Worcester Railers to join the ECHL in 2017-18

[210]

They are gunna need a solid affiliation game because they hired a weak head coach who mostly has a college background. Still think that was a head scratcher hire by Elmira 3 years ago. I'm surprised another team then wanted him after because its not like he showed anything or won.

The year before Russell took over Elmira, they had 56 points. His first year he got them to 71, and the second year to 79. Then he left and this season Elmira had 42 points.

Not sure how you personally define "showed anything", but seems like he did a pretty good job in a terrible situation to coach in.

 

[Woo Hockey]

They are gunna need a solid affiliation game because they hired a weak head coach who mostly has a college background. Still think that was a head scratcher hire by Elmira 3 years ago. I'm surprised another team then wanted him after because its not like he showed anything or won.

There's a bigger point that needs to be made that Elmira lasted only another year after his departure and did significantly worse with their new coach.

He wasn't the problem with Elmira and there were plenty of problems with that organization.

 

[210]

Since Bill Ballou just let the cat out of the bag, the Railers affiliate is indeed the New York Islanders.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Islanders/Sound Tigers win Worcester's affiliation battle, GL Railers HC

 

[mk80]

I would imagine with that affiliation that means the KC Mavericks will make their Blues affiliation more formal. They already had a working agreement this season and sent quite a few players back and forth to Chicago this year.

 

[GareFan18]

I would imagine with that affiliation that means the KC Mavericks will make their Blues affiliation more formal. They already had a working agreement this season and sent quite a few players back and forth to Chicago this year.

But, what if the Wolves affiliation switches to the new Vegas franchise, as rumored? Interesting times.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

But, what if the Wolves affiliation switches to the new Vegas franchise, as rumored? Interesting times.

Vegas could always have an agreement, GF, THERE'S BEEN nothing on that front except what's been reported with CHI.....

 

[mk80]

But, what if the Wolves affiliation switches to the new Vegas franchise, as rumored? Interesting times.

If it switches then they send players between the Mavericks and whoever the new Blues AHL affiliate is, likely San Antonio according to the rumors

 

[210]

If it switches then they send players between the Mavericks and whoever the new Blues AHL affiliate is, likely San Antonio according to the rumors

Then where does Colorado put their prospects?

 

[ADK34]

does Vegas HAVE to have an AHL team for next season? Lot of rumors floating around about Chicago. Boise, Utah, Fresno among some other possible locations

 

[210]

does Vegas HAVE to have an AHL team for next season? Lot of rumors floating around about Chicago. Boise, Utah, Fresno among some other possible locations

Do they have one? Yes, they do. Who/where it's going to be has not been announced yet.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

well this from the Rangers forum, that covers the Hartford Wolf*Pack and the Maine Mariners as well as likely to be covered by the Telegram and the team website https://www.railershc.com;

Jamie Russell released by Worcester as GM/Coach, has been replaced by former Worcester Sharks assistant coach David Cunnliff, who has been the assistant coach in Hartford up till today to the same position

 

[CANADIENSFAN90]

well this from the Rangers forum, that covers the Hartford Wolf*Pack and the Maine Mariners as well as likely to be covered by the Telegram and the team website https://www.railershc.com;

Jamie Russell released by Worcester as GM/Coach, has been replaced by former Worcester Sharks assistant coach David Cunnliff, who has been the assistant coach in Hartford up till today to the same position

link goes nowhere

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

link goes nowhere

front page story on the Railers page and the link works when you google it as well as through their twiiter handle it story one on the team website

 

[royals119]

WORCESTER RAILERS MAKE COACHING CHANGE – HIRE DAVID CUNNIFF AS GENERAL MANAGER AND HEAD COACH - RailersHC.com

Here is the direct link to the story so anyone interested can find it later.

