The day after the Syracuse Crunch learned that their General Manager had been promoted to lead the NHL club, they have announced a long-term partnership with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The two teams have agreed to a five-year extension to their current partnership with additional options for 2023-24 and 2024-25. Crunch owner Howard Dolgon released a statement about the new agreement:
It is with great pride and excitement that the Syracuse Crunch extend into a long-term affiliation agreement with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Time and again, the Lightning have proven – from ownership to business and hockey operations, to coaches and players – to be the finest organization in all of sports. We look forward to continuing a long and successful partnership.
It’s true that the partnership between the Crunch and Lightning has been quite successful. Starting in 2012, the Crunch have been one of the more dominant teams in the AHL and have won their division twice and been to two Calder Cup Finals. Julien BriseBois, who will remain the GM of the Crunch for the time being in addition to his increased duties with the Lightning, has worked magic with the development system and graduated countless players to the NHL over the last several seasons. There are even more coming, with players like Mathieu Joseph and Mitchell Stephens looking like potential NHL call-ups as soon as this year.
Even with the departure of former GM Steve Yzerman this week, the Lightning are still considered one of the best organizations in the NHL and should be contenders for the Stanley Cup in the coming years. That’s in no small part to their rock solid partnership with the Crunch, who also should compete for the playoffs once again in 2018-19.