On Wednesday afternoon, the Vegas Golden Knights (NHL) and Henderson Silver Knights (AHL) announced a two-year renewal of their ECHL affiliate. In doing so, the Fort Wayne Komets will be keeping their ties between the city and its hockey teams.
In a statement from Michael Franke, who is the president of the Fort Wayne Komets, he said in a statement upon the agreement, “During this time of uncertainty, the Vegas Golden Knight affiliation is great news for our organization and exciting news for our loyal Komet fans, George McPhee and the Golden Knight organization are firm believers of the 3-tier system for player development. Their view is closely aligned with that of the Komet organization. We know our role in the affiliation set up and they know how important it is for the Komet to be successful at the minor league level.”
Last season, the Komets saw four players on Sweetwater Ice at Memorial Coliseum: forward Jermaine Loewen, defensemen Brayden Pachal, goaltender Dylan Ferguson and forward Ben Jones.
The Vegas Golden Knights debuted in the NHL in 2017, shocking the world of hockey as the team made the jump to the Stanley Cup Finals. However, they’d eventually fall to the Washington Capitals.
The Henderson Silver Knights will make their debut this season on December 4th after being relocated from San Antonio, Texas. During the time they spent there, the team was known as the San Antonio Rampage and opened their doors back in 2002. The baby Knights will play at Orleans Arena until their new home is completed ahead of the 2021-22 season.
Speaking to greater lengths of the affiliation, Franke went on to say as part of the press release, “We are very excited that the Vegas Golden Knights will have their own AHL team in Henderson this year. We believe that both organizations share a similar philosophical thought process, and the Golden Knights know that we will create a first class, positive, winning culture for their prospects in Fort Wayne, Komet management looks forward to expanding the relationship with the Vegas Golden Knights during the ‘20-‘21 hockey season and beyond.”