TOSTI: Swamp Rabbits to Seek New NHL Affiliation
Greenville and New York will not renew affiliation beyond 2017-18 season and seek new partnerships after eight-year connection.
BY: Brian Tosti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits
Greenville, SC – After maintaining a relationship for eight consecutive seasons, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits and the New York Rangers will not be extending their affiliation, seeking new and mutually beneficial opportunities. It will be the first time in the Swamp Rabbits eight seasons that the club is not aligned with the Rangers and Hartford Wolf Pack.
Greenville signed its first affiliation with the Rangers ahead of the 2010-11 season after the NHL club held a 14-year affiliation with the Charlotte Checkers. In 2016, the teams signed a two-year extension of the affiliation agreement which concluded at the end of the 2017-18 season.
“This is a mutual decision for us and New York. We have both made the decision to go in a different direction and seek a more regional partner,” said Swamp Rabbits President and CEO Steve Donner. “We would like to thank the Rangers organization for their partnership over the last eight seasons. We are also excited as an organization to see what is on the horizon as we plan for a new and engaged relationship for the future.”
Greenville has produced three players to New York to make their NHL debut. Brandon Halverson, Mackenzie Skapski, and Cam Talbot all got their start in Greenville before making it to the National Hockey League. In addition, Greenville has also loaned seven players on ECHL contracts to the Hartford Wolf Pack in just the last three seasons.
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