The Calgary Flames have just announced a new ECHL affiliate for the 2017-2018 season: The Kansas City Mavericks.
With the Calgary Flames just recently selling their former ECHL affiliate, the Adirondack Thunder, they’ve been looking for a new affiliate. On Thursday June 8th, they announced a brand new ECHL affiliate: The Kansas City Mavericks. This will be on a year-to-year basis. Meaning it could change next season again.
For the past two seasons, the Mavericks were the affiliates for the New York Islanders.
Via Calgary Flames:
"“After having an opportunity to talk to several different NHL/AHL teams, we welcome the Calgary Flames and the Stockton Heat as our new affiliate for the 2017-18 season with a series of one-year contracts,” said Kansas City Mavericks owner Lamar Hunt Jr. “We believe the Flames organization, while wanting us to help them develop players for future play at the AHL and NHL levels, also understands our need to be consistently competitive in the ECHL. We believe this is the most balanced approach for the Mavericks to win the Kelly Cup, have year-to-year continuity within our roster, and bring to Kansas City talented and young aspiring hockey players.”"
The #Flames and #AHLHeat have a new @ECHL affiliate in the @kc_mavericks! Welcome to the family! https://t.co/0G4qksBtD5 pic.twitter.com/W6SNiJLPen
— Calgary Wranglers (@AHLWranglers) June 8, 2017
We are proud to announce that our @NHL and @TheAHL affiliates will be the @NHLFlames and the @AHLHeat!
— Kansas City Mavericks (@kc_mavericks) June 8, 2017
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⬇https://t.co/923b8Lg6EA pic.twitter.com/DbHfjTCSAn
One of the Flames assistant GM’s, Brad Pascall, sees the Mavericks as a good development team for young prospects.
Via Calgary Flames:
"“Our goal is development,” explained Pascall. “The hope is that the players we send there will assist them in creating a winning environment and be productive players. Part of a good culture is being a part of a winning environment and they breed winning culture and development. That’s a good relationship to be in.”“When you look at the Flames organization it’s a very successful and storied organization. We’re lucky to be working with such a world class organization,” Said Mavericks GM Brent Thiessen continued. “We want to be that development franchise that they are needing us to be, that’s our goal, that’s our hope.”"
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Congrats to the Mavericks and let’s all welcome them in joining the Flames family!