The Calgary Flames American Hockey League affiliate team will be calling Abbotsford home, local ownership spokesman Lane Sweeting announced Tuesday.
The result is welcome news for Sweeting, who is part of an investment group looking to fill a new 7,018-seat entertainment and sports centre being built in the Fraser Valley's largest city and one of the fastest growing in B.C.
The Flames will send their top young talent to the Fraser Valley to play and train in their AHL team. The league has become one of the National Hockey League's best development leagues: 84% of 2008-2009 NHL players are AHL graduates.
The Flame's farm team will move from Quad Cities, Illinois, which has had a difficult time filling seats.
"We're extremely excited to be calling Abbotsford our new home," said Calgary Flames president Ken King. "Playing in a Canadian market in front of sophisticated hockey fans that understand the game, only one hour by air from Calgary, will most certainly enhance our player development program."
Sweeting said tickets for AHL games for the 2009-2010 season will range from $12 to $36.
Hockey fans can enter a contest to name the new team at www.fraservalleyahl.com.