Stockton Heat Leaving Central Valley For Canada Starting Next Season
STOCKTON (CBS13) – Stockton is losing its professional hockey team next season.
On Monday, the Calgary Flames announced that their American Hockey League affiliate the Stockton Heat would be moving to Calgary starting the 2022-23 season.
The American Hockey League has approved a relocation of the Calgary Flames' franchise from Stockton, California to Calgary, Alberta, Canada beginning with the 2022-23 season.https://t.co/K2BDgTll5t pic.twitter.com/x0hdHOJTpE
— Stockton Heat (@AHLHeat) May 23, 2022
The Heat have called the Stockton Arena home since 2015 and are in the middle of 2022 Calder Cup Playoffs.
In a statement, the Heat's General Manager Brad Pascall thanked fans for their support.
"We especially would like to say thank you to the Heat fans who loyally supported the team and continue to throughout the 2022 AHL Playoffs," Pascall said in a statement.
Even with this season's success, the Heat have been plagued with low attendance – having the lowest average, 1,713, of all AHL teams in 2021-22, according to the Internet Hockey Database.
Details of the move, like where the Heat will play, are still in the works.