Zac Electrifly

The ECHL is the third tier of professional hockey in North America. It is behind both the National Hockey League and American Hockey League. The National Hockey League has set up an affiliation network to develop players. NHL teams have been affiliated with minor league teams since the start of the NHL. In the current system NHL teams are affiliated with AHL teams and ECHL teams. Prospects will move up from the ECHL to the AHL and then the NHL. Every NHL team has an AHL affiliate. Every ECHL team has an NHL and AHL affiliate. Not every NHL team currently has an ECHL affiliate. The Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, and the Ottawa Senators are the only NHL teams currently without an ECHL affiliate. There were six affiliation changes in the ECHL during the offseason.

In the ECHL Eastern Conference North Division the Adirondack Thunder are affiliated with the Utica Comets of the AHL and the New Jersey Devils of the NHL. The Norfolk Admirals are affiliated with the Manitoba Moose of the AHL and the Winnipeg Jets of the NHL. The Trois-Rivières Lions are affiliated with the Laval Rocket of the AHL and the Montreal Canadiens of the NHL. The Maine Mariners are affiliated with the Providence Bruins of the AHL and the Boston Bruins of the NHL. The Worcester Railers are affiliated with the Bridgeport Islanders of the AHL and the New York Islanders of the NHL. The Reading Royals are affiliated with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the AHL and the Philadelphia Flyers of the NHL. The Wheeling Nailers are affiliated with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL and the Pittsburgh Penguins of the NHL. None of the ECHL North Division teams changed their affiliations for this season.

In the ECHL Eastern Conference South Division the Greenville Swamp Rabbits are affiliated with the Ontario Reign of the AHL and the Los Angeles Kings of the NHL. The Jacksonville Icemen are affiliated with the Rochester Americans of the AHL and the Buffalo Sabers of the NHL. The Florida Everblades are affiliated with the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL and the St. Louis Blues of the NHL. The Florida Everblades were affiliated with the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL and Florida Panthers of the NHL last season. The Orlando Solar Bears are affiliated with the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL and the Tampa Bay Lightning of the NHL. The South Carolina Stingrays are affiliated with the Hershey Bears of the AHL and the Washington Capitals of the NHL. The Savannah Ghost Pirates are affiliated with the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL and the Florida Panthers of the AHL. Last season the Savannah Ghost Pirates were affiliated with the Henderson Silver Knights of the AHL and the Vegas Golden Knights of the NHL. The Atlanta Gladiators are affiliated with the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL and the Nashville Predators of the NHL.

In the ECHL Western Conference Central Division the Toledo Walleye are affiliated with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL and the Detroit Red Wings of the NHL. The Indy Fuel are affiliated with the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL and the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL. The Kalamazoo Wings are affiliated with the Abbotsford Canucks of the AHL and the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL. The Fort Wayne Komets are affiliated with the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL and the Edmonton Oilers of the NHL. The Cincinnati Cyclones are affiliated with the Toronto Marlies of the AHL and the Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL. Last season the Cincinnati Cyclones were affiliated with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL and the New York Rangers of the NHL. The Toronto Maple Leafs were left without an ECHL affiliate last season after the NEwfoundland Growlers folded. The Iowa Heartlanders are affiliated with the Iowa Wild of the AHL and the Minnesota Wild of the NHL. The Bloomington Bison are affiliated with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL and the New York Rangers of the NHL.

In the ECHL Western Conference Mountain Division the Kansas City Mavericks are affiliated with the Coachella Valley Firebirds of the AHL and the Seattle Kraken of the NHL. The Idaho Steelheads are affiliated with the Texas Stars of the AHL and the Dallas Stars of the NHL. The Allen Americans are affiliated with the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL and Utah Hockey Club of the NHL. Last season the Allen Americans were affiliated with the Belleville Senators of the AHL and the Ottawa Senators of the NHL. The Tulsa Oilers are affiliated with the San Diego Gulls of the AHL and the Anaheim Ducks of the NHL. The Utah Grizzlies are affiliated with the Colorado Eagles of the ECHL and the Colorado Avalanche of the NHL. I think it is only a matter of time before the Utah Grizzlies are affiliated with the Utah Hockey Club as an ECHL or AHL team. The Rapid City Rush are affiliated with the Calgary Wranglers of the AHL and the Calgary Flames of the NHL. The Wichita Thunder are affiliated with the San Jose Barracuda of the AHL and the San Jose Sharks of the NHL. The Tahoe Knight Monsters are affiliated with the Henderson Silver Knights of the AHL and the Vegas Golden Knights of the NHL.