On October 9th, 1980, the Flames took on the Quebec Nordiques in their first game as the Calgary Flames. The team relocated from Atlanta and were excellent that first year, not only making the playoffs, but winning a few series as well.
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6 Comments
No one was bright enough to come up with a new, original nickname when they moved. A name like the Dodgers meant something but Flames? Lame.
That was a miracle season with playoff run but the next couple of seasons were dismal until Smith put the puck in his own net.
Remember all this like it was yesterday. And they got to the semi-finals in the first season in Calgary.
So good to see the classic Flames players: Dan Bouchard, Willi Plett, Eric Vail along with GM Cliff Fletcher. Yea, those boards in that old rink were very high!
Flames would have gotten destroyed by the Islanders as well.
Fun fact regarding Bobby Lalonde, who Vail and Plett mentioned in relation to the height of the boards in the Corral. Lalonde played exactly one game as a Calgary Flame, in 1981/82. 🤣