The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). For the 2023–24 season, 31 of the 32 NHL teams have official affiliations with an AHL team, with only the Carolina Hurricanes having no such affiliation. When NHL teams do not have an AHL affiliate, players are assigned to AHL teams affiliated with other NHL franchises. Twenty-six AHL teams are located across the United States whereas the remaining six are situated in Canada. The league offices are located in Springfield, Massachusetts, and its current president is Scott Howson.
The United Hockey League (UHL), originally known as the Colonial Hockey League from 1991 to 1997 and last known as the International Hockey League from 2007 to 2010, was a low-level minor professional ice hockey league, with teams in the United States and Canada. The league was headquartered in Rochester, Michigan, and, in its last year, consisted of seven teams. It folded in 2010, with most of its teams joining the Central Hockey League. The Central Hockey League teams still operating in 2014 were then added to ECHL. The only former CoHL/UHL/IHL teams still active as of 2022 are the Fort Wayne Komets and Kalamazoo Wings.
The Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Omaha, Nebraska, United States at the Omaha Civic Auditorium from 2005–07. Following the 2006–07 season, the Calgary Flames announced that the team would relocate to the Quad Cities for 2007–08.
The Quad City Mallards were a minor professional ice hockey team in the United Hockey League. The Mallards played their home games at The MARK of the Quad Cities in Moline, Illinois. They won the Colonial Cup playoff championship in 1997, 1998, and 2001, as well as the Tarry Cup regular season championship in 1998, 2000, 2001, and 2002. The Mallards won 50 or more games in six consecutive seasons, from 1996–97 to 2001–02, a professional hockey record. They were also known for never having missed the playoffs in their years of existence. Historically, the Mallards enjoyed spirited rivalries with the Flint Generals, Muskegon Fury, and Rockford IceHogs.
The Saint John Flames were a Canadian ice hockey team in the American Hockey League from 1993 to 2003 in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. The Calgary Flames bought and relocated the Utica Devils, to be their AHL affiliate.
Brent Krahn is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He was drafted ninth overall by the Calgary Flames in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft and played a single game in the National Hockey League for the Dallas Stars.
Leland Bruce Irving is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender, currently an unrestricted free agent. He most recently playing for HC Lugano in the National League (NL). He was a first round selection of the Calgary Flames, 26th overall at the 2006 NHL Entry Draft and played parts of two National Hockey League (NHL) seasons with the team. He made his NHL debut on December 16, 2011, in a shootout loss to the Florida Panthers and won his first NHL game one week later in his second start, against the Vancouver Canucks.
Robert Curtis McElhinney is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He previously played in the NHL with the Calgary Flames, Anaheim Ducks, Ottawa Senators, Phoenix Coyotes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Toronto Maple Leafs, Carolina Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning. McElhinney was drafted in the sixth-round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft by the Flames, and won back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Lightning in 2020 and 2021.
Kristopher J. Chucko is a Canadian former ice hockey player who played two National Hockey League (NHL) games for the Calgary Flames. He was a first round selection, 24th overall, of the Flames in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft and played his entire professional career in the team's organization. Chucko retired in 2011 as a result of concussions.
Kyle Greentree is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. An undrafted player, he previously played two games each for the Philadelphia Flyers and Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Matt Keetley is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in one game for Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL) during the 2007–08 season. The rest of his career, which lasted from 2007 to 2013, was spent in the minor leagues.
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).
David Van der Gulik is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger. He was a draft pick of the Calgary Flames, selected 206th overall in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, and appeared in six games with the team in 2008–09 before spending four seasons with the Colorado Avalanche and his last North American season with the Los Angeles Kings.
Brett Darryl Sutter is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently serving as the captain of the Calgary Wranglers in the American Hockey League (AHL). Sutter was drafted by the Calgary Flames in the sixth round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. He made his NHL debut for the Flames during the 2008–09 season, scoring a goal in his first game. He is the son of former Calgary Flames head coach Darryl Sutter, and one of nine members of the famous Sutter family to play in the NHL.
Daniel Taylor is a Canadian-Belarusian professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He most recently played for HC Dinamo Minsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He was drafted in the seventh round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft by the Los Angeles Kings and has appeared in four NHL games with the Kings, Calgary Flames, and Ottawa Senators.
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.
J. D. Watt is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger. He was originally drafted by the Flames in the fourth round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. Beginning with the 2012–13 season, Watt has been playing with the SAIT Trojans of the Alberta Colleges Athletics Conference (ACAC). Watt was born and raised in Cremona, Alberta.
The Abbotsford Heat were a professional ice hockey team that played five seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL) between 2009 and 2014. The team was based in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada, and played its home games at the 7,046-seat Abbotsford Entertainment & Sports Centre. The franchise was the National Hockey League (NHL) affiliate of the Calgary Flames and arrived in Abbotsford in 2009 as a relocated franchise formerly known as the Quad City Flames. The team played five seasons in British Columbia before the Flames' lease agreement with the City of Abbotsford was terminated following the 2013–14 season.
The Quad City Mallards were a minor league professional ice hockey team based in the Quad Cities area of Illinois and Iowa that competed in the International Hockey League, Central Hockey League and ECHL. They were named after the Mallards team that played in the United Hockey League from 1995 to 2007, this Mallards franchise marked their debut in 2009 in the International Hockey League. The Mallards played their home games at TaxSlayer Center in Moline, Illinois.
The 2013–14 Abbotsford Heat season was the American Hockey League franchise's fifth and final season in the city of Abbotsford, British Columbia.
