May 18, 2022; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; General view of the Calgary Flames logo on the ice prior to the game between the Calgary Flames and the Edmonton Oilers in game one of the second round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
May 18, 2022; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; General view of the Calgary Flames logo on the ice prior to the game between the Calgary Flames and the Edmonton Oilers in game one of the second round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
On the afternoon of Monday, June 15, the NHL world lost one of its longest-standing team co-owners in the form of Alvin G. Libin at 95 years of age. Libin was one of the five co-owners of the Calgary Flames sports organization. After expansion, the organization took the name Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation.
Libin, born on April 22, 1931, in Calgary, Alberta, was the CEO of Balmon Investments Ltd. On June 15, the Calgary Flames' official X account announced that Libin had passed away.
“It is with deep regret and sadness that Calgary Sports & Entertainment Corporation, the Flames, their ownership group, and their employees acknowledge the passing of Alvin Libin.”
Apart from being an investor, Libin was a great philanthropist. The former team owner established the Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta as part of his endeavor to give back to the city he grew up in.
The Alvin and Mona Libin Foundation, named after his late wife, also supports medical institutions in the area. His medical philanthropy extends to two other institutions being established.
The Libin Gene Therapy Unit funds heart disease research, while the Libin Lecture Theatre in the Heritage Medical Research Building serves as a space for medical classes and academic events for the Libin Cardiovascular Institute.
Libin was beloved by the co-owners of the Flames, as CSEC Board Chairman N. Murray Edwards called him a “great partner and friend to all owners."
CSEC President Robert Hayes also commented.
“Alvin's vision, generosity, and passion helped shape not only CSEC but also the broader community,” he said.
The CSEC also underwent several changes under his watchful eye.
From One Team to Five: How Alvin Libin Built a Sports Empire
Libin, who held an Honorary Laws degree from the University of Calgary, made several moves along with the board of the CSEC to expand and improve the organization.
While the CSEC began only with the Calgary Flames NHL team, Libin and the board brought four other major sports teams under its purview.
The first addition to the CSEC was the Calgary Wranglers of the American Hockey League in 1993.
Then came the acquisition of the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League in 1997 and the Calgary Roughnecks of the National Lacrosse League in 2011.
This was followed by purchasing the majority stakes for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League in 2012.
During Libin’s co-ownership, the Calgary Wranglers were relocated from Stockton, California, to Calgary, Alberta, ahead of the 2022-23 American Hockey League season. The team now host their home games at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Alberta.
His role in state-wide development was so impactful that he was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2001. His local influence and philanthropy towards Alberta also earned him an induction into the Alberta Order of Excellence in 2004.
Calgary and Alberta will never forget the man who put them on the map, and he will hold a place in NHL history forever.
