History of Calgary Flames in Timeline

The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team in the NHL, competing in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. Based in Calgary, Alberta, they represent the city as the third major professional ice hockey team. Notably, they share a provincial rivalry with the Edmonton Oilers, known as the "Battle of Alberta".

1921: Calgary Tigers

In 1921, the Calgary Tigers became one of the major professional ice hockey teams to represent the city of Calgary.

1927: Calgary Tigers end

In 1927, the Calgary Tigers stopped representing the city of Calgary.

December 1971: NHL Grants Team to Atlanta

In December 1971, the NHL granted a team to Long Island and Atlanta as part of their initiative to compete with the World Hockey Association (WHA).

1972: Fletcher's GM Since Inception

Cliff Fletcher had been the team's general manager since its inception in 1972.

1972: Team Founded in Atlanta

In 1972, the Atlanta Flames were founded in Atlanta before relocating to Calgary in 1980.

1975: Calgary Cowboys

In 1975, the Calgary Cowboys became one of the major professional ice hockey teams to represent the city of Calgary.

1977: Calgary Cowboys end

In 1977, the Calgary Cowboys stopped representing the city of Calgary.

1980: Sale to Nelson Skalbania

In 1980, Tom Cousins, facing financial difficulties, sold the Flames to Canadian entrepreneur Nelson Skalbania to prevent bankruptcy.

1980: Relocation to Calgary

In 1980, the Atlanta Flames relocated to Calgary and became the Calgary Flames.

1981: Rebuilding the Roster

After a losing record in 1981, Fletcher traded or did not renew several contracts of holdovers from the Atlanta team and rebuilt the roster.

1981: Skalbania Sells Interest

In 1981, Nelson Skalbania sold his interest in the Calgary Flames.

1983: Oilers and Flames Represent Campbell Conference

From 1983, either the Edmonton Oilers or the Calgary Flames represented the Campbell Conference in the Stanley Cup Final.

1983: Drafting Sergei Makarov and Move to Olympic Saddledome

In 1983, the Calgary Flames drafted Sergei Makarov from CSKA Moscow and moved into the Olympic Saddledome.

1983: Move to Scotiabank Saddledome

In 1983, the Calgary Flames moved into the Scotiabank Saddledome, originally known as the Olympic Saddledome, after playing their first three seasons at the Stampede Corral.

1984: Challenge to the Oilers

In 1984, the Calgary Flames improved and challenged the Edmonton Oilers, who defeated them en route to their Stanley Cup championship.

1984: Only season since 1984

The 1986 season was the only one from 1984 to 1991 in which the Flames did not finish with 90 or more points.

1985: Stanley Cup Contenders

In 1985, the Calgary Flames became the first Calgary team since the 1923-24 Tigers to compete for the Stanley Cup.

1986: Acquisition of Key Players and Playoff Run

In 1986, the Calgary Flames acquired key players and finished second in the Smythe Division. They upset the Oilers in the playoffs and advanced to the Stanley Cup Final, losing to the Montreal Canadiens in five games.

1986: Best Regular Season and Loss of George Pelawa

In 1986, the Calgary Flames had their best regular season but were unable to duplicate their playoff success. First-round draft pick George Pelawa died in a car accident before the season started.

1986: C of Red begins

The tradition of the C of Red dates back to the 1986 Stanley Cup playoffs against the Oilers when Calgary Flames fans countered Oiler fans by wearing red.

1987: Presidents' Trophy and Nieuwendyk's 50 Goals

In 1987, under coach Terry Crisp, the Flames earned the Presidents' Trophy. Joe Nieuwendyk scored 50 goals as a rookie. The team traded Brett Hull for Rob Ramage, and they were swept by the Oilers in the playoffs.

1987: Winnipeg whiteout

In the 1987 playoffs against Winnipeg, the Jets responded to the C of Red by encouraging fans to wear white, creating the "Winnipeg whiteout".

1988: Second Consecutive Presidents' Trophy

In 1988, the Calgary Flames captured their second consecutive Presidents' Trophy.

1988: 1988 Winter Olympics

In 1988, the venue that Flames were playing in was originally planned for the Winter Olympics.

1989: Makarov Wins Calder Trophy

In 1989, Sergei Makarov joined the Flames and won the Calder Memorial Trophy, leading to rule changes. The team missed their third Presidents' Trophy and lost in the playoffs to the Kings.

1989: Stanley Cup Victory and McDonald's Retirement

In 1989, the Calgary Flames won the Stanley Cup, with Al MacInnis winning the Conn Smythe Trophy. Lanny McDonald retired, and Sonia Scurfield became the first Canadian woman with her name on the Cup.

1989: Stanley Cup Win

In 1989, the Calgary Flames won their first and only Stanley Cup title.

1989: Best Season since 1989

The 2005-06 season was Calgary Flames' best season since the 1989 Cup-winning season.

