The Avalanche might move its primary minor-league interests from San Antonio to less than an hour drive north of Denver, to Loveland, joining forces with the highly successful Colorado Eagles, who could become the Avs’ American Hockey League affiliate as early as 2018-19.
The Eagles, the Avs’ current ECHL affiliate who recently won the Kelly Cup as ECHL champions, are mulling opportunities for AHL membership, according to president and general manager Chris Stewart, and hoping to increase their partnership with Colorado’s NHL team. The ECHL is considered double-A, a level below the AHL.
“There have been some discussions,” Stewart said of Eagles’ AHL venture with the Avalanche.