Dual Affiliations

[Ratitude]

Well it looks as though the dual affiliations are back, at least on a temporary basis. Once a dirty word now in a pandemic era and an economic challenged times it is now a necessity. I always disliked the idea of doing away with them because they do make sense and can work, especially for independent AHL owned franchises.

I know from an organizational development standpoint it's unattractive and may not be in the best interest of an individual club but makes sense as a cost split measure and could be a benefit for a market that may be splintered in terms of fan support of the parent club. A dual affiliation may also beneficial, if not a necessity should we see some league contractions in either the AHL or ECHL should some franchises not survive after this all shakes out, we shall see.

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[Centrum Hockey]

I really doubt we will see the AHL contract teams.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Well it looks as though the dual affiliations are back, at least on a temporary basis. Once a dirty word now in a pandemic era and an economic challenged times it is now a necessity. I always disliked the idea of doing away with them because they do make sense and can work, especially for independent AHL owned franchises.

I know from an organizational development standpoint it's unattractive and may not be in the best interest of an individual club but makes sense as a cost split measure and could be a benefit for a market that may be splintered in terms of fan support of the parent club. A dual affiliation may also beneficial, if not a necessity should we see some league contractions in either the AHL or ECHL should some franchises not survive after this all shakes out, we shall see.

it's doubtful you will see either league contract teams, tbth, pandemic, or not... because the Leagues understand why these clubs have opted out.....

it's interesting why only 3 opted out of the AHL, as 13 did back in the ECHL in November, but then when you start seeing the individual reasons why, it's understandable to see why the leagues granted them this option, this isn't like where an independent or corporate ownership consortium, as some of the past teams were, simply gave up on a market.... case in point Manchester 4 seasons ago in the ECHL, that was more likely a change in business where the player development side said the right things to a given fanbase, but the corporate ownership side went as they said another direction entirely, is it right for ASM Global to simply dictate to an affiliated member club, it's our way, or not at all...

 

[210]

I really doubt we will see the AHL contract teams.

I'll bet everything I own against it happening.

 

[Crunchrulz]

One needs to only look back to the dual affiliation the Crunch had with the Canucks and Penguins to see just how badly that goes. Each organization expects its prospects to get the most ice time, and you have two different play styles. When the Penguins moved to WBS for the 1999-2000 season, the contempt the prospects had for each other's organization was quite clear by the nine or ten fights that took place in the Crunch home preseason game against WBS.
If any NHL franchise does not have enough players in its system to ice NHL and AHL teams, they owners better be asking the well payed management what the problem is.

 

[DeeVeeUss]

Lightning partnering with Panthers up in Syracuse.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Lightning partnering with Panthers up in Syracuse.

And Canucks partnering with the Blues in Utica.

Only Nashville is left without an AHL affiliate or partnership.

 

[Ratitude]

Dual affiliations may not be popular with many and for obvious reasons stated above such as the fight of developmental ice time. The economic reality in a intermediate "post" pandemic climate might make it a necessity. Likely not years down road but possibly for a season, two, maybe three. Not saying it will happen just saying I wouldn't be surprised if it did. I from a fan standpoint didn't care for it when Albany was dual affiliated and likewise now Adirondack fans weren't happy when they had a brief dual arrangement. I do think if the AHL or especially the ECHL has to face downsizing quite possibly dual affiliations may serve a smart purpose for economic sense.....

 

[210]

Dual affiliations may not be popular with many and for obvious reasons stated above such as the fight of developmental ice time. The economic reality in a intermediate "post" pandemic climate might make it a necessity. Likely not years down road but possibly for a season, two, maybe three. Not saying it will happen just saying I wouldn't be surprised if it did. I from a fan standpoint didn't care for it when Albany was dual affiliated and likewise now Adirondack fans weren't happy when they had a brief dual arrangement. I do think if the AHL or especially the ECHL has to face downsizing quite possibly dual affiliations may serve a smart purpose for economic sense.....

There is zero chance the AHL loses a team. Those franchises are in high demand, so even if one were to get into financial trouble there will be a lot of parties interested in purchasing it. As for the ECHL, I suspect if any teams are lost it's going to be one of the "usual suspects" that people predict won't be around nearly every off-season.

 

[UncMike]

Would be kind of funny if a guy on a 2-way deal got traded to/from two teams that have an affiliation yet stayed exactly where he is on the same AHL team

 

[210]

Would be kind of funny if a guy on a 2-way deal got traded to/from two teams that have an affiliation yet stayed exactly where he is on the same AHL team

OK, now I gotta dig through some notes because I think that's happened before.

Not the same, but I know that Jamie McLennan played a season with the Worcester IceCats under a contract with the Islanders and then signed a free-agent deal with the Blues, who assigned him to the Worcester IceCats.

 

[axecrew]

And Canucks partnering with the Blues in Utica.

Only Nashville is left without an AHL affiliate or partnership.

Nashville will send some players to AHL Chicago this year...

 

[Centrum Hockey]

OK, now I gotta dig through some notes because I think that's happened before.

Not the same, but I know that Jamie McLennan played a season with the Worcester IceCats under a contract with the Islanders and then signed a free-agent deal with the Blues, who assigned him to the Worcester IceCats.

John McCarthy signed a two way deal with STL/Chicago in 2014-2015 was loaned to Worcester and then signed a two way deal with The SJ Sharks/Barracuda the next season.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Official announcement:

 

[210]

John McCarthy signed a two way deal with STL/Chicago in 2014-2015 was loaned to Worcester and then signed a two way deal with The SJ Sharks/Barracuda the next season.

McCarthy started in the San Jose organization and signed with StL as a free agent. While he was in Chicago he was given the option to return to Worcester, where he had played the previous few seasons, when Adam Burish asked the Sharks to be loaned to Chicago. So not even close to the same thing.

 

[Ratitude]

There is zero chance the AHL loses a team. Those franchises are in high demand, so even if one were to get into financial trouble there will be a lot of parties interested in purchasing it. As for the ECHL, I suspect if any teams are lost it's going to be one of the "usual suspects" that people predict won't be around nearly every off-season.

If you read my post I never said there was a chance the AHL would lose a team. To say there is ZERO chance well that is premature. To suggest the AHL at present is high demand well that may be stretching it, read carefully what I said, at present. Right now the AHL and ECHL alike have to tread carefully because right now these leagues are functioning with little to mostly no fans. I watched the AHL go from a really enjoyable league in the 1980s to a league the last few years that was watered down. A product where organizational development takes priority over game winning and the fan experience enjoyment at the minor league level becomes a product many lose interest in. Spending 5 million on a minor league franchise can be a huge risk for independent owners, and with the economics of an post pandemic world we will have to see how it all shakes for NHL owned teams. More NHL clubs opting to play their teams in their own barns of wanting to play in smaller nearby barns should bare some watch....Nothing is ZERO chance, heard that one before..There is no guarantees.

 

[210]

If you read my post I never said there was a chance the AHL would lose a team. To say there is ZERO chance well that is premature. To suggest the AHL at present is high demand well that may be stretching it, read carefully what I said, at present. Right now the AHL and ECHL alike have to tread carefully because right now these leagues are functioning with little to mostly no fans. I watched the AHL go from a really enjoyable league in the 1980s to a league the last few years that was watered down. A product where organizational development takes priority over game winning and the fan experience enjoyment at the minor league level becomes a product many lose interest in. Spending 5 million on a minor league franchise can be a huge risk for independent owners, and with the economics of an post pandemic world we will have to see how it all shakes for NHL owned teams. More NHL clubs opting to play their teams in their own barns of wanting to play in smaller nearby barns should bare some watch....Nothing is ZERO chance, heard that one before..There is no guarantees.

You said "I do think if the AHL or especially the ECHL has to face downsizing..." The only chance the AHL has of downsizing is if the NHL has a team fold, and there is zero chance of that happening because there is a demand for those franchises. So just based on that alone that means there is zero chance of the AHL downsizing. If an AHL franchise were to become available it would be snapped up very quickly, even in these uncertain economic times.

Notice I'm not talking about the ECHL at all here, because it's entirely possible they could lose teams over this because the demand for ECHL franchises doesn't come close to matching the NHL and AHL.

 

[Ratitude]

Well right now even the NHL is conceding they are taking a HUGE financial beating. When the league says it would be cheaper to scrap the season then play such an abbreviated season with no fans and so much restrictions that speaks volumes. You are saying ZERO chance lol well that has already happened. This season alone teams are partnering up so the AHL for this season has already shrunk for all intense purposes.

I never said down the road the A League won't be back to one club for each NHL team but the whole point of my discussion is the attractiveness of dual affiliations once again. From a cost savings measure for some organizations dual affiliations can work and do make sense. I always thought doing away with such arrangements entirely wasn't a good idea for the league. The pandemic has changed a lot of things. From priorities to long haul financial challenges for people and businesses alike, conventional wisdom will be challenged going ahead. From the ECHL, minor league baseball, and other sports and entertainment there will be changes ahead in the landscape and no league will be absolutely immune from it.

The virus here in Albany has taken a tremendous toll. The owner of the River Rats succumbed to the virus, as did the owner of our Tri City Valleycats baseball team. MLB used the virus crisis opportunity to assume control of minor league baseball and sadly our team was left out of affiliated ball as a result but luckily the Valleycats secured membership in the Frontier League. Independent league yes but with a little longer season then the former NYPL low A class fans here will be treated to more games and a league more comparable to advanced A. Now some here will get their britches twisted I used "baseball" in the conversation but too bad, we are talking the impact on the leagues or minor league sports in general. Some teams "may" not survive, especially if you're a local independent franchise owner. It no doubt will be challenging for them, especially when the NHL Commissioner admitted financially it would be better for them to suspend the season. I commend him for making a go though, he made the tough call and ran with it.