1990: Oilers and Flames Represent Campbell Conference

Until 1990, either the Edmonton Oilers or the Calgary Flames represented the Campbell Conference in the Stanley Cup Final.

1991: Fletcher's Departure and Mega-Trade

In 1991, Cliff Fletcher left the Calgary Flames to become the general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Doug Risebrough succeeded him and completed a ten-player trade, sending Doug Gilmour to Toronto.

1991: Lost to Oilers

In the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Flames played their first Battle of Alberta playoff series since 1991, where they lost to the Oilers in five games in the second round.

1991: Only season until 1991

The 1986 season was the only one from 1984 to 1991 in which the Flames did not finish with 90 or more points.

1992: Missed Playoffs

In 1992, the Calgary Flames missed the playoffs for the first time since their relocation, despite Theoren Fleury becoming an NHL star.

1995: Nieuwendyk Traded for Iginla

In 1995, Joe Nieuwendyk was traded to the Dallas Stars for Jarome Iginla.

1995: Deal with Calgary Hitmen

In 1995, the Calgary Flames agreed to a lease deal with the expansion Calgary Hitmen of the junior Western Hockey League who began play.

1996: Iginla's Debut and Playoff Loss

In 1996, Jarome Iginla made his Calgary Flames debut in the playoffs, during which the team lost in the first round to the Chicago Blackhawks.

1997: Playoff Drought Begins

In 1997, the Calgary Flames missed the playoffs, starting a seven-year drought.

1999: Fleury Traded to Avalanche

In 1999, Theoren Fleury was traded to the Colorado Avalanche, shortly after becoming the franchise's all-time leading scorer.

1999: Relocation Ultimatum

In 1999, facing low attendance, the Calgary Flames owners issued an ultimatum to fans: buy more season tickets or the team would relocate.

2000: Season Ticket Campaign

In the summer of 2000, the Calgary Flames launched a campaign to increase season ticket sales from 8,700 to 14,000, which proved successful.

2001: Financial Losses and Individual Accolades

In 2001, the Calgary Flames began experiencing financial losses. Iginla captured the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy and Art Ross Trophy in 2001-02.

2002: Darryl Sutter Hired as Head Coach

In 2002, Darryl Sutter was hired as the Calgary Flames' head coach, replacing Greg Gilbert.

2003: Sutter Becomes General Manager

After the 2002-03 season, Darryl Sutter also became the general manager of the Calgary Flames. He acquired goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff.

2003: Financial Losses

Between 2001 and 2003, the Calgary Flames lost $14.5 million despite increased ticket sales.

2003: Red home jersey introduced

The Flames introduced the red home jersey at the start of the 2003-04 campaign, and sales were so strong during the 2004 playoffs that manufacturer CCM stopped production on all other team jerseys to keep up with demand.

2004: Marketing Hitmen

During the 2004–05 NHL lock-out, the Calgary Flames heavily marketed the Hitmen.

2004: Red jersey sales

During the Calgary Flames' run to the 2004 Stanley Cup Final, most of the fans attending the hockey games at the Saddledome wore a red jersey with Calgary's flaming C on it.

2004: Playoff Return and Stanley Cup Final Run

In 2004, after seven seasons, the Calgary Flames returned to the playoffs and became the first team to defeat three division champions en route to the Stanley Cup Final.

2004: Stanley Cup Final Run

In 2004, the Calgary Flames' unexpected run to the Stanley Cup Final led to the creation of the Red Mile.

2004: Controversial Non-Goal in Stanley Cup Final

In 2004, the Stanley Cup Final went to seven games, with the Calgary Flames suffering a controversial non-goal in game six. Martin Gelinas may have scored the go-ahead goal but it was not signaled, and the Lightning won the series.

2004: Last Playoff Series Win

In 2015, the Flames won their first playoff series since 2004, by eliminating the Vancouver Canucks.

2004: NHL Lockout

The 2004-05 NHL season was cancelled due to the 2004-05 NHL lockout.

2005: 25th Season and Division Title

In 2005, the Calgary Flames played their 25th season in Calgary and captured their first division title in 12 years.

April 2006: Flames Central announcement

In April 2006, the Calgary Flames announced they would be opening a hybrid restaurant, bar and entertainment facility in downtown Calgary on Stephen Avenue.

April 2006: Police announce Red Mile gatherings discouraged

In April 2006, the Calgary Police Service announced that Red Mile gatherings would be discouraged, including traffic diversions, a zero-tolerance policy on noise and rowdy behaviour, and the presence of plain-clothed officers among the crowd to ticket offenders.

2006: Won division title

At the end of the 2018-19 regular season, the Calgary Flames won the division title for the first time since 2006.

2006: Trade for Tanguay and Coaching Change

The 2006 off-season began with a trade for Alex Tanguay, and Sutter relinquished his head coaching position to Jim Playfair. The Calgary Flames fell in the first round of the playoffs to the Detroit Red Wings, and were fined for stick-related penalties.

