Calgary Flames

] During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, the Flames heavily marketed the Hitmen, and as a result, the team led all professional or junior teams in North America in attendance, averaging over 10,000 fans per game. [cite web |url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/Junior/2005/03/19/966358-sun.html |title=Kisio on the hot seat |accessdate=2008-04-08 |author=Francis, Eric |date=2005-03-19 |work=Calgary Sun]

In April 2006, the Flames announced that they would be opening a hybrid restaurant, bar and entertainment facility in downtown Calgary on Stephen Avenue. In announcing the venture, Flames' President and CEO Ken King stated: "While hockey remains our core competency, we are constantly seeking new opportunities in which to grow the Flames brand and allow our fans greater opportunities to enjoy hockey. We believe establishing a location outside of the Pengrowth Saddledome to share food, fun and hockey will bring our fans even closer to the team." [cite web |url=http://www.flamescentral.com/press.php?04202006 |title=The Calgary Flames and Concorde Entertainment Group announce venture to introduce hybrid restaurant, bar and entertainment facility to open in August 2006 |accessdate=2008-09-17 |date=2006-04-20 |work=Calgary Flames Hockey Club] One year later, in April 2007, "Flames Central" opened to the public. [cite web |url=http://www.flamescentral.com/press.php?04102007 |title=Flames Central and Wildfire Grill open to public|accessdate=2008-09-17 |date=2007-04-10 |work=Calgary Flames Hockey Club]

Flames Foundation

The Flames have maintained an active presence in the community since their arrival in Calgary. Through the team's non-profit charity, the "Flames Foundation", the team has donated over $29 million to causes throughout southern Alberta. [cite web |url=http://flames.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NHLPage&bcid=com_ffcr |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20071211134732/http://flames.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NHLPage&bcid=com_ffcr |archivedate=2007-12-11 |title=Community |accessdate=2007-12-07 |publisher=Calgary Flames Hockey Club] Along with the Rotary Club, the Flames are helping to fund the first children's hospice in Alberta, and one of only six in North America. [cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/2007/05/09/hospice-alberta.html |title=Alberta to get first children's hospice |date=2007-05-09 |accessdate=2007-12-07 |publisher=CBC]

The Flames are also close partners with the Alberta Children's Hospital. Among the many activities the Flames participate in, the "Wheelchair Hockey Challenge" with the Townsend Tigers has remained a highly popular tradition for both the players and the children involved. In 2007, the Tigers defeated the Flames 10–9, to move to a perfect 26–0 record since the challenge was first instituted in 1981. [cite web |url=http://flames.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=344100 |title=Townsend Tigers extend winning streak to 26 |date=2007-11-21 |accessdate=2007-12-07 |publisher=Calgary Flames Hockey Club]

Red Mile

During the Flames' run to the Stanley Cup Finals of 2004, the city of Calgary essentially became the host of a "non-stop party". The 17th Avenue SW entertainment district, which runs west from the Pengrowth Saddledome, saw as many as 35,000 fans pack the streets during the first three rounds of the playoffs, and over 60,000 in the finals. [cite web|url=http://calgary.ctv.ca/servlet/RTGAMArticleHTMLTemplate/A/20040604/flameswingame5?brand=generic&hub=&tf=CFCNPlus/generic/hubs/frontpage.html&cf=CFCNPlus/generic/hubs/frontpage.cfg&slug=flameswingame5&date=20040604&archive=CFCNPlus&ad_page_name=&nav=home&subnav=fullstory |title=Police brace for another big night on the Red Mile|publisher=CTV Sports |date=2004-06-04|accessdate=2007-12-06] The Red Mile party received widespread coverage in newspapers across North America, [cite web |last=James |first=Brant |url=http://www.sptimes.com/2004/05/20/Sports/Flames_reach_Stanley_.shtml |title=Flames reach Stanley Cup final |publisher=St. Petersburg Times |date=2004-05-20 |accessdate=2007-12-07] as the parties remained peaceful and incidents were minimal despite the large number of people in a small area.cite web|last=Rodriguez|first=Jose|url=http://calsun.canoe.ca/News/Columnists/Rodriguez_Jose/2006/04/14/1534061.html |title=Red Mile reality check|publisher=Calgary Sun|date=2006-04-14|accessdate=2007-12-07] Dead link|date=September 2008

