Calgary's new AHL team to be known as the Wranglers
Previously known as the Stockton Heat, the team will play in Calgary next season
Calgary's new American Hockey League team officially has a name: the Wranglers.
The Calgary Flames' affiliate team had previously been based in Stockton, Calif., since 2015, as part of the AHL, a developmental league for the National Hockey League.
In May, the move to Calgary was approved by the AHL's board of governors. The Wranglers will play in Calgary starting next season.
"The Wranglers become the second team to don the name in Calgary following the Calgary Wranglers of the Western Canadian Junior Hockey League (WCHL), who came to Calgary in 1977," reads a release from the Calgary Flames.
"The WCHL Wranglers played in Calgary for 10 seasons, graduating such Flames alumni as Kelly Kisio, Dana Murzyn and Mike Vernon to the NHL."
YAHOO!<br><br>The Calgary Wranglers have arrived in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/yyc?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#yyc</a>! 🤠 <a href="https://t.co/FZRkKg8xfO">pic.twitter.com/FZRkKg8xfO</a>
—@AHLWranglersThe Flames affiliate was previously called the Adirondack Flames. In California, the team played its games at the Stockton Arena, which can host close to 10,000 hockey fans.
The team's current head coach is Mitch Love. The Heat previously played games at the Scotiabank Saddledome as part of the 2020 season, when a temporary Canadian Division was created due to border crossing restrictions.
Like the Flames, the Heat were a part of this year's playoffs, being eliminated by the Chicago Wolves in the Western Conference finals.