I mean if Palm Springs IS looking for an affiliate... those might be the best options, plus Palm Springs has tons of tourists so why not spark it up with something local where fans could attend.
Seattle and Idaho I think are the only good match here. Not Seattle and Palm Springs, I can't really name which team is best suited for Palm Springs other than the California teams.
Palm Springs isn't looking for an affiliate. They don't even have an arena yet, or any sign of an ownership group. Seattle is looking at Palm Springs and they're the only ones. An arena is supposed to be finished about when Seattle starts play. The LA-Ontario affiliation is one of the best in the league when taking attendance, ease of call-ups, travel, and exposure into account. It's only rivaled by Marlies-Leafs, Phantoms-Flyers, Bruins-PBruins, and maybe Canadiens-Rocket. LA wouldn't leave there to be an hour further out into the desert when they're in a dream situation where they're in.
Palm Springs is much closer to divisional teams than Idaho would be, that's why they're the better match. Easier travel is why Vancouver is keeping their prospects in Utica rather than an hour down the road from Rogers Arena in Abbotsford. It's also why Calgary and Edmonton put their teams in Stockton and Bakersfield, and Tampa with Syracuse, Florida with Springfield, and Nashville with Milwaukee. That's why they're better suited for California/Pacific locations.
Your logic is thinking that easier call-ups are the highest priority, but clearly it isn't. If it was, Seattle would've butted into any of the WHL American Division locations or Idaho immediately rather than heavily promote Palm Springs for as long as they have. Easier divisional travel means less time on the bus or on the plane, which means more time in the gym, on the ice, and in their own beds. I've listed half a dozen teams who have prioritized it, and clearly Seattle does as well. That's why they're the good match.
