Calgary event centre groundbreaking prompts fans, broadcasters to reminisce on four decades of Saddledome memories

Ground will break Monday on Calgary’s new event centre, officially marking the beginning of the end for the Scotiabank Saddledome.

It will likely be bittersweet for many Calgary hockey fans, and the same can be said for the people who call the games.

Throughout the last four decades, the Calgary Flames have seen a lot of ups and downs, and Peter Maher was there for a lot of them, calling 33 seasons straight from the booth.

“For me, it was like a home away from home for about 2,000 games that I got to broadcast there over the 30 years I was involved,” he said.

Throughout his career, Maher witnessed some of the most legendary moments in Flames franchise history, but he says the infamous goal-or-no-goal by Martin Gelinas during the 2004 playoff run definitely sticks out, and not for the right reasons.

“That goal would’ve put the Flames ahead by a single goal, turns out the goal didn’t count, and with eight minutes left in the third period the game went on to double overtime with Tampa winning,” he said. “So that’s one fans talk about all the time.”

Despite the loss to Tampa, Maher says the Flames’ 2004 run was definitely one for the books

“I mean, that’s when ‘the C of Red’ really came into prominence — the Saddledome was just totally red with fans and they were wearing red jerseys or wind jackets or whatever,” he recalled.

That night also sticks out for Wranglers play-by-play announcer Sandra Prusina, who was watching from home as a fan.

She says the thing she’ll miss most about the Dome is the view.

“It is second-to-none, and yes — I will even miss the absolutely terrifying catwalk over the ice,” Prusina said.

Another favourite memory for Prusina was the night then-Captain Brett Sutter played his 1000th American Hockey League (AHL) Game.

“Family and friends were all there to see him receive that silver stick and it really reinforced the essence of family when it comes to hockey and the role the Sutters have played,” she said.

Maher says he will also never forget, Oct. 15, 1983, when the doors to the Dome first opened.

“They had the prime minister here — it wasn’t Justin Trudeau, but it was his father, Pierre Elliott Trudeau. He came out on the ice for the ceremonial opening puck drop and he got booed very strongly,” he recalled. “That was something that kind of stands out, even all these years later.”

Even though it’s tough to see the end nearing for the Saddledome, both Maher and Prusina say the new building will have lasting benefits for Calgary’s NHL and AHL clubs.

“The novelty of the building will be one thing that’ll bring about great excitement in the city but with the [Flames] having success on the ice, it’s going to make it even greater,” Maher said.

Prusina says she’s excited for the Wranglers to finally have a real home in Calgary.

“They will be part of the legacy that is CSEC [Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation], so, the Flames, the Roughnecks, the Hitmen, and the Wranglers, and they’re the youngest team of the four I just mentioned, but they do play a crucial role in the development of the team to the big clubs,” she said,

If all goes according to plan, the new event centre will be open for the 2026-27 hockey season.