 The merger brought Gordie Howe back to the NHL for one final season in 1979 – 80 . At age 51 , Howe played all 80 games for the Whalers , scoring 15 goals to bring his NHL career total to 801 . He entered his second retirement as the league 's all @-@ time scoring leader with 1 @,@ 850 points . Howe 's final season was also the last for the Atlanta Flames . The team averaged an attendance of only 9 @,@ 800 fans per game and lost over $ 2 million in 1979 – 80 . They were sold for a record $ 16 million , and relocated north to become the Calgary Flames in 1980 – 81 . Two years later , the Rockies were sold for $ 30 million , and left Denver to become the New Jersey Devils for the 1982 – 83 season . 