In April 2006, the Calgary Police Service announced that Red Mile gatherings would not be encouraged, and that measures would be taken to discourage them, 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. [cite web|last=Seskus|first=Tony|coauthors=Sean Myers|url=http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/story.html?id=3ff860fa-18ea-4297-b0f2-f509d7021af9&k=59310 |title=The party's over for the Red Mile|publisher=Calgary Herald|date=2006-04-11|accessdate=2007-12-07] After meeting with the Chief of Police, Mayor Dave Bronconnier convinced the Calgary Police Service to relax their ban on the "Red Mile" and encouraged people to make their way to 17th Ave, however the police retained their zero-tolerance policy on public nudity and drunkenness.

The "C of Red"

During the Flames' run to the Stanley Cup Finals of 2004, most of the Flames fans attending the hockey games at the Saddledome wore a red jersey with Calgary's flaming C on it. Sales of the Flames red home jersey, introduced at the start of the 2003–04 campaign, were so strong during the playoffs that the team set a league record for sales of a new uniform design. [cite web|last=Fisher|first=Scott|url=http://www.canoe.ca/Slam040521/nhl_calsj5-sun.html |title=Red-hot jersey breaks record|publisher=Calgary Sun|date=2004-05-21|accessdate=2007-12-06] Dead link|date=September 2008 The tradition of the C of Red dates back to the 1986 Stanley Cup playoffs against the Oilers. Oiler fans were donning hats promoting "Hat Trick Fever" in their quest for three straight Stanley Cups. Flames fans countered by wearing red. In the 1987 playoffs against Winnipeg, the Jets responded to the C of Red by encouraging fans to wear white, creating the Winnipeg White Out. [cite web |url=http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2007/09/06/nhl_wants_trademark_white_out.aspx |title=NHL wants trademark 'White Out' faded out |date=2007-05-09 |author=Boyer, Lauren |accessdate=2007-09-06 |publisher=The Daily Collegian]

Team colours and mascot

Logo

The Flames primary logo is the "Flaming C" design, introduced when the team came to Calgary in 1980. The design of the logo has remained constant since it was created, though the Flames use a different coloured logo for the home and away jerseys. From 1980 until 2000, the home logo was red on a white background, while the road logo was white on a red background. In 2003, the NHL switched to using coloured jerseys for the home team. The home logo became black, with the road logo red on a white background. The original "Flaming A" logo of the Atlanta Flames has been restored for use as a patch denoting the team's alternate captains. The flaming horse logo was retired in 2007 with the introduction of the new Rbk Edge jerseys.cite web |url=http://flames.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=336594 |title=Flames unveil new look Rbk Edge uniform |date=2007-09-04 |accessdate=2007-12-07 |publisher=Calgary Flames Hockey Club]

Jerseys

The Flames' original jerseys used red and orange striping. In 1994, the Flames added black to the team's colour scheme, while also adding a diagonal stripe from the base of the jersey to below the logo. In 1998, to celebrate the "Year of the Cowboy", the Flames introduced their third jersey design, the "flaming horse" logo on a black background. [cite book |title=2006–07 Calgary Flames Media Guide |publisher=Calgary Flames Hockey Club |editor=Hanlon, Peter and Kelso, Sean |pages=pg. 4] Two years later, the jersey became the Flames road jersey, while the home jersey was updated to incorporate the same V-style striping on the arms and waist of the jersey. This jersey was once again relegated to third jersey status in 2003 when the NHL adopted the coloured jerseys for the home team. [cite web |url=http://www.statenews.com/index.php/article/2003/01/nhl_039quacked039_up |title=NHL 'quacked' up with hockey jersey switch |author=Karol, Kristofer |accessdate=2007-12-07 |publisher=statenews.com] In 2007, with the introduction of the Rbk Edge jersey, the Flames updated their look once again, replacing the horizontal striping with vertical striping down the sides. To honour the team's heritage, the Flames added the flags of Alberta and Canada as shoulder patches.

