The Flames will finally have a farm team both near them, and in a division that actually makes sense.
The Abbotsford Heat were ahead of their time. Sure, they were victims of being the Calgary Flames farm team entrenched firmly in Vancouver Canucks territory, but they were also alone in a desolate wasteland devoid of other American Hockey League teams. That meant excessive travel, not enough practice time, and the eventual death of the franchise.
The Flames gave it a go for a year in New York state, but that didn't work out for the best, either.