Professional hockey in North America is a labyrinth to some fans, and with eight professional/semi-professional leagues, it’s no surprise. What might be a surprise is that the National Hockey League’s professional orbit does not end in the American Hockey League. The next level down is the ECHL, (formerly known as the East Coast Hockey League) where 28 out of 32 NHL franchises have an affiliate.
The Calgary Flames’ ECHL affiliate
The Vancouver Canucks have the Kalamazoo Wild Wings, and the Oilers have the Fort Wayne Komets, but who are the Calgary Flames affiliated with? For the Calgary Flames, their ECHL affiliate is the South Dakota-based Rapid City Rush. Yes, that means the Flames have both the Calgary Wranglers and the Rapid City Rush for player development outside of major junior and college leagues.
The partnership between the Flames and Rush began in the 2022–23 season. Calgary’s previous ECHL affiliate were the Kansas City Mavericks, while the Rush were last affiliated with the Arizona Coyotes.
The Rush are managed and coached by long-time player-turned-executive Scott Burt. They play their home games out of the aptly named arena “The Monument,” which sits 7,500 fans, and provides Flames hockey with an often-forgotten look at minor-pro beyond the AHL.
The Rush have a record of 17–20–2, good for fourth in the Mountain Division, and tenth overall in the ECHL’s Western Conference. The team has struggled significantly this season evident in the record of their last ten games being 4–6–0. This is especially surprising given that the Rush have the fifth oldest roster in the 28-team league at 25.91 years of age. There are two main problems, poor defensive play where they often allow four or more goals in a game. Directly tied to that is their second problem goaltending, as the two are inter-related. Both regular goaltenders for the Rush have posted around a .898 save percentage for large parts of this season.
Why Flames fans should care about the Rush
For Flames fans, the Rush serve as another avenue for diamonds in the rough prospects to find their footing. Some recent examples best emphasise the development opportunities that the ECHL provides for young players. Ilya Nikolayev, the third-round draft pick (88th overall) of the Flames in 2019, played last year with the Rush and was able to develop his skating, and away from the puck skills there.
One of the best examples of development with the Rush would be current Wranglers stand out, Rory Kerins. Kerins was almost a point-per-game player last season with the Rush which helped him find his footing and confidence in the pro-hockey landscape.
This ECHL experience with the Rush has been a useful stepping stone as it has translated to early success with the Wranglers as a great offensive threat with good vision and puck skills at the AHL level. At this rate, Kerins’ play could create himself an opportunity with the big club.
Current Players to Watch on the Rush
Besides Calgary’s prospects, some notable players are currently NHL free agents and not signed by the Calgary Flames worth watching.
Jarrod Gourley
The big 6’2″, 212 pound NCAA product has been shining with the Rush this season. He provides a physical gritty presence that has recently found his offensive touch with nine points in 12 games. Some downsides of Gourley would be vision leading to turnovers, and the fact that he’s an average skater. Watch for him to don a Wranglers jersey more often than not, as he was called up to the AHL club on December 14 and has played four games at the AHL level since.
James Hardie
The Mississauga Steelheads alumni is in his first season of professional hockey and was recently traded to Rapid City. Much like Kerins, he’s a player who needs to find his footing at the pro-level. He has the goal scorers toolkit, with a good pro-level shot/release, and good puck handling. The biggest area of concern is Hardie’s play away from the puck as he has a low compete level, which isn’t helped by a lack of vision and senses often puck-watching. He has played in 21 games after a mid-season trade with the Cincinnati Cyclones and has posted six goals and three assists good for nine points with the Rush.
Riley Ginnell
The former Regina Pat is also in his first season of pro-hockey. Just recovering from an illness, Ginnell has only played three games this season with the Rush and looks to also find his footing. Ginnell in limited ice time has shown a high compete level where he’s excelled at exerting defensive pressure, decent defensive instincts, and an active stick. He has been a decent net-front presence for the club, but struggles with chance creation, skating, and teammate utilisation resulting in him going pointless in all 14 games he’s played this season.
Honourable Mentions
- Mark Duarte, F. Called up November 27 to the Wranglers.
- Connor Murphy, G. Called up December 5 to the Wranglers.
Are you excited about the Rapid City Rush or the ECHL?
Photo from rapidcityrush.com.
