The Visitors' Book, October: Detroit's Bench Remembers the Saddledome
The Saddledome's last season, from the other bench. Calgary-born William Nylander, Blake Coleman's ovation and two ex-Flames on Detroit's staff, on what the building meant.
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The Saddledome's last season, its history, and what happens to the building when Scotia Place opens.
11 dispatches
The Saddledome's last season, from the other bench. Calgary-born William Nylander, Blake Coleman's ovation and two ex-Flames on Detroit's staff, on what the building meant.
Calgary handed green hard hats to the first 2,004 fans, put the 2004 jerseys back on, let Chris Sutter drop the puck, and beat the team the '04 Flames knocked out in round two.
On October 15, 1983 the Saddledome opened, months late and $16.5 million over, with a name a maintenance worker and his son came up with in front of a hockey game. The first page of The Saddledome's Last Yee-Haw.
Four days after the Flames waived him, Connor Zary played his first AHL game since 2023-24, scored off a Dryden Hunt pass and was named first star.
On the night the Flames fell to 0-2 in Vancouver, their farm team finished a weekend sweep at the Saddledome, and a rookie defenceman did a bit of everything.
The Flames brought a "rat" into the province on purpose, then scratched Brennan Othmann for the Saddledome's farewell opener, a 6-1 loss to Seattle.
In August the side of Scotia Place that Calgary watches from was still a green box. Five weeks later it is white panel and gold, and the Saddledome spent Saturday night hosting a farewell tour of its own.
Nine years ago this week, Mayor Nenshi tried to make a deal: three doors to a new arena, each with $185 million behind it, supposedly. Ken King peeked behind all three, called every one a Zonk the team and its fans would end up paying for, and walked. The fight that built Scotia Place starts here.
We walked the block again this afternoon. The west and north faces of Scotia Place are being clad in metal panel, the east face is still bare green wrap, and the only side Calgary watches from is the side that hasn't changed.
We walked the block in late July. Steel now wraps the whole bowl at Scotia Place, the Saddledome opens its farewell season October 1, and the same contractor is behind both buildings.
The Chiefs unveiled a $3 billion stadium with a swooping saddle-shaped roof. Calgary's own account had one line for it, in the Saddledome's farewell season.
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