Calgary Wranglers officially unveiled as new Flames AHL affiliate

The Calgary Wranglers are officially here.

Once the name of a Western Hockey League franchise, the Wranglers will now grace the Scotiabank Saddledome ice as the top minor-league affiliate of the Calgary Flames.

The Wranglers will play out of the American Hockey League’s Pacific Division. They’re the ninth iteration of the Flames’ AHL franchise, directly succeeding the Stockton Heat (2015–2022).

The Wranglers will be the third hockey team (and fourth sports franchise) to play the 2022–23 season at the Saddledome, joining the Flames and Calgary Hitmen. The Calgary Roughnecks also make the Saddledome their home; all four teams are owned by the Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation (CSEC).

The Flames purchased the Wranglers franchise from the New Jersey Devils in 1993, moving it from Utica, New York to Saint John, New Brunswick to become the Saint John Flames. The team enjoyed periods of great success in Saint John and won the Calder Cup in 2001.

Here’s the full Wranglers franchise timeline:

The Wranglers’ primary logo is an updated version of the WHL crest. The Flames at the base of the W are a direct homage to the design of the Atlanta Flames logo, a source familiar with the new team confirmed.

The Wranglers’ colour scheme (red, yellow, and white) is identical to the one used by the Flames. The original Wranglers used blue in their colour scheme — potential fodder for a throwback uniform at some point in the future.

A source confirmed the Wranglers’ home and away uniforms will be revealed to the public in the “coming weeks.”