Canes Reach Agreement with Norfolk Admirals of ECHL

© Wangyuxuan Xu/Naples Daily News USA TODAY NETWORK - FLORIDA, Naples Daily News via Imagn Content Services, LLC - Canes Reach Agreement with Norfolk Admirals of ECHL

After having already lost their AHL affiliate for the 2023-24 season, the Carolina Hurricanes weren't going to lose another piece, as the team announced Thursday that they had reached a 'working agreement' with the Norfolk Admirals of the ECHL.

Per Hurricanes team reporter Walt Ruff, Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell stated, "We are pleased to continue our important relationship with the Norfolk Admirals. They are a great organization which we will continue to utilize in developing our young talent."

The Admirals had been formally affiliated with the Hurricanes since the 2021-22 season, but recently announced a new affiliation agreement with the Winnipeg Jets.

"We are excited to begin our partnership with the Norfolk Admirals,” said Craig Heisinger, Senior Vice President and Director of Hockey Operations/Assistant General Manager of the Winnipeg Jets. “The city of Norfolk and the Admirals franchise have a rich hockey history and we look forward to the opportunity that this affiliation will provide for our prospects.”

"Last year, our organization made a concerted, positive transformation to our on and off-ice product that our incredible city and fanbase has been desperate for,” said Jeff Carr, General Manager and Head Coach of the Norfolk Admirals. “This affiliation helps us build a solid base as we continue to ascend into our new culture.”

However, the Hurricanes reached an agreement to still be able to utilize the Admirals to reassign prospects despite not being the primary affiliate anymore.

With the Hurricanes having a plethora of prospects but a distinct lack of somewhere to put them, retaining a partnership with the Admirals was crucial.

Last season, only Blake Murray played for the Admirals, but that number may rise significantly if Carolina runs into some difficulties with AHL loans.