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Carolina Hurricanes: Top 3 ECHL Teams the Hurricanes Should Affiliate With

By Matthew Nidiffer

JACKSONVILLE, FL - APRIL 18: Florida Everblades players celebrate a goal during the game between the Florida Everblades and the Jacksonville Icemen on April 18, 2018 at the Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fl. (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
JACKSONVILLE, FL - APRIL 18: Florida Everblades players celebrate a goal during the game between the Florida Everblades and the Jacksonville Icemen on April 18, 2018 at the Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fl. (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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JACKSONVILLE, FL – APRIL 18: Florida Everblades players celebrate a goal during the game between the Florida Everblades and the Jacksonville Icemen on April 18, 2018 at the Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fl. (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
JACKSONVILLE, FL – APRIL 18: Florida Everblades players celebrate a goal during the game between the Florida Everblades and the Jacksonville Icemen on April 18, 2018 at the Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fl. (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

The Carolina Hurricanes are on the hunt for a new ECHL Affiliate after the Florida Everblades have decided to affiliate with the Nashville Predators for the 2019-20 season.

In a move that was shocking to most, the Florida Everblades made the decision to switch affiliation from the Carolina Hurricanes to the Nashville Predators for the 2019-20 season.

The Everblades are coming off of one of their best seasons in franchise history, turning in a record of 50-16-5-1 to mark the third-highest regular season win total in franchise history. The Everblades have been a force to be reckoned with in the ECHL; they’ve made the playoffs every single year but one since their inception. Six of these campaigns have resulted in advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals.

This leaves the Carolina Hurricanes in a tough, albeit potentially advantageous, spot. The players that the Hurricanes have under contract would leave the Everblades and depart for whichever team they decide to affiliate with going into next season. Seeing as how the Hurricanes have two solid goaltenders at the ECHL level, any of these teams would benefit from the added help in the crease.

This leaves us with the all-important question: Which ECHL team should the Hurricanes choose as their affiliate? There are a few ECHL teams who are not affiliated with an AHL or NHL team, but I know of three teams that would be a great fit for an up-and-coming NHL team looking to finally establish themselves as a dynasty.

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