The Cincinnati Cyclones, in conjunction with the National Hockey League's (NHL) New York Rangers, have announced a new affiliation agreement. The Cyclones had spent the previous six seasons as the affiliate for the Buffalo Sabres, while the Rangers had been affiliated with the ECHL's Jacksonville IceMen since 2021.
"We're elated and honored to be entering an affiliation with the New York Rangers," said Cyclones Team President Ray Harris. "The Rangers bring with them a deep tradition of excellence on and off the ice. Our teams are united and share the common goal of developing players within a winning culture. We know this is the right move for our organization to help return a championship back to Cincinnati."
The New York Rangers are four-time Stanley Cup Champions and have been a premiere hockey destination since joining the NHL as an original six franchise in 1926. Since then, New York has won nearly 3,000 regular season games and have secured a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 14 of the last 18 seasons, including a run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2014 and four trips to the Eastern Conference Finals.
“The New York Rangers are excited to have reached an affiliate agreement with the Cincinnati Cyclones," said Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury. "The organization constantly looks at the best ways to develop our prospects and we look forward to Cincinnati, as well as the continued support of the Hartford Wolf Pack, being a huge part of that process.”
Since the 2006-07 season, the Cyclones have seen 28 of its players go on to play in the NHL and dozens more receive call-ups to the American Hockey League (AHL). Cincinnati new AHL affiliate will be the Hartford Wolf Pack, who have been affiliated with the Rangers for the past 10 seasons. Hartford, like Cincinnati, is coming off a season in which the team made it into the second round of the playoffs.
"I couldn't be more excited to be able to say the Cyclones are the ECHL affiliate of the New York Rangers, an original six franchise" said Cyclones Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Jason Payne. "It doesn't get much better than New York. We are proud to partner with such a prestigious organization. Their logo, along with ours, will be on full display in the room to represent family and a commitment to culture. We're here to develop the next AHL and NHL players, and one of the first things our team will see when they enter the doors is the Wolf Pack and Rangers logos. That's what it it's all about. Working hard every day to earn your opportunity at the next level. The Rangers have a storied history and we as an organization look forward to working with them to create more history."
The Cyclones are two-time Kelly Cup Champions, having been crowned kings of the ECHL in 2008 and 2010. Since returning to the league in 2006, the 'Clones have qualified for the Kelly Cup Playoffs in 11 of 15 seasons, winning two Kelly Cups, two Brabham Cups (most points, regular season), and five division titles.
