The AHL Board of Governors meetings concluded today in South Carolina and among the number of things discussed, the expansion of the league for the 2018-19 season headlined the conclusion of the four day meeting.
The AHL will expand to 31 teams in time for the 2018-19 season, meaning that each NHL team will have a primary farm club in the AHL. The Vegas Golden Knights agreed to a five-year deal with the Chicago Wolves, formerly the minor league affiliate with the St. Louis Blues. With this change, it leaves the Blues without a primary affiliate as reported back in March. The Blues will still send players to the Wolves.
In addition to expansion news, the Charlotte Checkers (Carolina) moved from the Central Division in the Western Conference to the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference.
Aside from those changes, playoff format remained the same as well as the home team wearing light jerseys at home until the Christmas break. Following the break, teams will wear their dark uniforms at home.
David Fernandez
Hey St. Louis!!! Albany, NY needs a team back!!! Bring back the RiverRats!!!
66TheNumberOfTheBest
Close. I’d bet on the revival of the Peoria Rivermen since it will be the Blues affiliate.
US131
Peoria hav a echl team rite now?
SteveMo
Think they moved to the SPHL back in 2013. Could be wrong.
erickohli
Albany has consistently had some of the worst attendance for years. They ain’t going back.
Jimmykinglive
I went to a playoff game in Albany two years ago and the building was empty
The Ghost of Bobby Bonilla
Kansas City makes way too much sense for an expansion team. Geographically close and the city and Lamar Hunt want minor league hockey in there.
I highly doubt it would be Peoria. It will be KC.
DonCherry'slovechild
Kc was promised an AHL in 2016 and the blues were the ones moving to there. Once 2017 arrived the NHL last minute denied the move to kc. Blues local ownership is trying to grow the game locally and kc is quickly becoming a larger city/economic force than STL. Blues chose to not have an AHL team this season so they may choose their expansion team to be in Kansas City. Sprint center is second to none in the region. Penguins used the sprint center as leverage for Pittsburgh to finally build that new stadium. Also new expansion team will be to Seattle, eventually.
Vedder80
KC is not becoming a “larger economic force” than St. Louis. The population of KC may exceed that of the City of St. Louis, but the metropolitan area isn’t even close.
DonCherry'slovechild
Also kc has had a preseason blues game for the past six years. Not a big deal.
crazysull
So St. Louis can send players down that the Golden nights can call up? So they are like sharing players
runbus36
I don’t think Vegas can call them up, St. Louis would still own the rights to the player. Same thing happened a few years ago when TB switched their affiliate from Norfolk to Syracuse. I think they had players on both teams.
Connorsoxfan
Lol no they just share an affiliate. But it’s vegas’s affiliate so it’s likely the STL guys don’t see as much playing time down there.
DonCherry'slovechild
Vegas owns the AHL. Vegas can’t call up blues players but they call the shots when blues players are there. Which means their coaches decide what system they play and who gets what playing time. So Blues prospects won’t get the development we want for our NHL team. Vegas only had one draft and basically none of them are ready for the AHL. So those old veterans will make up most of their players. The ECHL has combined teams like the Missouri mavericks that are made up of Islanders and blues players.
Adirondack
Albany will never support a hockey team. If they really want a hockey town Glens Falls is where to go. This city supported hockey champions with Red Wings. Last time Red Wings had Stanley cup was with Glens Falls players. Any NHL team looking for a AHL city should look at Glens Falls.