The Milwaukee Admirals and Nashville Predators extended the third-longest affiliate relationship in top-level hockey during a signing Wednesday at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.
The arrangement, which began with the Predators’ launch for the 1998-99 season, continues through 2024-25. The Admirals have had 172 players called up by the Predators – including 15 this season – as well as seven head coaches and assistants ascend to positions in the NHL.
Over the 24 seasons together – the Admirals sat out 2020-21 due to COVID-19 restrictions – Milwaukee has won five American Hockey League division titles and the 2004 Calder Cup championship. The Admirals also won the 2019-20 regular-season title before the season was shut down, and they are in the midst of their playoff series with the Manitoba Moose.
Only the Boston and Providence Bruins and the New York Rangers and Hartford Wolf Pack have longer-standing NHL-AHL relationships than Nashville and Milwaukee.
During and after a news conference, outgoing Predators general manager David Poile, who signed the original affiliate agreement with the Admirals, as well as incoming GM Barry Trotz and Admirals President Jon Greenberg, spoke about the relationship.
Here are some takeaways.
Why doesn’t the Predators-Admirals affiliate extension run beyond 2024-25?
Given their history and praise all parties have had for the relationship, two years doesn’t sound like a long time.
Don’t read too much into the term, or the fact that the deal is getting done mere months before training camp opens again, both Poile and Greenberg said.
“(There’s) a little bit of transition, to be honest with you, between Barry and myself and ownership is also transitioning in Nashville,” Poile said. “The bottom line is we’re very happy.”
Former Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam is in the process of buying the 60% share of the franchise owned by Herbert Fritsch, pending the approval of the NHL board of governors. The deal will be completed in parts over the next two years.
Haslam is the younger brother of Jimmy Haslam, whose Haslam Sports Group recently purchased a 25% stake in the Milwaukee Bucks.
“We want to prove to Barry as well as prove to the new ownership in Nashville that this is indeed the place to have players and then continue a long-term relationship for many years to come,” Greenberg said.
The most recent agreement was extended by a year, Greenberg said, to account for the COVID year when the Admirals were idle.
“This relationship is very, very strong,” Greenberg said. “It’s just a matter of working through some things, as David mentioned, that we needed to work through.”
Some NHL teams own their AHL affiliates. Why haven’t the Nashville Predators gone that route?
Two of the four AHL teams in closest proximity to Milwaukee are owned by their parent clubs, the Rockford IceHogs by the Chicago Blackhawks and the Iowa Wild by the Minnesota Wild. Harris Turer has owned the Admirals for 18 years and before that Jane and Lloyd Pettit and their estate.
There’s not necessarily a correct formula, Poile said.
“This is the only way we’ve ever had it,” he said. “I guess it’s just a case of different opportunities at different times. … I can see where it would make sense; it’s just not anything we’ve ever thought about to this point over the stability of this relationship. I guess you could say different ways work for different teams.”
Would the Predators play a game in Milwaukee?
The Chicago Blackhawks sold out Fiserv Forum in minutes for an exhibition game against the Minnesota Wild in October. While both teams’ partisans were well represented, the crowd included a significant number of fans in Predators gear, as well.
Although decisions about such events are made above the GM level, Poile said he’d like to see Nashville play a game in Milwaukee.
“We’ve talked about it but with a combination of scheduling and dates, it’s just never come true,” he said. “I certainly can see us playing a preseason game up here some day. … I think that could definitely be a possibility, and why not?”
With all the Predators players joining the Admirals for the AHL playoffs, can Milwaukee win another title?
After Nashville was eliminated from the NHL playoffs, seven players who’d seen significant time with both clubs – including top-four point scorers Luke Evangelista and Kiefer Sherwood – returned to Milwaukee. That left coach Karl Taylor and his staff with a loaded roster but the task of integrating those players into a lineup that played well in their absence.
“On paper, we really like the Admirals, but paper doesn’t mean too much,” Poile said.
“When the season ended in Nashville we met with each player and told them this is really important for their development. We’ll be watching every game, so it’s a big lead for them in terms of getting your foot in the door for next year’s team in training camp. So our expectations are pretty high of our individual players. Now we have to see if that translates into a team.
“There’s tough decisions. As Barry alluded, there’s players who were playing for us that won’t dress tonight.”
More: From AHL newcomer to NHL vet – and now playoffs – Luke Evangelista has enjoyed a wild hockey ride in 2022-23.
So, who will play for the Admirals in 2023-24?
Turnover is a significant part of a development affiliation, but next season in particular, with the Predators in a rebuild and so many young players getting a look, the Admirals could have a significantly different roster.
Many of the deals the Predators swung at the trade deadline returned draft choices for veteran players, so Nashville will have 13 picks in the seven-round draft in June as well as extra picks in the years that follow.
“It’s going to be an exciting time for Nashville and Milwaukee given the number of young players coming through and the excellence (the Admirals) provide in terms of the development of our players,” Trotz said.
“From that standpoint I’m thrilled to be part of the organizations continuing the process of developing players. … You can never overcook a player, I say. When they’re ready (for the NHL), they’re ready, and usually when they’re ready they’re good players here.”
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This article originally appeared on the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Nashville Predators, Milwaukee Admirals discuss affiliate extension