The Quad City Flames were an American professional

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two o ...

team that played in the

American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 season, every team in the le ...

from 2007 to 2009. They were owned by QC Sports Ventures Inc., an ownership group based out of the

Quad Cities The Quad Cities is a region of cities (originally four, see History) in the U.S. states of Iowa and Illinois: Davenport and Bettendorf in southeastern Iowa, and Rock Island, Moline and East Moline in northwestern Illinois. These cities are th ...

. The Flames played at the

iWireless Center The Vibrant Arena at The MARK, formerly known as The MARK of the Quad Cities, the iWireless Center, and the TaxSlayer Center is a 12,000-seat multi-purpose arena located in Moline, Illinois. The facility opened in May 1993, under the name The M ...

Moline, Illinois Moline ( ) is a city located in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. With a population of 42,985 in 2020, it is the largest city in Rock Island County. Moline is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring East Moline and Rock Island ...

, serving as the top minor league affiliate of the National Hockey League's

Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are the third major professional ice hockey tea ...

. The move to the Quad Cities was confirmed on May 24, 2007. As a result, the arena's previous hockey tenant, the

Quad City Mallards The Quad City Mallards were a minor league professional ice hockey team based in the Quad Cities area of Illinois and Iowa that competed in the International Hockey League, Central Hockey League and ECHL. They were named after the Mallards team ...

of the

United Hockey League The United Hockey League (UHL), originally known as the Colonial Hockey League from 1991 to 1997 and last known as the International Hockey League from 2007 to 2010, was a low-level minor league, minor professional ice hockey league, with teams ...

ceased operations. The team left the Quad Cities after the 2008–09 season and relocated to

Abbotsford, British Columbia Abbotsford is a city located in British Columbia, adjacent to the Canada–United States border, Greater Vancouver and the Fraser River. With an estimated population of 153,524 people it is the largest municipality in the province outside metro ...

to play as the

Abbotsford Heat The Abbotsford Heat were a professional ice hockey team that played five seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL) between 2009 and 2014. The team was based in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada, and played its home games at the 7,046-seat A ...

in the 2009–10 season.

History

The Flames AHL franchise relocated from

Omaha, Nebraska Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County, Nebraska, Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. List of ...

, where the team spent two seasons as the

Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights The Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Omaha, Nebraska, United States at the Omaha Civic Auditorium from 2005–07. Following the 2006–07 season, the Calgary Flames announ ...

. Following two disappointing seasons at the gate in which the Flames and the

Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben The Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben Foundation is a 501(c)(3) civic and philanthropic organization in Omaha, Nebraska. History The organization was formed in 1895 in an attempt to keep the Nebraska State Fair in Omaha after receiving an ultimatum to provi ...

lost over $4 million, the Flames chose to relocate the franchise. The new franchise joined former UHL rival, the

Rockford IceHogs The Rockford IceHogs are a professional ice hockey team based in Rockford, Illinois. They are members of the American Hockey League (AHL), having begun play in the League starting in the 2007–08 season. The team plays their home games at the ...

in moving up to the AHL. The Flames made their AHL regular-season debut in Moline on October 6, 2007 with a 5–1 victory over Rockford. The Flames were the third team to attempt to place an AHL team in the Quad Cities. Both the

San Jose Sharks The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are owned by San Jose Sports & Entertain ...

and

Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...

were unable to reach an agreement with the owners of the Mallards and of the arena. While the NHL franchise had signed an affiliation agreement to the end of the 2011–12 season, the Flames and Quad City Sports Ventures agreed to end the agreement after just two seasons and the Flames placed their affiliate in

for the

2009–10 AHL season The 2009–10 AHL season was the 74th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-nine teams played 80 regular-season games each from October 2 to April 11. This season featured the addition of one new team, the relocation of two others, and the ...

. Local ownership in Quad Cities estimated the team's losses for 2008–09 at $1.3 million. This market was previously served by: *

of the UHL (1995–2007) The market was subsequently home to: *

of the IHL, CHL, and the

ECHL The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, with teams scattered across the United States and Canada. It is a tier below the American Hockey League (AHL). Th ...

(2009–18) Affiliates *

(2007–2009)

Season-by-season results

Regular season

Playoffs

Team records

Single season

:Goals: 39 Kyle Greentree (2008–09) :Assists: 43 Grant Stevenson (2007–08) :Points: 76 Kyle Greentree (2008–09) :Penalty Minutes: 248

Brandon Prust Brandon Raymond James Prust (born March 16, 1984) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger. Prust was drafted in the third round, 70th overall, by the Calgary Flames in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, and has played in the NHL for th ...

(2007–08) :GAA: 2.23 Leland Irving (2008–09) :SV%: .912

Matt Keetley Matt Keetley (born April 27, 1986) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in one game for Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL). Personal life Born in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Keetley spent his early years l ...

(2007–08), Leland Irving (2008–09) :Wins: 24 Leland Irving (2008–09) :Shutouts: 3 Curtis McElhinney (2007–08) *Goaltending records need a minimum 25 games played by the goaltender

Career

:Career Goals: 43

Kris Chucko Kristopher J. Chucko (born March 13, 1986) is a Canadian former ice hockey player who played two National Hockey League (NHL) games for the Calgary Flames. He was a first round selection, 24th overall, of the Flames in the 2004 NHL Entry Draf ...

:Career Assists: 76 Carsen Germyn :Career Points: 108 Carsen Germyn :Career Penalty Minutes: 271 Matt Pelech :Career Goaltending Wins: 24 Leland Irving :Career Shutouts: 3 Curtis McElhinney Matt Keetley :Career Games: 154 Kris Chucko

References

{{Defunct AHL Calgary Flames minor league affiliates Ice hockey teams in Illinois Ice hockey clubs established in 2007 Ice hockey clubs disestablished in 2009 2007 establishments in Illinois 2009 disestablishments in Illinois Moline, Illinois Rock Island County, Illinois Sports teams in the Quad Cities