San Jose Sharks Announce ECHL Affiliation
Another NHL team has revealed their ECHL affiliation for next season. The San Jose Sharks announced today that they have reached an ECHL affiliation agreement with the Wichita Thunder. Sharks assistant GM Joe Will gave the following statement as part of the announcement:
We’re looking forward to working with the Wichita Thunder, including Head Coach Bruce Ramsay and General Manager Joel T. Lomurno. Having a solid affiliation in the ECHL is important to our player development plan and the ECHL has a solid track record with preparing prospects for their NHL and AHL careers.
The Thunder were previously the affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers, serving in that role from 2017-2022. The Sharks have not had an ECHL affiliate since 2018, when they were in an agreement with the Allen Americans, a partnership that ran from 2015-2018.
The Sharks currently have three goalies on their projected NHL roster and four goalies that figure to be in contention for AHL minutes, meaning it’s entirely possible that a Sharks goalie prospect could spend time in Wichita next season. The Thunder went 27-36-9 and will hope that this change in NHL affiliate will help turn around the team’s fortunes for next season.
Arizona Coyotes Announce ECHL Affiliation
Another NHL-ECHL partnership has been announced, this time with the Arizona Coyotes and the Atlanta Gladiators. Per the Coyotes’ announcement, the Gladiators will serve as the team’s ECHL affiliate for the 2022-23 season. Coyotes GM Bill Armstrong gave the following statement regarding the partnership:
We are very pleased to once again partner with the Atlanta Gladiators as our new ECHL affiliate. The Gladiators are a first-class organization with a loyal and passionate fan base. We look forward to working with Gladiators President Jerry James and Head Coach Jeff Pyle this season.
This news marks the second time the Coyotes have partnered with the Gladiators as their ECHL affiliate. Atlanta was previously the Coyotes’ ECHL farm team from 2011-2015.
The ECHL isn’t a place where NHL clubs typically prefer to send their prospects to develop, but that doesn’t mean that these affiliation agreements aren’t notable. Goalies in particular most often find themselves getting game action at the ECHL level, and experienced netminders such as Philipp Grubauer and Jonathan Quick saw their first professional action in North American professional hockey’s third-tier league.
Assuming netminder Jon Gilles wins the job as backup to Karel Vejmelka in Arizona, (which is far from certain, of course) the Coyotes could opt to have 22-year-old prospect goalie David Tendeck work as the starter in Atlanta rather than see the ice less often as Ivan Prosvetov‘s backup in AHL Tucson.
Minor Transactions: 08/24/22
We’re inching closer to the opening of NHL training camps, and most teams have finalized their offseason work. That being said, there are still some players looking for a spot for next season, especially in minor leagues and in Europe. We’ll keep track of those moves here.
- The Edmonton Oilers’ AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors, added defenseman Adam Brubacher today on a one-year, two-way (AHL/ECHL) deal, per a team announcement. Brubacher, 26, turned pro in 2020 after a four-year career at the Rochester Institute of Technology and made his AHL debut with the Manitoba Moose. Brubacher split time last season between the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks and ECHL’s Fort Wayne Komets and should add some depth to a Condors blue line that could be without valuable contributors such as Dmitri Samorukov or Vincent Desharnais for extended periods next season.
- Veteran KHL defenseman and 2010 Boston Bruins draft pick Maxim Chudinov signed a full contract with KHL club Ak Bars Kazan. Chudinov had been with the team on a tryout contract until now. Chudinov did not play in 2021-22 but was a KHL regular from 2010-2019, taking the ice for three KHL clubs.
- The Kunlun Red Star, the KHL’s Chinese franchise, signed Canadian forward Brett Pollock to a one-year contract. Some might remember Pollock as a former star winger for the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL and a 2014 second-round pick of the Dallas Stars. Pollock split time last season between the IceHL and the Swedish Allsvenskan and joins a Kunlun team in desperate need of help after a last-place finish in 2021-22.
- Former Chicago Blackhawks prospect and 2016 top-50 draft selection Chad Krys is headed overseas. After being traded from the Blackhawks to Toronto last season in exchange for enforcer Kurtis Gabriel, Krys played in 36 games for the Toronto Marlies and has evidently decided that Europe is the best place to continue his pro career. Krys has signed a contract with the IceHL’s Vienna Capitals and will look to help them return to the playoffs this season.
