The Calgary Flames organization had a minor announcement on Friday afternoon, as the club announced a multi-year extension of their affiliation with the ECHL’s Rapid City Rush.

The Flames and their American League affiliate, the Calgary Wranglers, have been partnered with the Rush since 2022-23.

During the first three seasons of their affiliation, 14 players have suited up for the Rush and the Wranglers, those primarily being players on AHL deals with the Wranglers. But the Rush have provided playing time for evaluation and development to a handful of Flames-drafted prospects, including 2019 third-rounder Ilya Nikolaev, 2019 fourth-rounder Lucas Feuk, 2020 fourth-rounder Daniil Chechelev and 2020 sixth-rounder Rory Kerins. Kerins memorably made his NHL debut during the 2024-25 season, becoming the first Rush player to move up the ladder from the ECHL to the AHL and end up in the NHL.

While the ECHL is admittedly, and by definition, a lower level of hockey than the AHL, it can be a really useful providing ground for players learning pro hockey. The skill level is often a bit lower than the AHL, and so players moving up from junior or college hockey can often translate their skill package to that level (and find success and confidence) as first-year pros in a way that might not be possible in the AHL. Case in point? Kerins, who really impressed with the Rush in 2022-23. The Flames may not have sent a lot of prospects to the Rush – only Kerins, Nikolaev and Connor Murphy have been with the ECHL club while on NHL deals – but the ones they have sent have benefited.

Based in Rapid City, South Dakota, the Rush were founded as a Central Hockey League expansion team back in 2008-09 and won that league’s championship in 2010. They were absorbed by the ECHL in 2014-15 after the CHL ceased operations. Since joining the ECHL, they’ve served as a minor-league affiliate for the Arizona Coyotes (2015-17, 2019-22) and Minnesota Wild (2017-18),

Prior to Rapid City, the Flames had ECHL affilations with a variety of different teams, including the Kansas City Mavericks (2017-22), Adirondack Thunder (2015-17), Colorado Eagles (2014-15), Alaska Aces (2013-14) and Utah Grizzlies (2010-13).

This article is a presentation of Platinum Mitsubishi, family owned and operated by lifelong Calgarians. Home of the industry-leading 10-year, 160,000-kilometre powertrain warranty. Check out their showroom at 2720 Barlow Trail NE or online at www.mitsu.ca.