Original: The team, a member of the National Hockey League (NHL), was relocated to Calgary, Alberta, Canada for the start of the 1980–81 NHL season and were re-named the Calgary Flames, leaving Atlanta without an NHL team, before the Thrashers were formed 19 years later.
Simplified: The team was moved to Calgary, Alberta, Canada for the start of the 1980–81 NHL season and were renamed the Calgary Flames.