The Calgary Flames could have their AHL affiliate awfully close by this season.
According to a report by Scott Linesburgh, a sports writer at the Record newspaper in Stockton, Calif.,, the Stockton Heat will be relocating to Calgary for the season due to COVID-19 concerns.
The Heat are the Flames’ AHL affiliate, have played in the California city since 2015 and were expected to continue playing in Stockton as recently as last Friday when the AHL released its schedule for the season. The Heat were set to kick off their year in Colorado on Feb. 5.
Neither the Flames or the AHL could comment on the potential move.
Moving to Calgary would see the Heat playing in an all-Canadian division including the Laval Rocket, Belleville Senators, Toronto Marlies and Manitoba Moose.
The move would also make it less complicated to call up players to the NHL roster without needing them to go through a two-week quarantine after crossing the U.S.-Canada border.
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