Happy anniversary, Flames fans.
50 years ago today – Nov. 9, 1971 – the franchise that became the Flames was awarded to Atlanta by the National Hockey League.
In Calgary, the move was announced with a Canadian Press story the following day:
The National Hockey League decided Tuesday to expand to 16 teams for the 1972-73 season with franchises to be awarded to Atlanta, Ga. and and Long Island, New York.
The NHL did not decide who will get the franchises in those two cities, saying only that the choice will be from applications acceptable to the league and to the owners in the new arenas being built in Nassau County and Atlanta.