Early in the 1972–73 season, he was dealt again, this time to the expansion Atlanta Flames where he would be a stabilizing influence in the team's first two NHL seasons.
ˈɜːli ɪnðə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti tˈuː sˈɛvənti θɹˈiː sˈiːzən, hiː wʌz dˈɛlt ɐɡˈɛn, ðɪs tˈaɪm tə ðɪ ɛkspˈænʃən ɐtlˈæntə flˈeɪmz wˌɛɹ hiː wʊd biː ɐ stˈeɪbɪlˌaɪzɪŋ ˈɪnfluːəns ɪnðə tˈiːmz fˈɜːst tˈuː ˌɛnˌeɪtʃˈɛl sˈiːzənz.