. ▁John ' s ▁Ice C aps . ▁ ▁The ▁organization ▁held ▁a ▁" name ▁the ▁team " ▁contest , ▁and ▁on ▁May ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁He at ▁was ▁announced ▁as ▁the ▁team ' s ▁new ▁name . ▁ ▁On ▁June ▁ 5 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁the ▁Cal g ary ▁Her ald ▁reported ▁that ▁Jim ▁Play f air ▁would ▁debut ▁as ▁head ▁coach ▁of ▁the ▁Abb ots ford ▁He at ▁after ▁sp ending ▁two ▁seasons ▁with ▁the ▁Cal g ary ▁Fl ames . ▁ ▁Rel ocation ▁to ▁Gl ens ▁F alls ▁The ▁team ▁strugg led ▁finan cially ▁and ▁saw ▁low ▁attend ance ; ▁tal ks ▁eventually ▁broke ▁down ▁between ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Abb ots ford , ▁the ▁V ancouver ▁Can uck s , ▁and ▁the ▁Cal g ary ▁Fl ames ▁on ▁a ▁possible ▁affili ation ▁swap . ▁ ▁Upon ▁the ▁V ancouver ▁Can uck s ' ▁purchase ▁of ▁the ▁Pe oria ▁River men , ▁the ▁He at ' s ▁own ers ▁were ▁pet ition ed ▁from ▁interested ▁groups ▁in ▁Ut ica , ▁New ▁York . ▁On ▁June ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁the ▁V ancouver ▁Can uck s ▁and ▁Moh awk ▁Valley ▁Garden , ▁the ▁man aging ▁partner ▁based ▁in ▁Ut ica , ▁signed ▁a ▁six - year ▁affili ation ▁agreement , ▁and ▁the ▁Ut ica ▁Com ets ▁became ▁the ▁new ▁A HL ▁affili ate ▁of ▁the ▁V ancouver ▁Can uck s . ▁ ▁The ▁city ▁of