AHL Changes for 2017-18 About to Unfold

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – The reorganization of the minor league hockey map will continue in the 2017-18 season. It is nearly complete at the AHL level, but some more tinkering will occur at the ECHL level.

Cantlon’s Corner reported last month that the New York Rangers have indicated to the CRDA that they will sign their option and return for the 2017-18 season at the XL Center in Hartford at a cost of $1.5 million dollars.

In terms of upcoming changes, according to multiple sources, the first will occur next season with the relocation by the New Jersey Devils from Albany to Binghamton. That move would confirm Binghamton owner Tom Mitchell’s public statements that there would be AHL hockey in his city next season after the Ottawa Senators leave their present location.

Ottawa is relocating their AHL team to Belleville, Ontario. They are scheduled to play the first two months of next season on the road in a comparable AHL-sized arena until the $20 million (Canadian) renovations are completed to Yardmen Arena.

Cantlon’s Corner has been aware of this change, and others, for two months, but at our sources request, we have withheld their publication until this time.

The big change that will occur that was confirmed by three sources is that the St. Louis Blues will be relocating their farm team next season from Chicago to Kansas City, MO. They’ll play in the Sprint Center owned and managed by AEG. The building has had no anchor tenant since it’s been built after failing to attract or relocate an NHL or NBA team.

The Chicago Wolves, along with the Hershey Bears and Grand Rapids Griffins, are one of the crown jewels of the AHL. They will have a new dance partner with the expansion Las Vegas Golden Knights.

Our sources have also confirmed that an announcement is likely slated for later this month after the naming of the Las Vegas coaching staff, and right around the time of the AHL Star game. Formal league approval is required for relocation of several of the teams and bringing in expansion Las Vegas to the AHL fold.

The Montreal Canadiens’ move was announced at the beginning of the summer. As expected, they’re relocating their farm team from St. John’s to the Montreal suburb of Laval to play in the brand new Place Bell Centre starting next fall.

The last remaining change in the AHL map will be in Utica where the Vancouver Canucks will be taking their AHL affiliates and leaving for the West Coast, but two different timetables have emerged according to several sources.

One source has the Canucks departing after this season to be housed in the old Canucks home, the PNE Coliseum, whose previous tenant, the WHL Vancouver Giants, moved this past summer to a smaller arena in Langley, BC a southern suburb of Vancouver.

The second scenario, according to a source, has the Canucks leave after year five of their agreement that expires in 2017-18 to play in Vancouver or potentially return to Abbotsford, a former AHL city. Calgary was paid $5.5 million (Canadian) to leave halfway through a ten-year lease arrangement because of mounting losses. They went to play in Glens Falls, NY for two years before heading to Stockton as a part of the new AHL Pacific Division.

Of course, this move would be solely contingent on a lease arrangement being reached between the city and the Canucks, which couldn’t be done when Calgary was there and willing to step aside. The city publicly stated no desire to encounter the return of the AHL but the building needs an anchor tenant.

One wild card is a new arena in Surrey, BC, located just north of Vancouver. It was in the works, but groundbreaking and formal funding for it has not yet occurred. If it does materialize, it could be the future home of an AHL team.

The ECHL will see a new team next year from an old AHL city in Worcester and will be named the Railcats. Rumors persist Portland, another long-time AHL city, will also be applying soon as the league seeks to get up to 30 teams to marry the NHL and AHL for a 30-30-30 arrangement the sport has sought. The league could be shifting more franchises East to help Manchester, Worcester, and Elmira to contain travel costs and be closer to its AHL parent clubs

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