The Calgary Flames are a National Hockey League (NHL) team. Founded in 1972, they were earlier known as the Atlanta Flames until their 1980 move to Calgary.

The Flames began when a group of Georgia businessmen got an NHL franchise on June 6, 1972. In the first game at the Omni, the Flames and Buffalo Sabres played a 1-1 tie. On May 21, 1980 a group of Calgary businessmen, headed by Nelson Skalbania, purchased the Atlanta franchise and moved the team to Calgary. After several overhauls in the management, the club now has eight local owners overseeing the Pengrowth Saddledome, the Flames and the WHLs Calgary Hitmen Hockey Clubs.

The club