The better question is do the Flames keep the ECHL team or do they sell it in the near future. They bought the ECHL team but that was primarily to get the lease with the Stockton Arena.
By not using a Flames related name in the Thunder, they are building a brand in Adirondack they can divest themselves of later to an independent buyer. If it was a Flames related name, the Calgary Flames would have to keep it and any potential buyer would have to start over again.
I don't think it makes much business sense for a NHL team to own an ECHL team. In fact before the rumblings of the AHL Pacific division came up the LA Kings were the only NHL team that owned part of an ECHL team in an arena that their parent company managd.
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