Calgary Flames

The Calgary Flames are one of Western Canada's flagship franchises, playing under the curved roof of the Scotiabank Saddledome in front of a rowdy, hockey-mad city. Relocated from Atlanta and reborn in Alberta, the Flames built a reputation on gritty, physical hockey and a fierce Battle-of-Alberta rivalry with the Edmonton Oilers. The 'C of Red' fan base packs the Saddledome for a franchise defined by hard-fought playoff runs and a golden era in the late 1980s. Calgary's identity remains rooted in tough, tenacious hockey befitting its cowboy-town backdrop.

The franchise was founded in 1972 as the Atlanta Flames before relocating to Calgary in 1980. The Flames reached the Stanley Cup Final in 1986, losing to the Montreal Canadiens, before winning their only championship in 1989, defeating the Canadiens in six games behind captain Lanny McDonald. Calgary made a surprising run back to the Final in 2004, falling to the Tampa Bay Lightning in seven games. The Flames remain a perennial Western Conference contender and one of the sport's marquee Canadian rivalries with Edmonton.