[sureLoss]

looks like this confirmed

https://www.recordnet.com/story/news...on/4252186001/

The Stockton Heat professional hockey team will not be playing in the city this season.

City and county officials confirmed that the franchise has decided to play its games in Calgary, Alberta, the hometown of its NHL parent organization, the Calgary Flames. The news comes just days after the Heat released its 2021 schedule. The decision does not mean the team will not return to Stockton in the future, according to city officials.

Officials with the Flames and Heat declined to comment on the situation. Stockton community relations officer Connie Cochran said the city was informed late last week that the American Hockey League franchise would be playing in Canada, reportedly because of COVID-19 concerns.

The Heat’s original five-year lease to play at Stockton Arena officially ended last season, but the team and city agreed to a one-season extension this season while contract negotiations continued.

“From what I understand, they felt they were at a point where they had to make a decision where they would play this season, and they made it,” Cochran said. “That doesn’t mean they won’t play here in the future.”

Cochran said there are not any updates on the contract situation or how the extension will be handled.

The decision came as a surprise to the Heat’s fans and at least some of its employees. On Friday, a schedule was released indicating the Heat would begin the season in Colorado on Feb. 5 and would play its first home game on Feb. 14 against the Bakersfield Condors at Stockton Arena. On the same day, Darren Dreger, an NHL writer for Canada’s The Sports Network, tweeted there was a “strong chance” the Heat would be relocating to Calgary for the season because it had not received clearance from health officials in San Joaquin County.