Worcester Railers - Isles ECHL affiliate

[Dom]

ECHL: Worcester Railers to partner with NY Islanders

WORCESTER — Exercise is always a good thing.

Just ask the Worcester Railers and their new NHL partner, the New York Islanders. Their affiliation, announced here Thursday, got its start while Isles assistant to the general manager Kerry Gwydir was working out.

http://www.telegram.com/sports/20170...h-ny-islanders

[mw147]

I like the idea of having our ECHL and AHL teams in the same general geographic area. And all in driving distance of Brooklyn.

[Dom]

I like the idea of having our ECHL and AHL teams in the same general geographic area. And all in driving distance of Brooklyn.

Yeah, I think this is a good move. Now our development people can drive back and forth between Bridgeport and Worcester, as needed.

[Kaszycki's Krew]

Thanks for posting this Dom. Very interesting aspect - where ECHL players with NHL contracts get treated differently for cap purposes. Interesting.

[Tjay]

While touring one of the 8,000 square foot ice rinks, Eric Cairns, director of player development for the Islanders said of the facility, "This is better than a lot of the stuff we used to practice on." "The facilities are awesome, you're going to be able to draw great players here and we want to help facilitate that. The Islanders are going to do everything we can to bring it," Gwydir said. The rink has signed on nearly a dozen men and women's hockey teams from the surrounding colleges and public schools, all of which will practice and play games in the facility's two rinks. Additionally, two eateries, a physical therapy practice, a merchandise store and a Swedish ice-skating company are signed on to open at the rink come game time. http://www.masslive.com/news/worcest...are_first.html

They'll be playing in a new facility. This whole setup is going to be great for the organization. Worcester to Bridgeport is a two hour drive.

[FranzyFan]

They'll be playing in a new facility. This whole setup is going to be great for the organization. Worcester to Bridgeport is a two hour drive.

I've made it it in less than 2 hours, but traffic has to cooperate.

[Tjay]

I've made it it in less than 2 hours, but traffic has to cooperate.

It seems like everybody is getting a new arena but us.

[FranzyFan]

It seems like everybody is getting a new arena but us.

If you really want to get technical, we did get a new arena. It just happens to be the worst arena ever for hockey. Which, if you think about it, makes perfect sense for us.

[mw147]

https://www.ctpost.com/soundtigers/article/First-year-ECHL-team-Sound-Tigers-affiliate-12614128.php?utm_campaign=twitter-mobile&utm_source=CMS%20Sharing%20Button&utm_medium=social

First-year ECHL team, Sound Tigers affiliate, succeeding in Worcester

WORCESTER, Mass. — If he had his druthers, Worcester Railers goalie Eamon McAdam would be a couple of hours down four interstate highways, playing for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers like most of last season.

There are worse places to be, though, than here, where the new ECHL franchise has drawn some raves.

“Obviously, it’s tough. You don’t want to be down,” McAdam said Friday after the Railers’ loss to South Carolina, “but it’s a really nice setup here. Cliff (Rucker), our owner, has done a really nice job. They treat us really well.”

Bridgeport had been all over the map with its ECHL affiliate over the past decade. It sent players to Florida, Utah, Michigan, Texas, California, Missouri. It also had years without an affiliate.

Its affiliate is finally nearby, for the first time since the Sound Tigers teamed up with Trenton in 2005-06. It’s a relationship that seems to be working well in its first season.

“Chris Lamoriello (Bridgeport’s general manager) has been terrific, has been at our practices, at our games. (Goaltending coach) Chris Terreri has been up here working with our goalies.”

Mitch Gillam played goal Friday night, but praise for McAdam’s game two nights earlier was everywhere.

“He’s been really good all year, but the last two weeks, he’s taken it to another level,” Russell said. “He’s a big goalie. He’s kind of settled down a bit.”

McAdam feels like he’s playing well, doing all he can to help the Railers win.

“I just wanted to calm my game down a lot,” McAdam said. “That’s something they’ve harped on. I’ve made a lot of strides. I feel extremely calm.”

[FranzyFan]

https://www.ctpost.com/soundtigers/a..._medium=social

Can't be worse than Greiss, right?

[gazaroog]

Can't be worse than Greiss, right?

Exactly what I was thinking. Trade Halak and bring up McAdam

[mw147]

Exactly what I was thinking. Trade Halak and bring up McAdam

Gibson first.

[gazaroog]

Gibson first.

I don’t care who it is. Just want to see what they have

[gear316]

I think either Bridgeport or Worcester may ultimately end up in Coliseum at some point.

[Dom]

I think either Bridgeport or Worcester may ultimately end up in Coliseum at some point.

I highly doubt it.

Both Bridgeport and Worcester are much better locations for minor league hockey than the NVMC. The time and money savings on travel alone make it a no brainer, then you add the fact that the Isles run the Webster Bank arena themselves, vs the crap deal they'd get in Nassau.

And the Isles don't own the Worcester team, which is in a true hockey hotbed.