The Vegas Golden Knights and general manager Kelly McCrimmon announced on Thursday that they would partner with the expansion Savannah Ghost Pirates of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL). The Ghost Pirates will serve as the Golden Knights ECHL affiliate and have replaced the Fort Wayne Komets.
The ECHL is a 28-team league that serves as the third pillar of professional hockey. The hierarchy is that of the Golden Knights (NHL), Henderson Silver Knights (AHL), and now the Ghost Pirates (ECHL).
This means that McCrimmon and his staff can filter players through the minors and in between the Golden Knights, Silver Knights, and Ghost Pirates.
On the Golden Knight’s current roster Laurent Brossoit, Logan Thompson, Ben Jones, Keegan Kolesar, and Brayden Pachal have all played in the ECHL.
The Ghost Pirates will play their 36-game schedule at Enmarket Arena which will open up for the 2022-23 season in Savannah, Georgia. Former Union coach Rick Bennett will be the Ghost Pirates’ first head coach.
“This affiliation with Savannah gives us alignment from the ECHL level through Henderson and up to the NHL. We are excited to lead the hockey operations and have a proven developer of talent as a head coach in Rick Bennett,” said McCrimmon.
The Ghost Pirates are one heck of a name, but not the “Bronze Knights” that would have completed the trifecta of Gold, Silver, and Bronze.
As for the big club, the search for a new head coach remains active.
Here is an updated look at the Golden Knight’s offseason calendar.