March 10, 2008: Iginla becomes all-time goalscoring leader

On March 10, 2008, Jarome Iginla passed Theoren Fleury's mark of 364 goals to become the Calgary Flames' all-time goalscoring leader.

June 23, 2009: Brent Sutter named head coach

On June 23, 2009, Brent Sutter was named head coach of the Calgary Flames, following the dismissal of Mike Keenan.

2009: Flames miss playoffs

In the 2009-10 season, the Calgary Flames failed to qualify for the playoffs.

2010: Donated over $32 million

As of 2010, Through the team's non-profit charity, the Flames Foundation, the Calgary Flames have donated over $32 million to causes throughout southern Alberta.

February 22, 2011: Flames host Heritage Classic

On February 22, 2011, Calgary hosted the 2011 Heritage Classic, an NHL outdoor game, at McMahon Stadium where the Flames defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4–0, with Kiprusoff recording a shutout.

2011: Gaudreau drafted in the fourth round

In 2011, Johnny Gaudreau was drafted in the fourth round.

2011: Heritage Classic Win

In 2011, the Calgary Flames hosted and won the second Heritage Classic outdoor game.

January 7, 2012: Iginla scores 500th career goal

On January 7, 2012, Jarome Iginla scored his 500th career goal against the Minnesota Wild.

2012: Ownership under Calgary Sports and Entertainment

In 2012, the Calgary Flames, locally owned since 1981, transitioned to ownership under Calgary Sports and Entertainment.

March 27, 2013: Iginla traded to Pittsburgh Penguins

On March 27, 2013, Jarome Iginla was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins for prospects Kenny Agostino and Ben Hanowski and a first-round pick in 2013.

2013: Giordano named captain

Prior to the 2013–14 season, Mark Giordano was named the new captain of the Calgary Flames.

2015: Acquisition of Dougie Hamilton

In 2015, The Calgary Flames acquired Dougie Hamilton from the Boston Bruins for a first-round pick and two second-round picks at the 2015 NHL entry draft.

2016: Monahan and Gaudreau sign contracts

In 2016, Sean Monahan agreed to a seven-year contract worth $44.625 million, while Johnny Gaudreau signed a six-year, $40.5 million contract with the Calgary Flames.

2016: Flames pick Matthew Tkachuk

In 2016, The Flames picked Matthew Tkachuk as the sixth selection of the 2016 NHL entry draft.

2017: The Palace Theatre

In 2017, Flames Central reverted to its original name of The Palace Theatre.

2017: Gulutzan fired

In 2017, The Calgary Flames failed to qualify for the playoffs in the 2017–18 season and Gulutzan was fired.

December 2018: "My C is Alright" released

In December 2018, the Calgary Flames organization and Calgary rock band The Dudes released a cover of their hockey-themed song "Saturday Night" called "My C is Alright," paying homage to the C of Red.

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2018: Bill Peters hired as head coach

In 2018, Bill Peters was hired as head coach of the Calgary Flames.

2019: Giordano wins Norris Trophy

At the end of the 2018-19 season, in 2019, captain Giordano was awarded the James Norris Memorial Trophy for best defenceman of the year.

2019: Peters takes leave of absence

During the 2019–20 season, following accusations against Bill Peters of racism and physical violence, Peters was forced to take a leave of absence on November 26, pending the outcome of an internal investigation.

March 11, 2020: NHL regular season ends

The Flames only played 70 games in the 2019–20 regular season, which ended after March 11, 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

2020: Did not qualify for playoffs

The Calgary Flames failed to qualify for the playoffs in 2020-21

March 4, 2021: Ward fired, Sutter re-hired

On March 4, 2021, with the Flames starting 11–11–2, Ward was fired and Sutter was re-hired as head coach of the Calgary Flames.

July 2022: Death of Willy Joosen

Willy Joosen, the organist for the Calgary Flames, died in July 2022.

2022: High expectations

Despite losing two 100-point players, some commentary suggested the Calgary Flames might be a more serious Stanley Cup contender in 2022–23.

2022: First round win

In the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Calgary Flames faced the Dallas Stars in the first round and won the series in seven games.

2022: Gaudreau and Tkachuk leave Calgary

In the 2022 off-season, Gaudreau signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets, and Tkachuk was traded to the Florida Panthers.

May 23, 2023: Craig Conroy named general manager

On May 23, 2023, Craig Conroy was named the club's general manager of the Calgary Flames.

September 27, 2023: Backlund named captain

On September 27, 2023, Mikael Backlund, the longest-serving player of the Flames, was named captain.

2024: Missed playoffs

The Calgary Flames missed the playoffs for the third consecutive season in 2024-25.

2025: Conditional draft pick

In 2022, a conditional 2025 fourth-round draft pick was traded to the Florida Panthers. The Flames traded Monahan and a conditional first-round pick in 2025 to the Montreal Canadiens.