Chicago Gets Another Hockey Team

[Jntg4]

Will be in the ECHL (which isn't short for anything, it used to be the East Coast Hockey League, but now the actual name is ECHL). Finalists for Names:

* Chicago Blizzard
* Hoffman Estates Hammers
* Chicago Knights
* Chicago Express

Will actually play in Hoffman Estates at the Sears Center.

 

[Livewire]

Hammers and Express are terrible names...

I wish they would just bring back the Chicago Freeze name, which was a NAHL team.

No matter what happens it is nice to see expansion of the greatest sport on earth in local fashion.

 

[GrinderBall41]

We had the Chi-Town shooters, actually operating out of northwest Indiana, but they recently converted to a Junior team.

Chi-Town Shooters Professional Hockey Team

 

[Jntg4]

WTF? The Shooters went Junior? CRAP!

 

[derosabomb]

sweet sears center is a 10 min drive for me!!!

 

[DewsSox79]

ehhhh

 

[BigP50]

Hoffman Estates Hammers


how good is this league?

 

[icehogfan08]

Sweet,, hopefully they get affiliated with the Icehogs

 

[BigP50]

so Double-A hockey. Who is the AHL and NHL affiliate.

 

[cubsneedmiracle]

sounds cool

 

[stormbolter73]

Not all ECHL teams have a direct affiliate and I believe that the Icehogs and Hawks are affiliated with the Toledo Walleye for this coming season. It would be nice to see that team brought into the fold.

There was a team that played in the Sears Center a few years back called the Chicago Hounds. The team played in the old UHL with the Icehogs. THe team only lasted 1 season and was owned by 1 of the 2 partners that owned the Icehogs before they made the jump to the AHL and I believe that he is the owner of the new team. Just a little history lesson if anybody is interested. More ties with that team to the Hawks than a glace would lead you to believe

 

[Jntg4]

Not all ECHL teams have a direct affiliate...

ECHL - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Look, every team has an affiliate (the Condors are getting one). And yes, they are affiliated with the Walleye, but so are the Red Wings. They could leave it to affiliate the new one and leave the Walleye to Detroit.

 

[Jntg4]

It will start in the 2011-2012 season BTW.

 

[stormbolter73]

I did say direct affiliate. If you are farming for 2 teams, you have dual affiliation. It isn't a 1-1 league and in the past, there were teams with no affiliate, I guess I should have made that point more clearly. There are also rules that allow teams to send players to teams that they have no affiliation with for various reasons.

 

[Jntg4]

Name, logo, affiliate, etc. to be announced on September 21st.