After weeks of rumours it is now official that the Calgary Flames will setup their American Hockey League affiliate in Glen Falls, New York.
The Adirondack Flames will play out of the Glen Falls Civic Center in a deal signed for the next three seasons.
After the city of Abbotsford terminated the contract with Calgary and the then Abbotsford Heat, the Flames were forced to relocate their AHL franchise.
With the Philadelphia Flyers moving their AHL farm team to Allentown, Pennsylvania it opened the door for a new franchise to move into Glen Falls.
“This team in Glens Falls will be the lifeblood,” said Calgary Flames GM Brad Treliving.
“Our players will know, and our organization will know, that the path to Calgary goes through Glens Falls.
“You have to develop players, you have to develop them wisely, and we intend to do that here.”
Announced at Friday’s press conference was the arrival of Brian Petrovek as team president for the Adirondack Flames.
Petrovek no stranger to the AHL, had been the owner and CEO of the Portland Pirates for the past 14 seasons and is excited about the opportunity to work in Glen Falls.
“We’ll have one of the hottest logos in the league,” added Petrovek.
Brian Petrovek has worked alongside Brad Treliving with the Pirates being an AHL affiliate of the Phoenix Coyotes for the past five seasons.
Prior to the Abbotsford Heat the Calgary Flames had named all their AHL affiliates with the Flames trademark, the move to Glen Falls reverts to the traditional Flames name while keeping history by using Adirondack.
The stylised logo for the new AHL franchise is a nostalgic one, with the flaming A very much showing a resemblance of the former Atlanta Flames hockey team.
With a passionate and vocal crowd on hand for the press conference, the Adirondack Flames should expect near on capacity crowds when they suit up for their first AHL game in 2014/15.
It feels like a good fit for the Flames and one which will work on all accounts, passionate fans, backing from the city of Glen Falls, the Flames are in a big hockey town.
No longer will they play in front of a heavily influenced town where a big rival – Vancouver Canucks – has a larger fan base, Glen Falls will be turned into Adirondack Flames country.
With Glen Falls residents already snapping up season tickets 12 minutes after they went on sale shows the enthusiasm they have for hockey, the Adirondack Flames will be looking to repay the faith and as Brad Treliving described.
“A team that you will be proud of.”
Expect the Glen Falls Civic Center to be a C of Red when the Adirondack Flames hit the ice for the 2014/15 AHL season.