When people in Atlanta mention the Atlanta Flames, they’re talking about a short but memorable chapter in the city’s sports history. The Flames were a National Hockey League (NHL) team that played in Atlanta from 1972 to 1980, long before the Atlanta Thrashers and today’s focus on other major sports.
If you live in Atlanta, are visiting, or are just curious about how hockey fits into the city’s story, understanding the Atlanta Flames gives helpful context for how Atlanta has changed as a sports town.
The Atlanta Flames were a professional ice hockey team that joined the NHL as an expansion franchise in 1972. They played their home games at The Omni Coliseum in downtown Atlanta, a multi-purpose arena that once stood where State Farm Arena is today.
Key points:
Although the team never won a Stanley Cup or reached the same local popularity as the Braves, Falcons, or Hawks, the Flames were Atlanta’s first NHL franchise and helped introduce many locals to professional ice hockey.
For someone in Atlanta, the name “Flames” often makes immediate sense once the local history is considered.
The name referenced:
The flaming “A” logo became an iconic mark that many longtime Atlanta sports fans still recognize today.
The Flames played at The Omni Coliseum, downtown near where many of Atlanta’s major sports venues stand today.
While The Omni itself no longer exists, it was located in what’s now the Centennial Olympic Park / State Farm Arena / CNN Center area.
Today, for local orientation:
Even though you can’t visit The Omni anymore, walking around this area gives you a sense of where thousands of Atlantans once went to watch NHL hockey.
From a competitive standpoint, the Flames were respectable but not dominant.
General pattern of their performance:
For many Atlanta residents at the time, hockey was a new sport, and the city was still building its broader sports identity with baseball (Braves), football (Falcons), and basketball (Hawks).
If you’re wondering, “What happened to the Atlanta Flames?” the short answer is: they were sold and relocated.
Common factors that contributed:
In 1980, the team was sold and moved to Calgary, Alberta, Canada, becoming the Calgary Flames, who still play in the NHL today.
Atlanta has not had the Flames since then, but the name and logo live on in Calgary with clear roots back to this city.
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1972 | Atlanta Flames founded as NHL expansion team |
| 1972 | First season played at The Omni Coliseum |
| 1970s | Multiple playoff appearances, limited success |
| 1980 | Franchise sold and relocated to Calgary |
| Post-1980 | Team continues as the Calgary Flames |
Even though the team has been gone for decades, the Atlanta Flames still matter to the city’s sports culture.
The Flames:
If you talk to older Atlantans or long-time sports fans, many still remember:
While Atlanta doesn’t currently have an NHL team, there is a steady hockey presence in the metro area, influenced in part by the city’s past NHL franchises.
You’ll find:
For Atlanta residents interested in hockey today, local ice rinks and community sports programs can provide updated information about leagues, skating lessons, and youth teams.
While there’s no single, official “Atlanta Flames museum,” you can find traces and tributes in several ways:
Some Atlanta sports bars, vintage stores, and memorabilia shops may display:
Because items like this can move around, it’s typically helpful to call ahead or ask locally if you’re specifically hunting for Flames memorabilia.
A lot of the Flames’ history in Atlanta lives in personal collections, family stories, and local fan groups.
If you’re trying to learn more:
For someone new to Atlanta, it can be easy to confuse the city’s two past NHL teams.
Key differences:
Atlanta Flames
Atlanta Thrashers
Both teams are part of Atlanta’s hockey narrative, but the Flames were the first and carry a special historical weight, especially for fans who grew up in the 1970s.
If the history of the Atlanta Flames has sparked your interest in hockey, there are still ways to stay connected to the sport while you’re in the city:
Even though the Flames left over 40 years ago, they:
If you’re trying to understand Atlanta’s full sports history, the Atlanta Flames are an important early chapter—one that began at The Omni, helped introduce the city to NHL hockey, and still influences how Atlantans talk about teams coming and going today.
