The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey franchise based in Calgary, Alberta. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Hockey League (NHL). The franchise was founded in 1972 as the Atlanta Flames, and relocated to Calgary in 1980. [1] Since arriving in Calgary, the Flames have drafted 378 players. [2] The 2024 draft was the 45th in which Calgary participated.
The NHL Entry Draft is held each June, allowing teams to select players who have turned 18 years old by September 15 in the year the draft is held. The draft order is determined by the previous season's order of finish, with non-playoff teams drafting first, followed by the teams that made the playoffs, with the specific order determined by the number of points earned by each team. [3] Since 2016, the NHL holds a weighted lottery for the 15 non-playoff teams, allowing the winners to move up to the top three selections. [4] From 1995 to 2012 the winner of the draft lottery was allowed to move up a maximum of four positions in the entry draft. [5] The team with the fewest points has the best chance of winning the lottery, with each successive team given a lower chance of moving up in the draft. [3] The Flames have never won the lottery. [6] Between 1986 and 1994, the NHL also held a Supplemental Draft for players in American colleges. [7]
Calgary's first draft pick was Denis Cyr, taken 13th overall in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft. The highest that Calgary has drafted is fourth overall, which they have done once, they selected Sam Bennett (2014) at the fourth spot. Ten picks went on to play over 1,000 NHL games: Al MacInnis, Gary Roberts, Paul Ranheim, Brett Hull, Gary Suter, Joe Nieuwendyk, Theoren Fleury, Cory Stillman, Derek Morris and Dion Phaneuf. Three of Calgary's draft picks, MacInnis, Joe Nieuwendyk and Brett Hull have been elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame. [8] 1986 draft pick Tom Quinlan was also drafted by baseball's Toronto Blue Jays and chose a career in Major League Baseball over the NHL. [9]
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Statistics are complete as of the 2023–24 NHL season and show each player's career regular season totals in the NHL. Wins, losses, ties, overtime losses and goals against average apply to goaltenders and are used only for players at that position. This list includes players drafted by the team in Calgary only.
The Atlanta Flames were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta from 1972 until 1980. They played home games in the Omni Coliseum and were members of the West and later Patrick divisions of the National Hockey League (NHL). Along with the New York Islanders, the Flames were created in 1971 as part of the NHL's conflict with the rival World Hockey Association (WHA). The team enjoyed modest success on the ice, qualifying for the playoffs in six of its eight seasons, but failed to win a playoff series and won only two post-season games total. The franchise struggled to draw fans and, after averaging only 10,000 per game by the 1979–80 season and was sold and relocated to Alberta to become the Calgary Flames.
Gary R. Roberts is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played 21 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs, Florida Panthers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Tampa Bay Lightning. Renowned for his physical fitness during his career, Roberts has become a high performance trainer for players at all levels of the sport.
Jarome Arthur Leigh Iginla (born Arthur Leigh Elvis Adekunle Jarome Tij Junior Iginla) (; born July 1, 1977) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger. He played over 1,500 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Calgary Flames, Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche, and Los Angeles Kings between 1996 and 2017. He is widely regarded as one of the best players of his generation.
Joseph Nieuwendyk is a Canadian former National Hockey League (NHL) player. He was a second round selection of the Calgary Flames, 27th overall, at the 1985 NHL Entry Draft and played 20 seasons for the Flames, Dallas Stars, New Jersey Devils, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Florida Panthers. He is one of only 11 players in NHL's history to win the Stanley Cup with three or more different teams, winning titles with Calgary in 1989, Dallas in 1999 and New Jersey in 2003. A two-time Olympian, Nieuwendyk won a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2002 winter games. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2011 and his uniform number 25 was honoured by the Flames in 2014. He was inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 2014. In 2017, he was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history.
Allan MacInnis is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played 23 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Calgary Flames (1981–1994) and St. Louis Blues (1994–2004). A first round selection of the Flames in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft, he went on to become a 12-time All-Star. He was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the most valuable player of the playoffs in 1989 after leading the Flames to the Stanley Cup championship. He was voted the winner of the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 1999 as the top defenceman in the league while a member of the Blues. In 2017, MacInnis was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history.
Håkan Per Loob is a Swedish former professional ice hockey player for Färjestad BK of the Elitserien and the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is the head of European Scouting for the Calgary Flames after resigning as president of Hockey Operations for Färjestad. Considered one of the greatest Swedish hockey players of all time, he was inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame in 1998, and the Swedish ice hockey Hall of Fame in 2012. The Elitserien created the Håkan Loob Trophy, awarded to the league's top goal scorer, in his honour in 2005 and Färjestad has retired his jersey number 5.
The 2006–07 Calgary Flames season began with a great deal of promise following the acquisition of top forward Alex Tanguay from the Colorado Avalanche. The other major off-season news was that Darryl Sutter promoted his assistant coach, Jim Playfair, to head coach as Sutter stayed with the team as general manager only.
The 1995–96 Calgary Flames season was the 16th National Hockey League season in Calgary. The Flames entered the season with their fifth coach in five seasons, hiring Pierre Page to replace Dave King. Page, who had previously been an assistant coach with the Flames in the 1980s, left his head coaching position with the Quebec Nordiques to move west.
The 1994–95 Calgary Flames season was the 15th National Hockey League season in Calgary. The season was shortened to 48 games by a 104-day lockout that would delay the start of the season until late January. This season saw the continued dismantling of the 1989 championship team, as both Mike Vernon and Al MacInnis were traded prior to the lockout.
The 2007–08 Calgary Flames season was the 28th season for the Calgary Flames and 36th season for the Flames franchise in the National Hockey League (NHL).
The 1988–89 Calgary Flames season was the ninth season for the Calgary Flames and 17th for the Flames franchise in the National Hockey League (NHL). They won their second consecutive Presidents' Trophy as the NHL's top regular season club and went on to win the first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history, defeating the Montreal Canadiens in the 1989 Stanley Cup Finals. Al MacInnis won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs.
The 1985–86 Calgary Flames season was the sixth season in Calgary and 14th for the Flames franchise in the National Hockey League (NHL). It was a banner season for the Flames, who overcame a franchise record eleven game losing streak to finish 2nd in the Smythe Division and captured the franchise's first Clarence S. Campbell Bowl as Campbell Conference champions. In doing so, they became the first Calgary team to reach the Stanley Cup Finals since the Calgary Tigers in 1923–24. The Flames season ended at the hands of the Montreal Canadiens, who defeated Calgary in five games in the final.
The 1984–85 Calgary Flames season was the fifth season in Calgary and 13th for the Flames franchise in the National Hockey League. It was a breakout season for the Flames, as they tied a franchise record for wins with 41, and set new team marks for points, 95, and goals for, 363. Despite the improvement, the Flames managed only a third-place finish in the Smythe Division. In the playoffs, the Flames met the second place Winnipeg Jets, where they fell three games to one.
The 2008–09 Calgary Flames season was the 29th season for the Calgary Flames, and the 37th for the Flames franchise in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Flames finished second in the Northwest Division, and qualified for the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs as the fifth seed in the Western Conference, their fifth consecutive appearance in the post season. Their season ended when they were defeated by the Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference quarter-finals.
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are the third major professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the Calgary Tigers (1921–1927) and Calgary Cowboys (1975–1977). The Flames are one of two NHL franchises based in Alberta, the other being the Edmonton Oilers. The cities' proximity has led to a rivalry known as the "Battle of Alberta".