- Cedric Pare, a former Boston Bruins sixth-rounder who scored 88 points in his final QMJHL season, has signed a contract with the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL. Pare spent 2021-22 in the AHL with the Belleville Senators, scoring 10 points in 41 games. Pare returns to an ECHL where he has had success in the past, as he scored 40 points in 67 games in his rookie ECHL season with the Utah Grizzlies.
Ottawa Senators Reach Affiliation Agreement With Allen Americans
The Ottawa Senators have found an ECHL affiliate, reaching an affiliation agreement with the Allen Americans for an initial duration of one season. The Senators announced the news this morning jointly with their AHL affiliate in Belleville.
2022-23 will mark the first season that the Senators have had an ECHL affiliate since 2019-20, and only the second season out of the last six. Ottawa’s one-year partnership with the Brampton Beast in 2019-20 was beneficial, as the Beast provided a solid bit of development for goalie prospect Joey Daccord, now with the Seattle Kraken. The emergence of COVID-19 at the end of the season, however, forced the Beast franchise to cease operations.
Speaking of the Kraken, the Americans were the new NHL team’s first-ever ECHL affiliate last season. Earlier in the offseason, though, the Kraken opted to not re-sign their agreement with Allen and sign on with the Kansas City Mavericks instead. Allen brings a long history of success to the Senators organization; the franchise has only missed the CHL (Central, not Canadian Hockey League) or ECHL playoffs once since their inception in 2009-10. They were the winners of four straight CHL/ECHL championships from 2013 to 2016.
Senators general manager Pierre Dorion gave the following statement on today’s announcement:
The Americans’ franchise carries a rich tradition of success. We’re looking forward to contributing to it in a positive manner when we begin placing prospects in Allen in 2022-23.
From Senators assistant general manager Ryan Bowness:
Chad Costello and his staff’s tutelage will help our prospects prepare for the next level. Player development is one of our most important priorities. We’re confident that placing prospects in Allen will be an asset to progression.
The Americans could have at least one NHL-contracted player returning from last season: goaltender Antoine Bibeau. The veteran minor-leaguer will be battling for the AHL backup spot behind Mads Sogaard in Belleville, and if he loses out, he could be sent back to Allen where he played 14 games last season.
Minor Transactions: 08/23/22
We’re inching closer to the opening of NHL training camps, and most teams have finalized their offseason work. That being said, there are still some players looking for a spot for next season, especially in minor leagues and in Europe. We’ll keep track of those moves here.
- As part of the Los Angeles Kings’ announcement of an ECHL affiliation agreement with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, the Kings’ AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign, announced the signings of five players to one-year, two-way (AHL/ECHL) deals for the 2022-23 season. Those players are as follows: defenseman Joe Gatenby and forwards Alex Ierullo, Brett Kemp, Justin Nachbaur, and Nikita Pavlychev. Gatenby, Ierullo, and Pavlychev are all 25-year-old players who (relatively) recently graduated college, while Kemp and Nachbaur are 22-year-old junior hockey prospects who both saw time with the Swamp Rabbits last season.
- Veteran minor league journeyman Colton Saucerman is returning to North America after a two-year stint playing in European Leagues. The ECHL’s Allen Americans announced a one-year deal with the defenseman, signing him after he had a solid campaign starting for HC Kosice in the Slovakian league. Saucerman has extensive experience in both the AHL and ECHL and that experience should be a help to the Americans’ back end.
- The ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads announced two signings today, inking forwards Jade Miller and Ty Pelton-Byce to one-year deals for the 2022-23 season. Miller, 27, had a four-year collegiate career at the University of Minnesota-Duluth before cutting his teeth as a professional with the South Carolina Stingrays in the ECHL. He scored 31 points in 72 games last season in South Carolina and should be a solid add for the Steelheads’ bottom-six. Some might know Pelton-Byce from his time at the University of Wisconsin when he scored 31 points in just 24 games in his senior season in large part thanks to sharing the ice with two NHL first-rounders in Cole Caufield and Dylan Holloway. Pelton-Byce spent time at both the ECHL and AHL levels last season and could get a top-six role in Idaho.
