While the Stockton Heat were competing in a play-off campaign, the AHL’s Board of Governors meeting took place in May.
In what would appear to be perverse timing, the Calgary Flames announced after the meeting, that plans to relocate their affiliate in Stockton, California, to Calgary, had been accepted.
Chicago’s 3-0 victory in game six of the Western Conference Finals was the end of the Stockton Heat. The only solace was that the end came on the road, after having won the last ever game to be played on home ice.
It brought an end to a rather fractious relationship between the Calgary Flames and hockey in Stockton.
On January 29, 2015, Calgary Flames purchased the ECHL’s Stockton Thunder and moved them to Glens Falls, New York.
In an associated move, Calgary moved Adirondack from Glen Falls, New York, to Stockton, California to become the Heat
Stockton would form part of a new Pacific Division, created by NHL teams based out west who wanted their farm teams and prospects closer to home.
Seven years in Stockton is a long run for Calgary, an organisation who have failed various markets and fanbases with farm teams moved consistently.
1984-1987 Moncton Golden Flames (New Brunswick, Canada) AHL
1987-1993 Salt Lake Golden Eagles (Utah, USA) IHL
1993-2003 Saint John Flames (New Brunswick, Canada) AHL
2003-2005 Lowell Lock Monsters (Massachusetts, USA) AHL
2005-2007 Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights (Nebraska, USA) AHL
2007-2009 Quad City Flames (Illinois, USA) AHL
2009-2014 Abbotsford Heat (British Columbia, Canada) AHL
2014-2015 Adirondack Flames (New York, USA) AHL
2015-2022 Stockton Heat (California, USA) AHL
Admittedly the Stockton Heat failed to draw in the crowds but to blame the locals would be unwarranted.
In the ECHL, the Stockton Thunder led the league in attendance for three consecutive seasons.
The club averaged 6,000 patrons per game through six of the ten years the team operated. On fourteen occasions, the Thunder sold out a building that held just short of five figures.
There was little to cheer about when Calgary switched their AHL affiliate to Stockton.
The Heat qualified for the playoffs just once in their first four seasons (eliminated in the first round) and held a winning record in half of those campaigns.
The 2019-20 season cut short by the pandemic showed some promise.
However, the following season was a complete disaster.
The team lost 17 of thirty games, having been switched to Canada to compete in an all-Canadian Division.
Stockton topped the Pacific Division in 2021-22, winning 45 of 68 games, but rumours were rife of an impending move for the franchise.
Hoisting the Calder Cup in the final season might have come to fruition had the impressive Chicago Wolves not stood in the way.
It took the eventual champions and a fantastic team to deny Stockton a championship that many across the AHL thought they deserved following a tremendous campaign.
Whilst Canada receives a new AHL franchise, the people of Stockton have been deprived of a professional hockey team thanks to the whims of the Calgary organisation.
The hope is that Stockton can rebound in the same way Abbotsford did after being undervalued and ‘dumped’ by Calgary.
The fit isn’t obvious at this point but an ECHL team would look like the most viable option.
If you have enjoyed this article and would like to support my work please consider donating https://ko-fi.com/markukleaf or PayPal.me/markukleaf
No donation is too small, even if it’s just the cost of a coffee. It would be much appreciated.
Alternatively, if you feel inclined to support me longer term please consider becoming a patron https://www.patreon.com/markukleaf
Thank you for considering the above, reading this article and for your continued support.
UK Hockey Blog 