Confirmed with Link: Montreal Canadiens Will Not Have An ECHL Affiliate This Season

[Adam Michaels]

It is probably very low in most posters' totem pole. But it seems that Montreal did not renew their affiliation with Brampton Beast, who they were affiliated with the last three seasons. And they will not have an affiliate this year. There is the possibility that they will have a working relationship with the Maine Mariners (run by Daniel Brière and officially affiliated with the New York Rangers). Brière is also part-owner of Blainville-Boisbriand Armada with Joël Bouchard. So that relationship is already there.







It would make sense that if they don't have an official ECHL affiliate, that they have a working relationship with one to send players there. With all the AHL/ECHL contracts they offered to players this off-season, as well as all of their own prospects on ELC's turning pro, there would be way too many players scratched every night if they don't send any to the ECHL.

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[montreal]

Over on the ECHL board I was talking about Brampton and I said I didn't think we would re-new as I think there was clearly an issue between the two sides last season. I think the Habs weren't happy with something, and that's why they pulled McNiven from the team cause it didn't make sense to have a 20 year old on the team when they had Lindgren and Fucale. If you look after they brought McNiven up, they only sent one player to Brampton the rest of the season in Fucale.

 

[Jee]

So is it Portland or Maine ?

 

[ThaDevilGirl]

So is it Portland or Maine ?

Portland, Maine? Or are there two ECHL teams in the state?

 

[Adam Michaels]

They probably have their eye on Trois-Rivières, where they will build a new arena ready by the end of 2019, which would make it ready for 2020-21. So I'm guessing Habs have their eye on there because the arena may be built for two reasons, a team in the QMJHL or the ECHL. And I think that would be amazing if Habs can have the only NHL team in Quebec, the only AHL team in Quebec, and the only ECHL team in Quebec. It would make call ups and send downs a lot more convenient. TR is only and hour and half away from Montreal/Laval.

As for Brampton, as you say, there may have been some behind the scenes issues. Towards the end of the year, Brampton were used more by Ottawa and even Toronto sent some players there.

I'm not crazy about using another team's affiliate to send players to. But I'd rather that than to have nowhere to put all the players they signed this off-season.

 

[The Great Weal]

Nhl team is basically echl worthy anyways

 

[Adam Michaels]

So is it Portland or Maine ?

Portland, Maine? Or are there two ECHL teams in the state?

The team is in Portland, Maine. But is known as Maine Mariners. They are an expansion team.

There was an AHL team in Portland before known as Portland Pirates. But they were sold and relocated to Springfield, Massachusetts to become the Springfield Thunderbirds (Panthers' affiliate).

 

[Jee]

Portland, Maine? Or are there two ECHL teams in the state?

OP was talking the Maine Mariners, others are talking about the Portland Pirates.

 

[Cubebrick]

AFAIK the Portland Pirates no longer exist and were relocated to Springfield. So it must be the Maine Mariners.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Patrick Friolet made a mistake in his tweet. The Portland Pirates don't exist anymore.

 

[montreal]

As for Brampton, as you say, there may have been some behind the scenes issues. Towards the end of the year, Brampton were used more by Ottawa and even Toronto sent some players there.

makes sense since that's kind of what they did, waited for Laval to be up and running so they had a stop gap with the IceCaps. This time around they likely felt they didn't need a team since it's the ECHL but once they have TR set up then they should be back to having their own team again.

As for Brampton, we were out of there very early in the season. Take a look at the roster, Boucher, Ebbing, Veilleux, McNiven, all of them played only 4 or less games. Fucale is the only one to play in Brampton for any length with 11 games overall. But they had to do something since with 3 goalies one was sitting too long so they likely said send the guy that we don't expect to be back next year to the ECHL.

 

[NobleSix]

Nhl team is basically echl worthy anyways

Damn, beat me to it.

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

Nhl team is basically echl worthy anyways

This

Maybe it was actually Brampton that no longer wanted to be affiliated with the Canadiens

The farm team of the farm team of an ECHL team would be beer league, at best

 

[CristianoRonaldo]

Can we compete for the ECHL cup with our "nhl" team ? At least we will win something... Maybe.

 

[ImNeverWrong]

Nhl team is basically echl worthy anyways

damn you took my post!!

 

[Stive Morgan]

damn you took my post!!

He took my self-respect

 

[OldCraig71]

This

Maybe it was actually Brampton that no longer wanted to be affiliated with the Canadiens

The farm team of the farm team of an ECHL team would be beer league, at best

I like this post.

 

[OldCraig71]

Can we compete for the ECHL cup with our "nhl" team ? At least we will win something... Maybe.

With a healthy Price yes.

 

[Adam Michaels]

At the very end, Bouchard confirming the Habs won't have an ECHL affiliation. He openly says they are working with Briere and, obviously, with the Rangers' permission, they can send some guys to Maine. However, he does also say that they have relationships with many organizations (NHL 0r ECHL) where they may end up sending some of their guys in different places.