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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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Orlando’s Rob Mignardi (18) and South Carolina’s Tommy Cross (44) battle for the puck during the South Carolina Stingrays at Orlando Solar Bears ECHL hockey game at the Amway Center on Thursday, October 25, 2012, in Orlando, Florida. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel/MCT via Getty Images)
Orlando’s Rob Mignardi (18) and South Carolina’s Tommy Cross (44) battle for the puck during the South Carolina Stingrays at Orlando Solar Bears ECHL hockey game at the Amway Center on Thursday, October 25, 2012, in Orlando, Florida. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel/MCT via Getty Images) /

South Carolina Stingrays

The South Carolina Stingrays come in at #2 on this list. The Stingrays would be arguably the most attractive option were it not for their current affiliation status. The Stingrays are affiliated with the Washington Capitals, and it would be a difficult task to lure them away from their current setup.

That being said, the Stingrays are one of the more elite teams in the ECHL. Having made the playoffs in 25 of their 26 seasons, the Stingrays are a minor-league dynasty.

The Hurricanes could benefit off of having every team in the organization located in the ‘Carolinas region’, as well. The South Carolina Stingrays are located in Charleston, SC; this is quite a distance from both Charlotte and Raleigh, but would still tie in the ‘One Carolina’ mentality that has permeated both North and South Carolina in the past few years.

The Stingrays, in my opinion, would be a great organization to bring into the fold. Our developing prospects wouldn’t have as far to travel between call-ups, and the elite, winning mentality and culture that the Stingrays have cultivated would no doubt be a deciding factor in the success of developing younger players.

My one caveat with this option would be that the Stingrays not only already have an affiliation with the Hurricanes’ main rivals. If only there were a team in the ‘Carolinas’ that didn’t have an affiliate and was even closer to Charlotte and Charleston…

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