Mascot

"Harvey the Hound" is the Flames' mascot. He was created in 1983 to serve both with the Flames and the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. Harvey was the first mascot in the NHL.cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/columns/top10/mascots.html|title=Mascot Madness|publisher=CBC Sports |accessdate=2007-02-24|date] Harvey is famous for an incident in January 2003 where he had his tongue ripped out by Edmonton Oilers head coach Craig MacTavish as he was harassing their bench. [cite web|last=Pyette|first=Ryan|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam030123/col_pyette-sun.html|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20071104070334/http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam030123/col_pyette-sun.html|archivedate=2007-11-04 |title=MacTavish leaves Harvey the Hound speechless|publisher=London Free Press|date=2003-01-23|accessdate=2007-12-23] The incident made headlines throughout North America and led to much humour, including having many other NHL team mascots arrive at the 2003 All-Star Game with their tongues hanging out. [cite web|last=Francis|first=Eric|url=http://www.slamsports.com/Slam030921/col_francis-sun.html |title=The uncivil war|publisher=Calgary Sun|date=2003-09-21|accessdate=2007-12-23] Dead link|date=September 2008

eason-by-season record

"This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by the Flames. For the full season-by-season history, see Calgary Flames seasons"

"Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes"

:¹ As of the 2005–06 NHL season, all games will have a winner; the OTL column includes shootout losses.

Players

Current roster

Honoured members

Several members of the Flames organization have been honoured by the Hockey Hall of Fame during the team's history in Calgary. Lanny McDonald was the first Flame player inducted, gaining election in 1992. McDonald recorded 215 goals in 492 games for the Flames, including a team record 66 goals in 1982–83. He was joined in 2000 by a fellow member of the 1989 Stanley Cup championship team, Joe Mullen. Mullen spent five seasons with the Flames, recording 388 points and capturing two Lady Byng Trophies. Grant Fuhr, elected in 2003, became the third former Flames player to enter the Hall. Fuhr played only one season in Calgary; however, he recorded his 400th career win in a Flames uniform, a victory over the Florida Panthers on October 22, 1999.cite book |title=2006–07 Calgary Flames Media Guide |publisher=Calgary Flames Hockey Club |editor=Hanlon, Peter and Kelso, Sean |pages=pgs. 20–21] In 2007, Al MacInnis became the fourth former Flame inducted into the Hall, and the third to earn his Hall of Fame credentials primarily as a Flame. MacInnis was a member of the Flames from 1981 until 1994. He is best remembered for his booming slapshot, as well as for winning the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1989 as playoff MVP. [cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/halloffame07/bio?page=nhlhall07/macinnis |title=2007 Hockey Hall of Fame—Al MacInnis bio |author=Burnside, Scott |date=2007-11-09 |publisher=ESPN |accessdate=2007-12-07]

Former head coach "Badger" Bob Johnson joined McDonald in the class of 1992, gaining election as a builder. Johnson coached five seasons with the Flames from 1982–87, and his 193 wins remain a team record. Cliff Fletcher was the Flames general manager from the organization's inception in 1972 until 1991, a span of 19 years. During that time, the Flames qualified for the playoffs sixteen consecutive times between 1976 and 1991. Fletcher was inducted in 2004. In 2006, Harley Hotchkiss became the third Flames builder to gain election. Hotchkiss is the team's current governor, and is an original member of the ownership group that purchased and brought the Flames to Calgary in 1980. He has served many years as the chairman of the NHL Board of Directors, during which he played a significant role in the resolution of the 2004–05 lockout.

