FLAMES EXCITED TO PARTNER WITH MAVERICKS

The Flames announced Thursday that they have agreed to a new ECHL affiliation with the Kansas City Mavericks.
After recently selling the Adirondack Thunder, the Flames were on a search for a new ECHL affiliate, with the Mavericks being atop their list of available ECHL teams.
"We had some preliminary discussions and then in-depth discussions with their management and coaches to ensure that our development principals matched up and there was a match," said Flames assistant general manager Brad Pascall. "We're thrilled with our upcoming partnership with Kansas City."

Formerly known as the Missouri Mavericks, the club originated in the Central Hockey League for five seasons until the league ceased operations in 2014. The Mavericks were approved expansion into the ECHL that year along with the six other Central league teams.
The Mavericks best season came in 2015-16, when they finished with a 52-15-3-2 record that was tops in the Central Division. Overall, the Mavericks hold an all-time ECHL mark of 113-80-12-11.
"Our goal is development," explained Pascall. "The hope is that the players we send there will assist them in creating a winning environment and be productive players. Part of a good culture is being a part of a winning environment and they breed winning culture and development. That's a good relationship to be in."

Mavericks GM Brent Thiessen is looking forward to the new partnership with the Flames.
"We wanted to move to an organization that we would have a great relationship with that would understand what we want to accomplish," said Thiessen. "We've learned a lot over the past couple of years and proud to say we're now with the Calgary Flames."
Thiessen added the Mavericks will also work closely with the AHL Stockton Heat.
"We're going to be working with their coaches and seeing the systems they're playing on and what they do on a daily basis," Thiessen said. "We want to make it as easy as possible for these players to transition from the ECHL to Stockton and mirroring what they do at that level eases that transition."
"When you look at the Flames organization it's a very successful and storied organization. We're lucky to be working with such a world class organization," Thiessen continued. "We want to be that development franchise that they are needing us to be, that's our goal, that's our hope."