Calgary Flames Daily: Threats to Relocate the Team?

Happy Sunday Calgary Flames fans! It’s a randomly snowy day in Calgary today. Let’s check out some news surrounding this team over the last day.

First things first, we have the Calgary Flames playing their last home game of the regular season. It’s a little bitter-sweet. Normally, it’d just be bitter. But the Flames have made it to the playoffs! So we’ll still be seeing some home games in a couple of weeks.

The Calgary Flames have four games left and each are against division rivals. Three of the four are really four-point games since two are against the Anaheim Ducks and one is against the San Jose Sharks. Those games could determine who the Flames play in the first round and if they’ll have home-ice advantage.

Tonight, the Flames will play their last home game against the Anaheim Ducks.

Via Calgaryflames.com:

“Anaheim is built for heavy hard games and playoffs. This is a good matchup for us and we’re going to have to be prepared right from the beginning to play in this type of game. It’s an important game for them and for us.” – Glen Gulutzan.“It’s an important game for us. You can see how close the standings are, every game is important. We’re very happy that we clinched but I don’t think we take our foot of the pedal just yet. We have an important four games here to go and they’re big games.” – Johnny Gaudreau.

On to other big news surrounding this city and the entire NHL, but Calgary Flames owner, Ken King, wants a new arena.

Calgary Flames

“We wouldn’t threaten to move, we would just move.”

There’s a bunch of this new arena drama and it’s giving me a headache. The Saddledome now, after the new arena in Detroit, will be the oldest arena in the NHL now. It’s time for a new arena. But it’s not that simple.

The estimated costs, along with all the cleanup, is $1.6 billion. The problem is that Calgary Mayor, Naheed Nenshi, can’t justify spending public money to cover all that costs, which is a respectable opinion.

However, Flames owner Ken King doesn’t like that answer and wants a new arena. He has also threatened to relocate if the Flames don’t get a new arena. Although, he says it’s not a threat, but it sounds somewhat like a threat.

Via National Post:

“That’s not the way our guys operate,” King said. “We’re not threatening people. And furthermore, I think and hope we’re going to get a deal. The truth of the matter is, we would just move. Which is not to be confused as a threat. We don’t think it’s fair to threaten. We think it’s fair for people to decide whether or not if they want a facility … and whether or not they think it’s appropriate. If they do, great. We’ll participate. If they decide not to, well then we’ve, obviously, got to make some decisions about the future.“It won’t include threats. But it certainly may, at some point, include a clear decision. My entire job and my role in life right now is to ensure that day never comes.”

Links surrounding the Flames to get you through your day

It’s not a ‘threat’, but the Calgary Flames would consider leaving town without a new arena (The National Post).

Gameday #79: Anaheim Ducks vs Calgary Flames (Sportsnet).

The beers that saved the season: How the Calgary Flames imbibed on a train, then turned into a playoff team (The National Post).

Game Day: Calgary Flames vs Anaheim Ducks (Calgary Herald).