The Calgary Flames bought and relocated the Utica Devils, to be their AHL affiliate.

The Flames also played in the Calder Cup Finals in 1998, losing to the Philadelphia Phantoms.

In 2005, the franchise was reactivated and then relocated several times playing as the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights from 2005–2007, the Quad City Flames from 2007–2009, the Abbotsford Heat from 2009–2014, the Adirondack Flames for the 2014–15 season, and then the Stockton Heat starting in the 2015–16 season as part of a new Pacific Division.

In 2000, the team's logo was changed to that of a fire-breathing dragon, with the colours being red and orange.

This was a rare instance of an AHL team not having the same basic logo (albeit with some modifications) as its NHL affiliate in terms of having the same name.