In advance of Thursday's expected announcement the American Hockey League next season will move into several ECHL markets in California and shake up both leagues, Alaska Aces managing member Terry Parks said his club is here to stay as an ECHL franchise.
"We're not leaving to go to the AHL, we're staying in the ECHL,'' Parks said Wednesday. "We're not going anywhere as long as I'm alive.''
Multiple media reports have ECHL Bakersfield, Stockton and Ontario elevating to the AHL next season, when the circuit one step below the NHL is also expected to place franchises in San Jose and San Diego.
Such moves would reduce the ECHL's current Pacific Division from seven teams to four -- the Aces, Idaho Steelheads, Utah Grizzlies and Colorado Eagles.
The AHL has scheduled a press conference Thursday in San Jose that will include representatives of several NHL teams -- Anaheim, San Jose, Los Angeles, Edmonton and Calgary. Those NHL teams, according to reports, are moving their AHL affiliates west to be closer to the NHL clubs and thus make it easier and quicker to call up players. Anaheim's current affiliate, for instance, is located in Norfolk, Virginia, and San Jose's is located in Worcester, Massachusetts. Summoning players from those locations to the West Coast in time for a home game is difficult.
Parks said he expects the ECHL soon to announce measures it will take in response to losing California markets. He said new teams in the West are a possibility, as is divisional realignment.
The Aces schedule will change dramatically if it loses games against the California-based Bakersfield Condors, Stockton Thunder and Ontario Reign. Those clubs are Alaska's opponents in 38 of 72 regular-season games this season.
Parks said the ECHL's Board of Governor's last week voted that each team in the West will travel to the East at least one time next season for three to five games. Also, he said, each East team will travel West at least every third season for a road swing.
Other schedule moves will surely be forthcoming, Parks said, but he said he doesn't anticipate his team's travel costs will change substantially.
The Aces are the ECHL's defending Kelly Cup champions and have won three Cups in the franchises' previous 11 seasons on the circuit. Parks said he is comfortable the ECHL will smoothly address change and transition.
"Am I concerned about the ECHL?'' he said. "No.''
Reach Doyle Woody at dwoody@alaskadispatch.com, check out his blog at adn.com/hockey-blog and follow him on Twitter at @JaromirBlagr