They also released asst coach Derek Army, and Barry Almeida has been named player/assistant coach. VP of Marketing and Communications Eric Lundquist will be the new director of hockey operations (typically that means he will make the travel arrangements and do paperwork for transactions etc.) Many ECHL teams only have the coach and assistant handle all that stuff, but others have the "radio guy" handle some of the details if they don't have a full time assistant coach.

 

[BruinsFan37]

Why are we bumping this thread?

Oh wait, nvm...

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

WORCESTER RAILERS MAKE COACHING CHANGE – HIRE DAVID CUNNIFF AS GENERAL MANAGER AND HEAD COACH - RailersHC.com

Here is the direct link to the story so anyone interested can find it later.

They also released asst coach Derek Army, and Barry Almeida has been named player/assistant coach. VP of Marketing and Communications Eric Lundquist will be the new director of hockey operations (typically that means he will make the travel arrangements and do paperwork for transactions etc.) Many ECHL teams only have the coach and assistant handle all that stuff, but others have the "radio guy" handle some of the details if they don't have a full time assistant coach.

much obliged, royals, it was buried in the Rangers/Hartford/Maine thread when the initial story broke via tweet, and that's after the game Tuesday night in Portland....

as for Almeida, apparently from what I saw out there, this could be his final season as a player and is under solely a Railers contract, it's just an odd move for Worcester, being an Islanders affiliate, to be hiring someone off the Rangers organization staff, no matter David's previous experience being in Worcester, as well as Iowa and Albany, after the Sharks became the Barracuda.

the second reason I suspect this was done was to put the focus back on the Railers after the whole presser over announcing what was likely known about the Worcester Red Sox, and the "WooSox" presentation Monday night, even though a piece of the video did show the Railers and DCU Center.

 

[210]

WORCESTER RAILERS MAKE COACHING CHANGE – HIRE DAVID CUNNIFF AS GENERAL MANAGER AND HEAD COACH - RailersHC.com

Here is the direct link to the story so anyone interested can find it later.

They also released asst coach Derek Army, and Barry Almeida has been named player/assistant coach. VP of Marketing and Communications Eric Lundquist will be the new director of hockey operations (typically that means he will make the travel arrangements and do paperwork for transactions etc.) Many ECHL teams only have the coach and assistant handle all that stuff, but others have the "radio guy" handle some of the details if they don't have a full time assistant coach.

It's really just a title bump for Eric, he's been doing almost all the "off the ice" stuff for the team since its inception. Almeida, who was already a player/assistant, is injured right now (I expect he'll be added to IR in the next couple days) and will be behind the bench with Cunniff. They'll decide if they want a full-time assistant coach in the next couple of weeks.

 

[210]

the second reason I suspect this was done was to put the focus back on the Railers after the whole presser over announcing what was likely known about the Worcester Red Sox, and the "WooSox" presentation Monday night, even though a piece of the video did show the Railers and DCU Center.

Absolutely wrong. The two events had nothing to do with each other.

 

[Centrum Hockey]

much obliged, royals, it was buried in the Rangers/Hartford/Maine thread when the initial story broke via tweet, and that's after the game Tuesday night in Portland....

as for Almeida, apparently from what I saw out there, this could be his final season as a player and is under solely a Railers contract, it's just an odd move for Worcester, being an Islanders affiliate, to be hiring someone off the Rangers organization staff, no matter David's previous experience being in Worcester, as well as Iowa and Albany, after the Sharks became the Barracuda.

the second reason I suspect this was done was to put the focus back on the Railers after the whole presser over announcing what was likely known about the Worcester Red Sox, and the "WooSox" presentation Monday night, even though a piece of the video did show the Railers and DCU Center.

Cliff Rucker has final say on the staff/coaches the Islanders dont have any operational control of the railers whatsoever other than sending players.

 

[210]

Cliff Rucker has final say on the staff/coaches the Islanders dont have any operational control of the railers whatsoever other than sending players.

They supply the goaltending coach too...but that's it. They were not consulted before Russell was relieved of his duties nor when Cunniff was hired.