The Mavericks will be replacing the Adirondack Thunder in working with the Flames. A total of six Calgary prospects spent time with Adirondack in 2016-17, including four during the Kelly Cup Playoffs.
"After having an opportunity to talk to several different NHL/AHL teams, we welcome the Calgary Flames and the Stockton Heat as our new affiliate for the 2017-18 season with a series of one-year contracts," said Kansas City Mavericks owner Lamar Hunt Jr. "We believe the Flames organization, while wanting us to help them develop players for future play at the AHL and NHL levels, also understands our need to be consistently competitive in the ECHL. We believe this is the most balanced approach for the Mavericks to win the Kelly Cup, have year-to-year continuity within our roster, and bring to Kansas City talented and young aspiring hockey players."
The Mavericks had been affiliated with the New York Islanders and the AHL's Bridgeport Sound Tigers since the 2015-16 season. Prior to that partnership, the Mavericks worked with the AHL's Chicago Wolves from 2011-12 through 2014-15. Kansas City also had a working agreement with the St. Louis Blues for the 2016-17 campaign while remaining the official affiliate of the Islanders.
"We wanted to move to an organization we know we will have a great relationship with, understands what we were trying to accomplish, and one that we believe we can communicate and work well with," said Mavericks general manager Brent Thiessen. "We're very happy to say that we're now with the Calgary Flames. It's a very successful organization and a very storied franchise. We're lucky to be working with a first class organization such as them."
The Mavericks begin their 2017-18 season on the road with a Friday, Oct. 13 date against the Tulsa Oilers, and will open their home slate on October 28 at 7:05 p.m. against the Wichita Thunder.
