Tags
Affiliations, AHL, american hockey league, central hockey league, CHL, ECHL, League, National Hockey League, nhl, Ownership
Update Feb. 23, 2015: More Western AHL team news.
Update Feb. 2, 2015: For updates on AHL affiliation agreements and Arena contracts, see 100 Degree Hockey’s new article.
Update Jan. 29, 2015: The AHL’s Pacific team move updates are included below
Update Oct. 21, 2014: Since publication the ECHL has now absorbed all seven CHL teams and I have updated the information below to reflect the ECHL’s expansion.
For those of you reading (and possibly writing) about any future movement of AHL and ECHL teams here is a list of the leagues and teams involved, and how they are affiliated as of August 9, 2014. Any NHL team ownership of minor league teams has been indicated. Currently NHL teams (or their ownership groups) own 14 AHL teams, have partial ownership of 1 AHL team, and own 1 ECHL team, and have partial ownership in 1 ECHL team.
NHL = National Hockey League, 30 teams — number set at 30 until a future expansion occurs. — Website.
AHL = American Hockey League, 30 teams — number set at 30. — Website. Team Map & Directory.
ECHL = formerly the East Coast Hockey League, currently (Oct. 12) 28 teams (plus Las Vegas on hiatus for 2014-15) — Website. Team Directory. [Free Tip: Forget about the old name that contained the term “Eastern” and just embrace the name as ECHL. The League officially changed their name from the East Coast Hockey League to ECHL on May 19, 2003. You will thank me for this! And here is the league map.]
CHL = Central Hockey League’s seven teams were absorbed into the ECHL: Allen Americans, Brampton Beast, Missouri Mavericks, Quad City Mallards, Rapid City Rush, Tulsa Oilers, and Wichita Thunder — Website. Team Map.
If you are aware of any updates to this list, please let me know. The information below comes directly from the NHL, AHL and ECHL websites as of August 9, 2014 (now updated to Jan. 2015).
I also recommend Eric Rodgers’ Minor League Shakeup: Where We Really Are Right Now (at Tend the Farm) to read more about the AHL, ECHL and CHL situation as it stands now. And here are my musings on the recent CHL rumors that came out earlier this week.
Updated Feb. 2, 2015:
| NHL TEAMS | NHL affiliations with Minor Leagues (ownership indicated if any) | AHL affiliations with ECHL teams |
| Anaheim Ducks | Western AHL Move | |
| AHL: Norfolk Admirals (affiliation) — Anaheim purchased their AHL Norfolk Admirals affiliation and will it to San Diego, California for 2014-15 season. AHL team will be named the San Diego Gulls. (NHL Owned) | ||
| ECHL: Utah Grizzlies (affiliation) | ||
| Arizona Coyotes | ||
| AHL: Portland Pirates (affiliation) | ||
| ECHL: Gwinnett Gladiators (affiliation) | ||
| CHL: |
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| Boston Bruins | ||
| AHL: Providence Bruins (affiliation, owned by H. Larue Renfroe) | ||
| ECHL: South Carolina Stingrays (shared affiliation with Washington Capitals) | ||
| Buffalo Sabres | ||
| AHL: Rochester Americans (NHL owned) | ||
| ECHL: Elmira Jackals (affiliation) | ||
| Calgary Flames | Western AHL Move | |
| AHL: Adirondack Flames (NHL owned) — End of 2014-15 season their AHL team will move to Stockton, California. | ||
| ECHL: Colorado Eagles (affiliation) — End of 2014-15 season their ECHL team (former Stockton Thunder) will move to Glens Falls, NY, and renamed the Adirondack Thunder. (NHL Owned) | ||
| Carolina Hurricanes | ||
| AHL: Charlotte Checkers (affiliation, however Checkers owner Michael Kahn is one of minority owners of the Hurricanes) | ||
| ECHL: Florida Everblades (shared affiliation with Tampa Bay Lightning) | ||
| Chicago Blackhawks | ||
| AHL: Rockford IceHogs (affiliation) | ||
| ECHL: Indy Fuel (affiliation) | ||
| Colorado Avalanche | ||
| AHL: Lake Erie Monsters (affiliation) | ||
| ECHL: Fort Wayne Komets (affiliation) | ||
| CHL: |
||
| Columbus Blue Jackets | ||
| AHL: Springfield Falcons (affiliation) | ||
| ECHL: |
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| Dallas Stars | ||
| AHL: Texas Stars (NHL owned) | ||
| ECHL: Idaho Steelheads (affiliation) | ||
| ECHL: |
Stars are no longer affiliated with Allen. | |
| Detroit Red Wings | ||
| AHL: Grand Rapids Griffins (affiliation) | ||
| ECHL: Toledo Walleye (affiliation) | ||
| Edmonton Oilers | Western AHL Move | |
| AHL: Oklahoma City Barons (NHL owned) — End of 2014-15 season their AHL team will move to Bakersfield, California. | ||
| ECHL: Bakersfield Condors (NHL owned) — End of the 2014-15 season their ECHL team will move to Norfolk, Virginia, and retain the name Norfolk Admirals. | ||
| Florida Panthers | ||
| AHL: San Antonio Rampage (affiliation) | ||
| ECHL: Cincinnati Cyclones (shared affiliation with Nashville Predators) | ||
| Los Angeles Kings | Western AHL Move | |
| AHL: Manchester Monarchs (NHL owned) — End of the 2014-15 season their AHL team will move to Ontario, California and will be renamed the name Ontario Reign in the AHL. | ||
| ECHL: Ontario Reign (Partial NHL Kings owned; and shared affiliate with Winnipeg Jets) — End of the 2014-15 season their ECHL club will move to Manchester, NH and will be renamed the name Monarchs. | ||
| Minnesota Wild | ||
| AHL: Iowa Wild (NHL owned) | ||
| ECHL: Alaska Aces (as of Sept 9, 2014; shared affiliate with St. Louis Blues) | ||
| ECHL (former CHL): Quad City Mallards (affiliation) | [Oct. 21:via Bobby Metcalf Oct. 21 – “Per Bob McNamara, Mallards will still be affiliated with the Wild. Had to redo paperwork to make it ECHL official.” | |
| Montréal Canadiens | ||
| AHL: Hamilton Bulldogs (Partial NHL ownership) | ||
| ECHL: Wheeling Nailers (shared affiliation with Pittsburgh Penguins) | ||
| Nashville Predators | ||
| AHL: Milwaukee Admirals (affiliation) | ||
| ECHL: Cincinnati Cyclones (shared affiliation with Florida Panthers) | ||
| New Jersey Devils | ||
| AHL: Albany Devils (NHL owned) | ||
| ECHL: – | ||
| New York Islanders | ||
| AHL: Bridgeport Sound Tigers (NHL owned) | ||
| ECHL: Stockton Thunder (affiliation) | ||
| New York Rangers | ||
| AHL: Hartford Wolf Pack (NHL owned) | ||
| ECHL: Greenville Road Warriors (affiliation) | ||
| Ottawa Senators | ||
| AHL: Binghamton Senators (affiliation) | ||
| ECHL: – Evansville IceMen (affiliation) | ||
| Philadelphia Flyers | ||
| AHL: Lehigh Valley Phantoms (affiliation) | ||
| ECHL: Reading Royals (affiliation) | ||
| Pittsburgh Penguins | ||
| AHL: Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins (NHL owned) | ||
| ECHL: Wheeling Nailers (shared affiliation with Montréal Canadiens) | ||
| San Jose Sharks | Western AHL Move | |
| AHL: Worcester Sharks (NHL owned) — End of the 2014-15 season their AHL club will move to San Jose, California. | ||
| ECHL: – Allen Americans (affiliation announced Oct. 17, 2014) | ||
| St. Louis Blues | ||
| AHL: Chicago Wolves (affiliation) | ECHL: Kalamazoo Wings (Wolves affiliation only ’14-15) | |
| ECHL: Missouri Mavericks – former CHL team (Wolves affiliation; no NHL affiliation) | ||
| ECHL: Alaska Aces (as of Sept. 9, 2014; shared affiliation with Minnesota Wild); |
||
| Tampa Bay Lightning | ||
| AHL: Syracuse Crunch (affiliation) | ||
| ECHL: Florida Everblades (shared affiliation with Carolina Hurricanes) | ||
| Toronto Maple Leafs | ||
| AHL: Toronto Marlies (NHL owned) | ||
| ECHL: Orlando Solar Bears (affiliation) | ||
| Washington Capitals | ||
| AHL: Hershey Bears (affiliation) | ||
| ECHL: South Carolina Stingrays (shared affiliation with Boston Bruins) | ||
| Winnipeg Jets | ||
| AHL: St. John’s IceCaps (NHL owned) | ||
| ECHL: Ontario Reign (Partial NHL Kings owned; and shared affiliate with Los Angeles Kings) | ||
| Vancouver Canucks | ||
| AHL: Utica Comets (NHL owned) | ||
| ECHL: Kalamazoo Wings (shared affiliation with |
||
Artfulpuck 
Dallas and Allen are not affiliated. Used to be, but aren’t anymore.
Thanks, Sean! The CHL page has not been updated.