CALGARY, Alta. – WinSport and Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation are excited to announce that the Calgary Flames have selected WinSport as the main practice facility for the Calgary Wranglers, the National Hockey League team’s new American Hockey League affiliate.
The Wranglers will play their home games at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
WinSport has a long history of working with the Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation, with the Flames holding numerous training camps, developmental camps, and practices at WinSport’s Markin MacPhail Centre.
“This is a win-win for WinSport and the Flames organization. As a not-for-profit organization, we appreciate the support from Calgary Sports and Entertainment,” said WinSport President and CEO Barry Heck. “We look forward to welcoming the Wranglers to our world-class facilities as they make their practice home at WinSport’s Canada Olympic Park during their inaugural season in the city.”
“WinSport’s has a three-part sport-related mission. We help people discover the joy and health benefits of sport; we encourage talented athletes to develop their skills; and we enable Canada’s high-performance athletes to excel on the world stage. The Wranglers are a natural fit with what we do daily on our campus. The team mainly utilizes weekday non-prime ice hours, ensuring minimal impact on WinSport’s programs and other user groups.”
The Wranglers’ first practice at WinSport is scheduled for today, with the team’s home-opener at the Saddledome on Sunday, Oct. 16, against the Coachella Valley Firebirds.
“The Wranglers are an exciting addition to Calgary’s sport scene, and the arenas and other facilities and services at WinSport’s Canada Olympic Park are an ideal practice home for the team,” said John Bean, President and CEO of Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation. “We are pleased to support WinSport, an organization that helps so many Calgary kids discover the joy of sports.”
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About the Wranglers
The Calgary Wranglers begin their inaugural campaign in Calgary with the start of the 2022-23 American Hockey League season. As the primary affiliate of the Calgary Flames, the Wranglers will roster the very best of the Flames prospects in a development capacity on route to the NHL. The Wranglers are a member club with Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation joining the Flames (NHL), Hitmen (WHL), Stampeders (CFL) and Roughnecks (NLL). In operation since 1936, the AHL serves as the top development league for all 32 National Hockey League teams. Nearly 90 percent of today’s NHL players are American Hockey League graduates, and more than 100 honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame spent time in the AHL in their careers.
About WinSport
WinSport inspires human potential through the spirit of sport. The Calgary Olympic Development Association, operating as WinSport, is a community-based, not-for-profit organization that owns and operates Canada Olympic Park and the Bill Warren Training Centre in Canmore. WinSport also administers legacy funds that support the Olympic Oval. WinSport’s mission has three pillars: to help people discover the joy and health benefits of sport; to encourage talented athletes to develop their skills; and to enable Canada’s high-performance athletes to excel on the world stage. Financial commitments from Canadian governments and business have allowed WinSport to expand its sport and community offering over time; significant investment will be required in the coming years to renew the legacy facilities that have welcomed the world to the Calgary region for more than a generation.