- In another ECHL signing, the Witchita Thunder announced the addition of defender Jake Hamilton for the 2022-23 season. Hamilton is a former SPHL-er who broke into the ECHL last season by playing 33 games for the Adirondack Thunder.
- Former New Jersey Devils prospect Nikita Popugayev has returned to hockey, says The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler (link). The forward, who walked away from the sport a year-and-a-half ago, is now in camp on a tryout with HK Sochi of the KHL. Still only 23 years of age, Popugayev last played during the 2020-21 season, tallying just six points in 25 KHL games. Popugayev last played in North America during the 2019-20 season, where he had 25 points in 47 games for the ECHL’s Adirondack Thunder.
This page will be updated throughout the day.
Los Angeles Kings Announce ECHL Affiliation
The Los Angeles Kings have announced a two-year affiliation agreement with the ECHL’s Greenville Swamp Rabbits, giving them a full-time affiliate at the ECHL level for the first time since 2019.
Kings director of player development Glen Murray spoke on the agreement:
On behalf of the entire LA Kings organization, we are excited to announce our new affiliation with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits of the ECHL. We are very happy to have this development route for our future Kings under the leadership of Spire Sports + Entertainment and direction of Head Coach & General Manager Andrew Lord. We know that our prospects will have a first-class experience in Greenville while developing as players and people.
Greenville and Los Angeles already had a bit of a working relationship over the past few years, as without a specified affiliate, Los Angeles and AHL Ontario would consistently loan most ECHL assignments to Greenville regardless. Goalie Jacob Ingham has played there for the past couple of seasons, and as one of six Kings goalies under NHL contract, he’ll likely head there again next season.
Offseason Notes: Islanders, Point, Bellerive
While most teams make headlines in the summer for inking major contracts or completing blockbuster trades, the New York Islanders made headlines this summer for all the things they didn’t do. After being rumored as suitors for top free agents such as Nazem Kadri and Johnny Gaudreau as well as a potential trade destination for big-name scorers, the Islanders’ most significant move this summer, at least to this point, has been the acquisition of defenseman Alexander Romanov.
That lack of activity hasn’t sat well with some in their fanbase, but today Lou Lamoriello, the team’s legendary general manager, explained the rationale behind this offseason strategy. Lamoriello, as relayed by ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski, said that despite having “many different options” in terms of free agent targets, the price to pay to upgrade at one position would have possibly downgraded the Islanders at another position. The Islanders have recently made back-to-back runs to the Eastern Conference Final, so Lamoriello’s choice to keep his core largely intact is certainly defensible. That being said, if the Islanders have another disappointing year, the front office’s inability to make major waves this summer could be looked at as a major issue.
Now, for some other notes regarding offseason moves across the world of hockey:
- As part of his comments to the media after today’s moves, Lamoriello also shed some light on how he views the Islanders’ defense for this coming season. Per Newsday’s Andrew Gross, veteran defensemen Andy Greene and Zdeno Chara are “not currently considerations” for defensive roles next season. Greene and Chara combined for 141 games played for the Islanders last season, and their not being included in next season’s plan is an indication that the Islanders plan to get younger on their blueline in new coach Lane Lambert’s first season. The team’s top-four defensemen look set to be Adam Pelech, Ryan Pulock, Noah Dobson, and Romanov, and the team will likely carry two of Sebastian Aho, Grant Hutton, and Robin Salo to pair with Scott Mayfield on the team’s third pairing.
- Goaltender Colton Point, once one of the more promising goalie prospects in hockey, signed a one-year deal with the ECHL’s Fort Wayne Komets today, per a team announcement. Point, 24, had a heroic 2017-18 season for Colgate in the NCAA, going 16-12-5 with six shutouts and a .944 save percentage. Point went pro after that season, but has since struggled to make his mark at the AHL level with the Texas Stars. The 2016 fifth-rounder has a grisly .882 save percentage in 29 career AHL contests, and struggled to find his way in the Stars’ organization. His ECHL career numbers are a bit better, as he has a .901 save percentage in 52 career games, and he heads to Fort Wayne looking to stabilize his professional career.
