Future of minor league hockey & the echl

[CHRDANHUTCH]

For lots of reasons, I would be surprised if it's not the Flyers (even though there's an obvious tie with Maine). It's close to Philly, provides a lot of marketing options that are beneficial to the Royals. Reading is also the home of the Phillies' AA affiliate. From a hockey standpoint, proximity to both Lehigh Valley & Philadelphia would make continuing the relationship a natural fit.

there is no obvious tie, because the Flyers could've left prior to that but that was the first question spoken about and denied

 

[crimsonace]

there is no obvious tie, because the Flyers could've left prior to that but that was the first question spoken about and denied

The "obvious tie" is the same company owns both teams, but it really doesn't make a ton of sense for player movement and marketing reasons for the Flyers and Mariners to be affiliated with each other. Portland & Hartford are close to each other. Reading & LHV are close to each other. Makes it easy for players to go up/down.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

The "obvious tie" is the same company owns both teams, but it really doesn't make a ton of sense for player movement and marketing reasons for the Flyers and Mariners to be affiliated with each other. Portland & Hartford are close to each other. Reading & LHV are close to each other. Makes it easy for players to go up/down.

the tie is basically Spectra operates Hartford's off ice ops, whereas they don't have to in Portland.... that's why they downplayed the connection.

 

[royals119]

Not sure if this is the thread for it but is there any thoughts on who the flyers affiliate with next year do to their contract with the Royals being up. And the fact that Reading is owned by the previous owners before jack gulati . witch have direct ties to SMG.

Way back in the past SMG was part owner of the team. When the Kings pulled out the word was the Flyers didn't want to affiliate with an SMG owned team. Also at that time they barely utilized the ECHL, and the Phantoms weren't in Allentown, so there were other factors too.

The new owner (Berks County Arena Authority) only relationship with SMG is that they pay them to manage the arena. So the team has to work with SMG to arrange staffing for games, set the schedule, etc, same as it was with Jack as owner. SMG won't have any influence over the team. Plus, as Hutch mentioned, SMG is merging with AEG, so maybe the Flyers ownership won't be as opposed to working with them going forward. Probably depends on who ends up staying and who leaves when the management of the new merged company is announced.

I would bet the Flyers probably end up staying. Second option would be to go back to Hershey/Caps. I would bet this is one of the first items on the new GM's to do list.

 

[Big Z Man 1990]

Somehow I'd like to see Baltimore get an ECHL team as an affiliate of Washington.

More NHL teams need to bring their AHL and ECHL affiliations closer to them.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Somehow I'd like to see Baltimore get an ECHL team as an affiliate of Washington.

More NHL teams need to bring their AHL and ECHL affiliations closer to them.

that was under discussion, but you have to remember Monumental also has the Wizards, Mystics as part of their portfolio, Z, besides that, it is highly doubtful Leonsis would want an affiliate cutting into his territory, and frankly, there's no real arena in Baltimore for an affiliate to play in.... that's why the Go Go were added into the mix as the Wizards affiliate in NW DC

 

[wildcat48]

Somehow I'd like to see Baltimore get an ECHL team as an affiliate of Washington.

More NHL teams need to bring their AHL and ECHL affiliations closer to them.

It's irrelevant where NHL teams locate their ECHL affiliate because not many teams have prospects on the roster. The Rangers have their affiliation in Maine yet they have no prospects currently playing there. Montreal has one player assigned to Maine. The rest are either in Hartford or Laval.

 

[royals119]

It's irrelevant where NHL teams locate their ECHL affiliate because not many teams have prospects on the roster. The Rangers have their affiliation in Maine yet they have no prospects currently playing there. Montreal has one player assigned to Maine. The rest are either in Hartford or Laval.

There is some advantage to the ECHL team to be close to their AHL affiliate. With Reading and Lehigh Valley being so close (30-40 minute drive), the Phantoms will sometimes loan a player to the Royals for a midweek game if the Phantoms are off. When a player is released from a tryout, or sent down, he is typically at practice, or on the bus the same day and can play that night. When teams are a plane ride apart help takes longer to arrive, and players aren't typically sent down for a one game stint. Proximity to the NHL team is really only important in terms of marketing.