NHL Team Makes Strategic Move: Florida's NHL Team, the Florida Panthers' affiliate, the Florida Panthers' AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, and the NHL's Vegas Golden Knights' affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights, all have affiliates in the ECHL, but now the Florida Panthers have announced a new affiliation agreement with the Jacksonville Icemen, a team based in Jacksonville, Florida, and part of the ECHL. The Jacksonville Icemen will serve as the Panthers' new ECHL affiliate, providing a new platform for young players to develop their skills and potentially make their way to the NHL. The affiliation agreement is a significant move for the Panthers, who are looking to expand their reach and develop more talent in the state of Florida. With the Icemen's presence in Jacksonville, the Panthers will have a closer relationship with the city and its hockey fans, potentially leading to increased interest and support for the team. The new affiliation agreement is expected to bring more opportunities for young players to break into the professional hockey ranks and potentially make their way to the NHL.

Wild announce affiliation agreement with ECHL’s Jacksonville Icemen  Pro Hockey News