SAN JOSE, CA - San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) General Manager Doug Wilson and Sharks Assistant General Manager and Worcester Sharks (@WorcesterSharks) General Manager Joe Will announced today that the Sharks have entered into an affiliation agreement with the Allen (Texas) Americans (@AllenAmericans) of the ECHL for the 2014-15 season. The Worcester Sharks will continue to serve as San Jose's American Hockey League affiliate.

"We are very excited to add the Allen Americans as our ECHL affiliate for the upcoming season," said Will. "Evidenced by winning back-to-back championships in the Central Hockey League, Head Coach and General Manager Steve Martinson and his staff do an excellent job creating a successful environment and developing hockey players."

The 2014-15 season will be Allen's first season in the ECHL. The team previously played in the Central Hockey League (CHL), which ceased operations this past summer when seven teams (including the Americans) joined the ECHL as new member clubs.

"The move to the ECHL has already proven to be very beneficial for the Allen Americans," Allen Americans Team President Matt Canavan said. "We are looking forward to our relationship with San Jose and Worcester and the excitement this affiliation will bring to the fans in North Dallas."

"We are very excited to be working with two first class organizations in the San Jose Sharks and Worcester Sharks," Allen Americans Head Coach and General Manager Steve Martinson added. "Our first assigned player was the CHL 12-13 most outstanding goaltender and the man who backstopped the Americans to our organizations first championship in Aaron Dell. We take pride in our track record of developing great young players and our affiliation is off to a great start."

In five years as a member of the CHL, the Americans twice were the top regular season team in the league, qualified for the playoffs every season, and won two Ray Miron President's Cup as league champions in 2013 and 2014.

The Americans have had previous NHL affiliate agreements with the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars.