CALGARY — The Calgary Flames have entered an affiliation agreement with the East Coast League's Kansas City Mavericks for the 2017-18 season.
The Mavericks replace the Adirondack Thunder in Glens Falls, N.Y., after a three-year relationship with Calgary.
The Mavericks were previously affiliated with the New York Islanders. The Thunder said Thursday in a statement the team will announce a new NHL affiliation in the coming weeks.
Six Flames prospects spent time with the Thunder last season.
The Mavericks are owned by Lamar Hunt Jr., who is the son of the founder of the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs.
"Our organization was seeking a first class franchise with quality ownership and management that share the same principles and objectives for player development philosophy as our own club," Flames assistant general manager Brad Pascall said Thursday in a statement.
"We found a great fit with the owner Lamar Hunt, Jr., general manager Brent Thiessen and the KC Mavericks."
Calgary's American Hockey League team is in Stockton, Calif.
"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," Hunt Jr. said in the statement.
"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."
The Mavericks open the regular season Oct. 13 on the road against the Tulsa Oilers.
The Canadian Press