BOISE, Idaho — The Idaho Steelheads have signed a two-year extension agreement to remain affiliated with the Dallas Stars.
Having partnered in 2003, the affiliation between the Steelheads (ECHL) and the Stars is one of the longest-running with the National Hockey League.
In that time, the Steelheads have played in four Kelly Cup Championships, winning two of them.
The ECHL team is a stepping stone to the American Hockey League (the affiliated team in the Steelheads agreement is the Texas Stars) and then up the chain to the NHL.
The associations between the teams are a coveted development of players, and many move up the ladder to more prominent leagues.
Several Steelheads players are under NHL contracts, with hopes of making their way up.
Eleven former Steelheads have played with the Stars: goaltenders Richard Bachman (’09-’10), Landon Bow (’16-’17), Matt Climie (’08-09), and Dan Ellis (’03-’04); and forwards B.J. Crombeen (’05-’07), Justin Dowling (’12-’13), Aaron Gagnon (’07-’08), Gavin Morgan (’99-’00), Tom Wandell (’07-’08), Francis Wathier (’06-’07), and Gemel Smith (’15-’16).
The 2023-2024 Steelheads season drops the puck in Boise on October 20 vs. the Allen Americans.
You may remember them, as the Steelheads knocked them out of contention during this past post-season run for the Kelly Cup. Ought to be a great match-up!
