The Vancouver Canucks have entered into a one-year ECHL affiliation with the Kalamazoo Wings. This news comes after the Canucks’ 2016-17 ECHL affiliate Alaska Aces had to fold due to financial struggles.
This affiliation marks the third time in Kalamazoo’s history that the Canucks and K-Wings have worked together, after stints in 1984-87 and in 2011-15 previously.
The addition of the K-Wings to the Canucks family means that the AHL’s Utica Comets will have a lower-tier league available to demote players.
Last season, three Vancouver Canucks prospects played in the ECHL, including netminder Michael Garteig and forwards Mackenze Stewart and Yan-Pavel Laplante.