983-84 After three seasons in the Stampede Corral, the Calgary Flames moved across the street to the Olympic Saddledome at the start of the 1983-84 season. A state-of-the-art 16,683-seat facility built for 1988 Winter Olympics, the Saddledome officially opened its doors on October 15, 1983 when the Edmonton Oilers defeated the Flames in a close 4-3 battle. In addition to their new home, the Flames also welcomed a new teammate this season when Harvey the Hound, the NHL’s first mascot, made his debut on February 16, 1984. Lanny McDonald was once again the Flames’ representative at the All-Star Game, while draft picks Hakan Loob and Jamie Macoun were both named to the NHL All-Rookie team. Kent Nilsson led the Flames in scoring with 80 points (31 g, 49 a), followed by Eddy Beers (36 g, 39 a, 75 p) and Lanny McDonald (33 g, 33 a, 66 p). For the fourth straight year, the Flames made the playoffs, winding up the season with a second-place finish in the Smythe Division and earning a first-round match-up against the Vancouver Canucks. Calgary defeated Vancouver in four games to face the top team in the NHL, the Edmonton Oilers, in the second round, but lost in a tough, seven-game series. |
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1982-83 Flames fans likely remember the 1982-83 season for two things: the arrival of a new head coach, and the career scoring performance by Lanny McDonald. Prior to the beginning of their third season, the Flames replaced Al MacNeil—who had moved with the Flames from Atlanta—with head coach “Badger” Bob Johnson. Johnson would eventually coach 452 regular season and playoff games from the Flames bench, more than any other head coach in franchise history. Meanwhile, Lanny McDonald had a career year in his first full season with Calgary, challenging Edmonton Oilers superstar Wayne Gretzky for the NHL goal-scoring title. McDonald only fell short by five goals, finishing with 66, a mark that still stands as a Flames record for most goals by a player in one season. McDonald was also a 1983 NHL All-Star and captured the NHL’s Bill Masterton Trophy. Although the Flames ended the 1982-83 season with a record below .500, they had their best divisional showing ever, finishing second in the Smythe. 1982-83 was the Flames’ last season in the Stampede Corral, where they played a total of 146 league, playoff, and exhibition games, including a thrilling 3-2 win over the Soviet National Team on January 2, 1983. |
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1981-82 The Flames’ second season in Calgary saw the emergence of three of the franchise’s most memorable players. On offence, Hall-of-Famer and Alberta native Lanny McDonald joined the Flames when he was traded to Calgary from the Colorado Rockies. In goal, the Flames acquired Mike Vernon, a born and raised Calgarian, who was drafted in the third round, 56th overall, by his hometown team. McDonald (#9) and Vernon (#30) are the only players in Flames history to have their jerseys retired by the organization. On defence, 1981-82 was the first season for Flames first-round draft pick Al MacInnis, who sported #11 and #22 before switching to the more familiar #2 that he would wear for 20 NHL seasons with the Flames and the St. Louis Blues. Known for his thunderous slapshot, MacInnis was a 15 time All-Star who won the Hardest Shot competition at the NHL All-Star Game seven times. Despite these talented additions, the Flames struggled on the ice, winning only 29 games, the lowest output since their first season in Atlanta. The team did make the playoffs, finishing third in the Smythe Division, but was swept by the Vancouver Canucks in the first round. |
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1980-81 May 21, 1980 was a thrilling moment for Calgary hockey fans. That was the day Nelson Skalbania and a group of Calgary entrepreneurs consisting of Doc and B.J. Seaman, Harley Hotchkiss, Norm Green, Ralph Scurfield, and Norman Kwong announced the acquisition of the Atlanta Flames and declared their intention to relocate the franchise to Alberta. Calgarians lined up to support their new team. For the first time in NHL history, 755 standing-room season tickets were sold at the Stampede Corral, generating a capacity crowd of 7,243 fans. In their inaugural game on October 9, 1980 the Flames played to a 5-5 tie against the Quebec Nordiques, with Calgarian Hall-of-Famer Mervyn “Red” Dutton dropping the first puck. Flames forward Kent Nilsson finished the season third in the NHL scoring race with 49 goals and 82 assists for 131 points, a Flames franchise record for most points in one season that stands to this day. After clinching third place in the Patrick Division, the Flames swept the Chicago Blackhwaks in their first playoff series, then downed the Philadelphia Flyers in seven games before falling to the Minnesota North Stars in the league semi-final. In the end, the 1980-81 Flames erased 16 team records. |
