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Post by Zoom Waffles on Feb 25, 2009 10:38:06 GMT -5
Bryan Smolinski has begun a comeback to hockey, signing with the Port Huron Icehawks of the new IHL (formerly the UHL). The Icehawks are directly affiliated with the Detroit Red Wings, although the IHL is typically considered 3 steps down from the NHL (with the AHL and ECHL in between). The 37 year old centerman has played 1179 games in the NHL, and has made it clear that his eventual goal is to return. Most likely this return won't happen until the 2009-2010 season, but I would guess he'll be invited to Wings' training camp if he stays healthy and plays well in the IHL.
Smolinksi's 14-year NHL career took him from Boston to Pittsburgh to the Islanders, and Los Angeles, Ottawa, Chicago, Vancouver, and Montreal.
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Post by kingsfan24 on Feb 25, 2009 13:06:10 GMT -5
Loved him while he played in LA. I wish him the best of luck and I hope we do see him back in the NHL.
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Post by Zoom Waffles on Feb 25, 2009 16:58:27 GMT -5
i'm actually sort of struggling with the way this league is affiliated with the NHL.
Back in its UHL days, I don't believe there were any affiliations whatsoever. Now, though, 4 of the 6 teams have direct affiliations with AHL franchises (3 of them with Grand Rapids), while 1 team, the Icehawks, are affiliated directly with Detroit. Meanwhile, four of the teams have an affiliate in the AAHA, one step below the IHL.
So the logical progression seems to be, for instance:
Kalamazoo Wings (IHL) -> Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL) -> Detroit Red Wings (NHL)
Detroit is one of the few NHL teams that doesn't have an ECHL affiliate, so I suppose the Icehawks kind of fill that role. But at the same time, the Grand Rapids Griffins have an ECHL affiliate in Dayton, so who knows.
No wonder Detroit is so good... they've got no less than 9 teams affiliated with them.
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