It is that time of year again when NHL teams begin to announce their new minor league affiliations for the coming season. There will be a number of NHL teams shifting their minor league affiliates and even moving their teams for the 2016-17 season. In April the Arizona Coyotes purchased the AHL Springfield Falcons franchise and they plan to move the team to Tucson for next season. Currently NHL teams (or their ownership groups) own 17 AHL teams and 4 ECHL teams, and they are indicated on the chart below. As new minor league affiliations are announced in the coming months this list will be updated. 2016-17 season updates are listed if they have been announced, otherwise the 2015-16 season teams are listed for now.

NHL = National Hockey League, 30 teams — number set at 30 until the expansion is official. — Website.

AHL = American Hockey League, 30 teams — number set at 30 until the NHL expansion is official. — Website. Team Map & Directory.

ECHL = (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) as of May 6, 2016 the league is at 29 teams however the Owensboro IceMen (formerly Evansville) has suspended operations for one season to return in 2017-18 and the new Worcester Railers team will begin playing in 2017-18. There is room to expand the league to 30 teams and that does seem to be the plan. There has been discussion of an additional team joining the Western Conference’s Central Division, however for now there is nothing official that possibility has disappeared. Investors in Portland are discussing moving a currently operating ECHL team to Maine now that their AHL team Portland Pirates has moved to Springfield.

Three ECHL clubs were Independent in 2015-16: Alaska Aces, Colorado Eagles and the Wichita Thunder. — Website. Team Directory.

Forget about the old ECHL name containing 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.

For 2015-16 affiliations see 2015-16 NHL team affiliations with AHL and ECHL teams.

If you are aware of any updates to this list, please let me know.

Updated November 30, 2016