Ducks’ New AHL Affiliate???

According to multiple reports, the Anaheim Ducks are almost officially ready to announce who their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate will be for the foreseeable future. The Norfolk Admirals are fresh off an AHL Championship and are now likely to join a partnership with the Ducks to become their new AHL affiliate. Of course, that championship was won with players from the Tampa Bay Lightning who are currently under contract with the Admirals right now. However, if the Admirals do join the Ducks, the Lightning would just complete the swap by partnering with the Syracuse Crunch.

The Ducks would also like to keep Trent Yawney as their AHL affiliate’s head coach. Yawney replaced Mark Holick as head coach of the Syracuse Crunch on January 10 this past season. Under Yawney, the Crunch went 22-14-2-4, which included a stretch of 15-3-1-1 to close out the season and make the playoffs. Yawney had previously coached for the Norfolk Admirals for five seasons back when the Admirals were the AHL affiliate for the Chicago Blackhawks. An announcement could be made as early as next week. The rumored length of the partnership right now is around five years.

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