Whatever term you use, I'm not sure how much more Dubas and the Leafs could have used the ECHL. While the Solar Bears might have been mediocre, plenty of the depth players from the Marlies either came from the ECHL or developed there over the years. Whether it was to find players or to develop, Dubas used that league quite a bit and again, expecting for Gilman to be even more active there seems like a big stretch.
It's the ECHL for a reason. I get that you're probably super excited to have a pro team around, especially one tied to the Leafs, but it's not going to be something new.
Organisations change affiliations with teams all the time. St Johns has probably changed affiliations a handful of times in the last couple decades. It happens often. It was reported about a year or two ago that the Leafs wanted to get their own ECHL team, or at least change affiliations. And here we are.
There is more information leaking out gradually on this whole thing. Keep in mind that the affiliation has not even been formally announced yet. When it does, more will come out. A recent Telegram article mentioned that the Marlies investment will be significant, filling out as much as 70% of the roster.
I think it may be more in fact in the 1st year because 70% is at times what they contributed in Orlando. Heck, the Marlies even sent guys to other ECHL franchises when Orlando was too full, and the Growlers will need some additional help out of the gate. 70% already is more than any other AHL franchise by quite a bit. It might go as high as 75% in year 1 and level down a bit as the Growlers get on their feet thereafter.
But there was this other article about a Craig Custance interview, "From what we know of the Leafs deal in St. John’s, they aren’t the owners, but they are calling more shots there than they ever did elsewhere, and it sure looks like they are setting the place up to train all sorts of staff. The assumption for the Leafs has to be that every bright, young person in their organization is as likely to end up poached by another team as promoted up to the Leafs. They need to keep the pipeline stocked."
I don't think Berehowsky will go to NFLD. He's delivered pretty mediocre results. I expect Gilman will bring in a whole new crew and new energy. I am keeping an eye out for Greening potentially to play a Reg Dunlop role for a year or 2.
The fact that Stanford already is established with MLSE no doubt greased the skids for this deal. I think there are a few franchises that have been gradually transforming the ECHL into legitimate AA systems (Pittsburgh, Islanders, Toronto etc.), but there is a next stage underway with the Rangers/Maine and now Toronto/Nfld. Gilman is going to play a big part.
So I respectfully continue to disagree with you. This will be "something new."