Las Vegas AHL affiliate

[HansH]

* All the rumors have Reno getting an ECHL franchise in 2018 - perhaps they can buy the dormant Alaska Aces team and relocate?

Not necessary. A group has been paying the ECHL a dormancy fee for a Reno franchise since the WCHL teams joined the ECHL back in 2003, I'm pretty sure.

 

[tigervixxxen]

I find it in poor taste and kind of unprofessional that a GM of a major sports franchise has had to do a flip flop of this magnitude in the public sphere in regards to first not sharing an affiliate and now doing so. Exercise some decorum and forethought and if you're not certain about decisions that have yet to be made don't make erroneous statements to the media that you have to backtrack on later. In his most recent statement he says---"it probably makes sense at least for a year"....is he leaving the door open for more than one year of a shared affiliation? I think NHL teams sharing affiliates is a step back for the AHL and harkens back to an era that the AHL would ideally have moved past....

Maybe he shouldn't have said anything but I think that part is out of his control. It's the team that's getting the 31st franchise and getting that sorted out is the hold up. I think the AHL wants the 31st franchise operational ASAP, I agree the optics of a one to one league is what they want.

Btw, Vegas reporter says announcement on their AHL affiliate is coming next week.

 

[axecrew]

Maybe he shouldn't have said anything but I think that part is out of his control. It's the team that's getting the 31st franchise and getting that sorted out is the hold up. I think the AHL wants the 31st franchise operational ASAP, I agree the optics of a one to one league is what they want.

Btw, Vegas reporter says announcement on their AHL affiliate is coming next week.

Actually the AHL had a drop dead date that had to be met for the sale and inclusion in the 17-18 season. It came and passed without it happening...truth is it gives colorado another year to get everything organized etc.

 

[mk80]

Chicago was eliminated from the playoffs so that opens the door a bit more for an announcement.

 

[royals119]

Not necessary. A group has been paying the ECHL a dormancy fee for a Reno franchise since the WCHL teams joined the ECHL back in 2003, I'm pretty sure.

I think they stopped paying those dues a couple years ago. Reno hasn't been listed in the "future markets" section of the ECHL site for a while. I think the current potential Reno owner(s) are different than the guy(s) who were paying those dormancy fees.

 

[Tao Jersey Jones]

 

[Tao Jersey Jones]

 

[uncleben]

didn't exactly expect a "multi-year partnership" tbh

 

[caley]

 

[Tao Jersey Jones]

 

[uncleben]

So... they're not affiliating with the AHL Wolves... They are affiliating with the NHL Golden Knights, who will allow St. Louis to send players to their AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves..?

Is that right?

 

[Tao Jersey Jones]

So... they're not affiliating with the AHL Wolves... They are affiliating with the NHL Golden Knights, who will allow St. Louis to send players to their AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves..?

Is that right?

Yes, it reads to me that St. Louis will have no say in hockey operations but will loan players to Chicago.

 

[caley]

Here is Steve Carp (Vegas beat writer)'s explanation

 

[nickp91]

Hopefully the Blues will go back to having their own AHL affiliate for the 2018-19 season

 

[wildcat48]

I could see the Blues going to San Antonio in 18-19 if Colorado can get something worked out to get a franchise in Loveland, CO.

 

[MortiestOfMortys]

Worth noting that there are no direct commercial flights from San Antonio to St. Louis. Denver to San Antonio takes about 2 hours, SA to STL takes about twice that long.

I'd think STL and KC work something out before they resort to San Antonio, but that's just my opinion. Our affiliate used to be in Worcester, MA, so crazier things have happened before.

 

[tigervixxxen]

St Louis is the org without a chair in this game of musical chairs, they just aren't going to have the leverage. If some other org gets granted the 31st team then they kinda have to slide in wherever there's a spot.

 

[Tao Jersey Jones]

Because of roster size limitations, Blues prospects that won't report to the Chicago Wolves will be reporting to other organizations, which are yet to be announced.

https://www.nhl.com/blues/news/5-things-to-know-about-the-blues-ahl-arrangement/c-289473052

 

[SirPaste]

Yes, it reads to me that St. Louis will have no say in hockey operations but will loan players to Chicago.

Blues had no say in operations even when we were affiliated, Wolves run their own show and have zero interest in developing players, they just want to win.

 

[Coach Nate]

Worth noting that there are no direct commercial flights from San Antonio to St. Louis. Denver to San Antonio takes about 2 hours, SA to STL takes about twice that long.

I'd think STL and KC work something out before they resort to San Antonio, but that's just my opinion. Our affiliate used to be in Worcester, MA, so crazier things have happened before.

