Do NHL teams keep the same ahl team every year?

Answer 1

Sort Of.

NHL teams sign agreements with AHL cities. These agreements can be short term, or can be long term.

Some teams, like the Toronto Maple Leafs, own their AHL franchise and can move it around as they please depending on the perks various cities offer. As it stands now, MLSE also owns the arena the Marlies are playing, so I doubt that they will be leaving anytime soon.

Some AHL teams have their own owners (the Chicago Wolves for example) and those owners are free to negotiate deals as they see fit (formerly Black Hawks, currently Thrashers) and often times a s a new team offers more money, minor league teams can change hands.

Answer 2

As long as they're contract is not up with the AHL team then yes they have the same one every year. The Raners have ahd the Hartford Wolfpack for years now.

The NJ Devils had the Albany River Rats from 93- 2006 until the devils bought the Lowell team as their 'farm'

(been to the ahl & Back)

Answer 3

It's different for each team depending on economics. Some NHL teams have actually shared an AHL team in the past. Other teams, like the Sabres sponsor AHL teams (Rochester Americans) for decades.

I live near Hamilton Ont. where the AHL Bulldogs have supplied plenty of players for the Montreal Canadiens for the past few years. I think it was just three or four years ago that the Bulldogs were the Edmonton Oilers farm team.

Over the past two decades the Toronto Maple Leafs have moved their AHL team from St. Catharines, to Markham, to Newfoundland and back to Toronto, and I may be forgetting a stop or two in between.

So there are no set rules

Answer 4

I'm kinda with you Mike. The Wings have a similar division only schedule to close out the year. While if the Wings lost all those games it wouldn't change a thing it is still something I kind of like overall. Those close division races can make a big difference in getting that guaranteed seed for the playoffs if you win the division. What you said about Vancouver is possible but considering you have the best goaltender in the Northwest division in net I think he can rise to the occasion and keep them in there. However at least one (Minn, Calgary, Colorado or Vancouver) will NOT make the playoffs. And as crazy as it might sound don't count out what Ken Hitchcock might be able to will the Blue Jackets to do to finish out the season and squeeze into the 8th slot but 7 points is still a lot to make up. With the way Philly and Boston are playing they could end up getting pushing out by Washington and Buffalo. The leafs are playing good but they have too many games against good opponents to catch up.

Answer 5

The NHL teams own the players for the minor teams, but they do not own the AHL team itself, they sign contracts that allow the players to develop with a certain AHL team, in some cases teams will switch AHL teams. I believe Buffalo almost lost the Amerks after last season but they were able to reach an agreement in time.

Answer 6

No, NHL teams freaquently change their minor league affiliations. It is a business and teams try to find the best partners. Also AHL teams come and go all the time.

Answer 7

Well lets see here in the last 3 season the Avs have had Lowell, Albany, both of whom they shared with Carolina, and now they have the Lake Erie Monsters. So, I will have to go with usually but not always.

Answer 8

yes the ahl does not built the players skills up for anohter team to grab them, they do it for their nhl team

Answer 9

I would have to say no as in Calgary they have changed the team several times over the past 10 years or so.

Answer 10

That's usually the case. In extreme cases, a team will change to a different minor league team.