NHL Minor League Hockey Team Affiliates Breakdown

So what happens after an NHL team drafts a player?

3d ago

ECHL Kelly Cup Playoff Chase Update: Spots Still Up For Grabs

The 2025 Kelly Cup Playoffs field is getting closer to being set as we enter the final weeks of the regular season.

Apr 4

Brandon Hawkins, Michal Stinil Highlight 11 Of ECHL's Most Exciting Players

Michal Stinil leads the ECHL in scoring three weeks into the season – he leads all skaters in goals (eight) and points (14) through eight games – and it’s kind of cool to see.

Nov 6, 2024

How To Succeed In The ECHL: Some Advice For Expansion Teams

The ECHL has two expansion teams this season – the Bloomington Bison and Tahoe Knight Monsters – with another on the way in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Oct 25, 2024

ECHL Season Preview: 15 Notable Players To Know From Diamond Hands To Voit

The last few seasons in the ECHL has brought a lot of intrigue. There have been new teams, plenty of new exciting players and prospects, and there’s been a three-peat champion bringing a little consistency to the mix.

Oct 18, 2024

10 Storylines To Ponder Heading Into ECHL Training Camps

Training camps are opening in ECHL cities across North America, an exciting time for fans tracking the best prospects, best teams and ever-changing landscape of Double-A hockey.

Oct 7, 2024

NHL Minor League Hockey Team Affiliate List 2024-2025

For the vast majority of players in the NHL, they're going to need a stop playing within the farm system of the club that either drafted or signed them. Some will get their start in the ECHL, the premier "AA" hockey circuit, while many will spends some time in the American Hockey League, the last step for most players before they realize their NHL dreams.

Sep 12, 2024

Olympic Hockey Qualifiers: How To Watch NHL Prospects Like David Reinbacher

While the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina still feel a bit distant, the final spots for teams hoping realize their Olympic dreams will be determined this week in Europe. A number of current NHL players and notable NHL prospects, as well as a number of North American minor leaguers will be participating in this year’s event.

Aug 29, 2024

St. Louis Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs Among Teams With New ECHL Affiliates

It’s as sure a sign of summer when NHL teams are playing some musical chairs with their ECHL affiliates. A number of high profile NHL clubs are making switches for their Premier ‘AA’ affiliates this offseason including the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, a pair of Original Six franchises and the St. Louis Blues are getting back in the ECHL mix on a more official basis for the first time in a while.

Jul 10, 2024

Race For ECHL Central Division Playoff Spots Is Must-See Hockey

The Indy Fuel’s Ross MacDougall, backtracking in front of his own net, coughed up the puck to the Wheeling Nailers’ Matt Koopman.

Apr 5, 2024

Cincinnati Cyclones Make History With All-Black Starting Lineup In ECHL

The Cincinnati Cyclones are the first team in professional hockey history known to have iced a starting lineup of five black skaters.

Mar 31, 2024

Four ECHL Teams That Won't Go Away As Playoffs Near

We’re in the stretch run of this ECHL regular season – every team has between 10 and 14 remaining games – and only the Kansas City Mavericks and Idaho Steelheads have locked up playoff spots so far. In other words, so incredibly much has yet to be decided.

Mar 20, 2024

10 ECHL Players Turning It On At The Right Time

Playing in the ECHL can be a grueling endeavor.

Mar 14, 2024

Walleye's Keenan, K-Wings' Vorva Among 10 Most Underrated ECHL Players

We all give a lot of love to the big scorers in the ECHL, the Brandon Hawkins and Wade Murphys of this world. And, of course, we love those big-shooting defensemen like Matt Register and Jalen Smereck. And the highlight-making goaltenders, such as Cam Johnson.

Feb 26, 2024

'Diamond Hands' Daniel Amesbury Set To Debut In ECHL, So Get Your Popcorn

From a purely hockey perspective, I don’t know if the Fort Wayne Komets signing Daniel Amesbury was a great idea or not. But I do know it’s going to make for great theater when he debuts this weekend.

Feb 2, 2024