Flames radio broadcaster Peter Maher was named the recipient of the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award in 2006 for his years of service as the radio play-by-play announcer for the Calgary Flames. Maher has been the radio voice of the Flames since 1981, the team's second season in Calgary. He has called six All-Star Games and four Stanley Cup Finals.

The Calgary Flames have retired two numbers, and a third was retired league-wide. The Flames retired #9 in honour of Lanny McDonald who played right wing for the Flames from 1981 to 1989, winning the Stanley Cup as the Flames captain in his final year. Mike Vernon's #30 is also retired; he was a goaltender with the Flames for fourteen years, from 1982-94 and 2000-02. [cite web|url=http://www.sportsline.com/nhl/teams/history/CGY |title=Calgary Flames history |publisher=CBS Sportsline |accessdate=2008-01-04] Wayne Gretzky's #99 was retired league-wide in 2000.

Franchise scoring leaders

These are the top-ten point-scorers in the history of the Flames (both Atlanta and Calgary). [cite book |title=2007–08 Calgary Flames Media Guide |publisher=Calgary Flames Hockey Club |editor=Hanlon, Peter and Kelso, Sean |pages=pg. 201] Statistics are complete to the end of the 2007–08 NHL season.

"Note: GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points, P/G = Points Per Game, * = Active Player"

ee also

* Ice hockey in Calgary
* List of ice hockey teams in Alberta

References

*cite book |last=Boer |first=Peter |title=The Calgary Flames |year=2006 |publisher=Overtime Books |isbn=1-897277-07-5
*cite book |title=2007–08 Calgary Flames Media Guide |publisher=Calgary Flames Hockey Club |editor=Hanlon, Peter and Kelso, Sean |year=2007
*cite book |last=Sandor |first=Steven |title=The Battle of Alberta: A Century of Hockey's Greatest Rivalry |year=2005 |publisher=Heritage House |isbn=1-894974-01-8
*cite book |last=Zeman |first=Gary |title=Alberta on Ice |year=1985 |publisher=GMS Ventures
isbn=0969232004
*cite web|url=http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/teamseasons.php?tid=43|title=Calgary Flames season statistics|publisher=The Internet Hockey Database|accessdate=2008-01-03

Footnotes

External links

* [http://flames.nhl.com/ Calgary Flames official Web Site]
* [http://www.flamescentral.com/ Flames Central] sports entertainment centre owned by the Calgary Flames

Further reading

*cite book |last=Boer |first=Peter |title=The Calgary Flames |year=2006 |publisher=Overtime Books |isbn=1-897277-07-5
*cite book |author=Duhatschek, Eric and Simmons, Steve |title=On Fire: The Dramatic Rise of the Calgary Flames |year=1986 |publisher=Polestar Book Publishers |isbn=0-919591-15-9
*cite book |title=2007–08 Calgary Flames Media Guide |publisher=Calgary Flames Hockey Club |editor=Hanlon, Peter and Kelso, Sean |year=2007
*cite book| last=Mummery |first=Bob |title=Countdown to the Stanley Cup: An Illustrated History of the Calgary Flames |year=1989 |publisher=Polestar Book Publishers |isbn=0-919591-48-5
*cite book |last=Sandor |first=Steven |title=The Battle of Alberta: A Century of Hockey's Greatest Rivalry |year=2005 |publisher=Heritage House |isbn=1-894974-01-8
*cite book |last=Zeman |first=Gary |title=Alberta on Ice |year=1985 |publisher=GMS Ventures |isbn=0969232004
*cite book |last=Zurowski |first=Monica |title=The Fire Inside: Celebrating 25 Years of Calgary Flames Spirit and Hockey History |year=2006 |publisher=CanWest Books |isbn=1897229011

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