After a successful year of affiliation between the Kalamazoo Wings and Vancouver Canucks, the two teams have announced that they will be extending their relationship through the 2025-26 season. Prior to affiliating with the Canucks, the K-Wings had been the ECHL affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets for three years. This now leaves the Allen Americans as the only ECHL team currently without an affiliate, but news on that is expected in the near future.
The K-Wings are set to celebrate their 50th anniversary of operations, and the renewal of their affiliation with the Vancouver and Abbotsford Canucks is a great way to celebrate. They will also host the 2025 Hockey Heritage Game vs Fort Wayne Komets, which will be a weekend event that will also feature the Stanley Cup being on display in Kalamazoo.
This will be a continuation of the fourth time the Wings and Canucks are affiliated, with the other times being 1984-1987, 2011-2015, and 2017-2021, across the IHL and ECHL.
“We are excited to extend our relationship… for the next two seasons,” said Wings Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Joel Martin.
Toni Will, K-Wings General Manager, exclaimed “I’m very pleased to see our relationship with Vancouver continue, strengthen, and be mutually beneficial… Our franchises share many of the same goals and passion in professional hockey and positively impacting our communities.”
The Kalamazoo Wings and Vancouver Canucks will both look to improve on their 2023-24 performances and make deeper runs in the playoffs.
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