FWIW, it looks like Southwest has 2 nonstops per day from SAT to STL

 

[uncleben]

St Louis is the org without a chair in this game of musical chairs, they just aren't going to have the leverage. If some other org gets granted the 31st team then they kinda have to slide in wherever there's a spot.

I would imagine the opposite; St. Louis likely agreed to this situation (spreading their prospects across the AHL and relinquishing control of hockey operations and direct development of said prospects) if they got first pick of their future affiliate, whether by selecting an expansion city, or getting first dibs on an open market, should they let another team expand.

They might be without a chair, but I think they're the ones in control of the music.

 

[Booba]

Because of roster size limitations, Blues prospects that won't report to the Chicago Wolves will be reporting to other organizations, which are yet to be announced.

https://www.nhl.com/blues/news/5-things-to-know-about-the-blues-ahl-arrangement/c-289473052

Last time this happened was in 2009-2010 when Anaheim had no AHL affiliate. Here is how the players were spread out :

*Including playoffs
**Names in bold also spent time in Anaheim
Forwards

Name|Age|Team|League|Games Played|Team|League|GP
Matt Beleskey |21|San Antonio|AHL|12|Toronto|AHL|3|
Troy Bodie |24|San Antonio|AHL|16|Toronto|AHL|16|
Erik Christensen |25|Manitoba|AHL|6|-|-|-|
Dan Sexton |22|Bakersfield|ECHL|18|Manitoba|AHL|19|
MacGregor Sharp |23|Bakersfield|ECHL|27|San Antonio|AHL|40|
Kyle Calder |30|Bakersfield|ECHL|15|Toronto|AHL|40|
Shawn Weller|23|Bakersfield|ECHL|42|Abbotsford|AHL|34|
Logan MacMillan|20|Bakersfield|ECHL|30|Abbotsford|AHL|7|
Ryan Donnally|24|Bakersfield|ECHL|19|San Antonio|AHL|4
Maxime Macenauer|20|Bakersfield|ECHL|51|-|-|-|
Bobby Bolt|22|Bakersfield|ECHL|2|Muskegon|IHL|73|

Defences

Name|Age|Team|League|GP|Team|League|GP
Nick Boynton |30|Manitoba|AHL|9|-|-|-|
Brett Festerling |23|San Antonio|AHL|17|Toronto|AHL|11|
Brendan Mikkelson |22|Toronto|AHL|49|-|-|-|
Brian Salcido|24|Manitoba|AHL|73|-|-|-|
Matt Clark (ATO)|19|Manitoba|AHL|7|-|-|-|
Mark Mitera|21|Bakersfield|ECHL|36|San Antonio|AHL|5
|||||Abbotsford|AHL|40
John de Gray|22|Bakersfield|ECHL|29|Rochester|AHL|43
Stu Bickel|22|Bakersfield|ECHL|33|San Antonio|AHL|36
Matt McCue|21|Bakersfield|ECHL|19|Manitoba|AHL|10|
Eric Regan|21|Bakersfield|ECHL|69|San Antonio|AHL|5|

Goaltenders

Name|Team|League|GP|Team|League|GP
Justin Pogge|23|Bakersfield|ECHL|9|San Antonio|AHL|23
JP Levasseur|22|Bakersfield|ECHL|11|Springfield|AHL|25
Timo Pielmeier|20|Bakersfield|ECHL|61|-|-|-|

 

[WolfKeeper]

Blues had no say in operations even when we were affiliated, Wolves run their own show and have zero interest in developing players, they just want to win.

They did last year. Worked out pretty well I'd say.

 

[GareFan18]

The guy who wrote the article isn't the most aware of how the minor leagues work and the particulars of such. However, he's the most connected reporter in Denver and I know he made some phone calls. I know the idea that the Blues were going to locate a franchise somewhere in KC was shot down as crap but I don't know where the article got this then.



I think it's pretty clear the Avs eventually turning the Eagles into the AHL affiliate is the goal, who knows what the timeline is for that though. There's been heavy Avs presence at Eagles playoff games including executive staff, AHL and NHL coaching staff. That seems a bit much just to show affiliate support.

Also, I thought McPhee said they weren't sharing, now they are back to sharing?

I would say he definitely is NOT aware... considering Kemper Arena no longer exists as a hockey arena. It's being retrofitted into a two-level youth sports arena (volleyball, basketball, etc). There isn't even a chiller at Kemper.

 

[tigervixxxen]

I would say he definitely is NOT aware... considering Kemper Arena no longer exists as a hockey arena. It's being retrofitted into a two-level youth sports arena (volleyball, basketball, etc). There isn't even a chiller at Kemper.

Thanks for the heads up. I really have no idea where it came from because he would have no awareness that arena even exists so someone must have told him that was an idea or something at some point.

St Louis doesn't have an ECHL affiliate either, maybe they are going to need one to get through next year.