- Per a team announcement, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms have signed forward Jordy Bellerive to a one-year, one-way (AHL) contract. The 23-year-old Bellerive is an undrafted player who has spent the past three seasons with the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins as a full-time player. Before then, Bellerive was a star forward for the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the WHL. Bellerive heads to Lehigh Valley with the expectation of playing a bottom-six, penalty-killing role for the team, and he’ll also be counted on to bring the exact “hard to play against” style that the Flyers strive to cultivate throughout their organization.
Minor Transactions: 08/19/22
Now that Nazem Kadri has signed, some dominoes may fall over the next few weeks in terms of the remaining free agents. But even before that, there will be minor moves to continue fleshing out AHL rosters and the like. As always, we’ll keep track of those notable moves right here.
- Koletrane Wilson is joining the Rockford IceHogs for the upcoming season, signing a one-year AHL contract. The Chicago Blackhawks continue to put an emphasis on the depth in the minor leagues, and Wilson was a big contributor for the Kansas City Mavericks of the ECHL last season. The 22-year-old defenseman had 16 points in 57 games while racking up 73 penalty minutes.
- Matt Cairns, a third-round pick of the Edmonton Oilers that never signed and thus became an unrestricted free agent, is back with the Cincinnati Cyclones for another year. The 24-year-old defenseman had 16 points in 65 games with the ECHL club last season, while also getting into two matches with the Rochester Americans.
- Alessio Beglieri, a Swiss netminder that went undrafted this year, will have a chance to give NHL scouts a more up-close performance this time around. He’s agreed to come to play for the Mississauga Steelheads of the OHL, after being selected 38th overall in the CHL Import Draft. He’ll be joined by Swiss forward Valdemar Hull, the team’s other import selection, who won’t be eligible for the draft until next year.
- Per a team release, the Henderson Silver Knights have signed forward Alex Swetlikoff to a two-year AHL contract. Swetlikoff earned the contract in the Vegas Golden Knights organization after participating in their development camp in July. In his final WHL season with the Everett Silvertips last year, Swetlikoff posted 33 goals and 84 points in 68 games.
This page will be updated throughout the day
Carolina Hurricanes Extend ECHL Affiliation
The Carolina Hurricanes have extended their affiliation with the ECHL’s Norfolk Admirals through the 2022-23 season, keeping the two organizations together for a second season. Huricanes general manager Don Wadell released a brief statement:
We’re thrilled to continue this partnership, which has been mutually beneficial. The Admirals are a first-class organization and they provide a great environment for our prospects to develop.
While the ECHL isn’t a proving ground for top prospects, it does provide a place for raw draft picks to play big minutes instead of struggling in the AHL. For instance, the Hurricanes sent Blake Murray, a sixth-round pick from 2019 to the Admirals this season, where he racked up 14 goals and 35 points in 64 games. The young forward, who is signed to an entry-level contract, will now try to work his way up through the system after getting a full season of professional hockey under his belt.
Norfolk specifically has plenty of experience with prospect development, given they were an AHL franchise for 15 years.
Lukas Parik Signs AHL Contract
In an interesting move, Lukas Parik has signed a one-year AHL contract with the Colorado Eagles. A young European netminder signing in the minor leagues wouldn’t normally raise any eyebrows but in Parik’s case, his exclusive NHL draft rights are still owned by the Los Angeles Kings.
It was in the Kings system that he played last season, but since he has still not signed an entry-level deal, he can technically sign wherever he wants in the minor leagues. Perhaps because of the full cupboard of minor league goaltenders in Los Angeles, Parik will try his hand with the Eagles as he continues his development.
Now 21, Parik was the 87th overall pick in 2019 and played 32 games for the Rapid City Rush of the ECHL last season, posting a .915 save percentage. He added five appearances for the Ontario Reign of the AHL but things didn’t go as well, with an .881.
It is important to note that this does not give the Colorado Avalanche any of Parik’s rights, however, he will become an unrestricted free agent in June 2023. The Kings will have to sign him to an entry-level contract by that point or lose his draft rights.