So Much For The Abbottsford Heat

((HT: Sportsnet))

It was a relationship that wasn't working...

The city of Abbottsford, British Columbia was in a deal with the Calgary Flames to have their American Hockey League team be in the arena as the primary tenant. There was a ten-year deal that had been signed and, without the attendance figures matching what the city thought they would be and what the Flames wanted- the deal is over five years early.

The Heat are in the AHL playoffs, and when they're eliminated the moving sign is up...

"The economics did not turn out the way any of us intended, despite the tremendous efforts of many men and women who made it their mission to convert the allegiances of local hockey fans, at least at the American Hockey League level, to the Heat.

"Notwithstanding economics, our experiences in the Fraser Valley have been good," King said in a press release.

The team had moved from the Quad Cities and, with all the looks of it, they'll be headed to either Glens Falls or Utica, New York. They were the only team in the AHL that played in the western time zone.

The mayor at the time, George Peary, guaranteed the Heat owners almost C$6-million a year to play in the city's new 7,000-seat arena. So, taxpayers have been paying a little over C$7-million in subsidies to the team to make up for team losses.

So, for the record... here's the last regular season game in Abbottsford Heat history...
((HT: The Heat their own selves))