CALGARY -- It all started innocently enough back in 1980, when the Atlanta Flames re-located from Georgia to Calgary. In the first few years, the Flames played in the Stampede Corral.
Lanny McDonald played some games in the old barn, where 7,243 packed the place for the first game, on Oct. 9, including a few who paid $25 to stand.
McDonald was still there when the team moved to the Saddledome, in 1983.
But the highlight for McDonald, and the entire franchise, came in 1989, when the Flames won their first and only Stanley Cup. The Flames prevailed over the Montreal Canadiens four games to two, with McDonald, the team captain potting the Stanley Cup winner in game six.
"It wasn’t just a win for the hockey club," said McDonald Monday, 40 years older but no less of a team leader than he's always been.
"It was a win for the entire city."
“People kind of adopted us as these long lost sons who finally came home. And to see it kind of evolved from when the team first started here in 1979-80 to go to a place where we could actually win the Cup?
"It was so good.”
It’s a testament to the organization and the city that eight players from that 1989 Stanley Cup winning team still call Calgary home. One of those is Colin Patterson, He says the team learned a lot when they lost in the 1986 final to Montreal. By ’89, the team knew what they had to do to win.
“It was just monumental in the fact that you win one and you think you’re going to win more. It turns out that’s the only one you have," Patterson said. "For us, it’s special. It brings back some great memories.”
The Flames came close to winning their second Stanley Cup in 2004. No one expected much from that team but they went all the way to the final before finally bowing out to the Tampa Bay Lighting in the seventh and deciding game.
Flames assistant General Manager Craig Conroy was on that team and still remembers the buzz in the city.
“The first playoff game (in Calgary)," Conroy said. "When I walked out before (the game), I could hear the fans were there early. I didn’t (even) know there was a top section, because it was always tarped off.
"But the tarps came off and when I saw that I couldn’t believe it,” he added. "From that point on it was just an amazing run. Probably the best thing I’ve ever done in my professional career for sure.”
Conroy and many fans in attendance at Monday's celebration are hoping this year's version can create some more memories in the 40th season of the franchise.
