The Detroit Red Wings ECHL affiliate in the Toledo Walleye are expected to be hit by a work stoppage brought on by the players in the next few days.
Not much is talked about with the ECHL outside of occasional interesting stories of players that worked their way up from the ECHL all the way to the NHL and were a success story like Yanni Gourde or Logan Thompson. However, one story that could have immediate implications for Detroit Red Wings fans is the emerging possibility of a potential strike from ECHL players in the next few days, which would directly effect the Toledo Walleye, the Red Wings’ ECHL affiliate.
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman brought the general public up to speed during his latest 32 Thoughts podcast, mentioning he himself sometimes loses track of what's going on with the league but has heard more of what's happening recently.
Friedman noted that ECHL players recently voted to give their leadership group an option to strike if they want to, and that the players will be meeting at some point on Monday with a possible strike happening as soon as Tuesday. Friedman added that the ECHL had their Collective Bargaining Agreement end last summer and that as of right now, they don’t have a fallback option.
Unlike the AHL, where if a CBA expires both sides agree not to strike or lock out and the league operates under the previous agreement until a new one is reached, the ECHL does not have such protections. Friedman noted the AHL is nearing a new CBA that could go into effect as soon as this week, but the ECHL hasn’t reached such a deal and does have the option to commit a work stoppage.
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Friedman added that both sides have put in time as of late to try and figure out the situation going forward, and bluntly stated that the two sides have made little progress. He described the negotiations as “fierce,” with some inside reports telling him that individuals are being accused of “unfair practices” and that everything around the negotiations has been “pretty nasty.” In the last couple of days, Friedman explained, some players are being sent notes directly about the negotiations, which he called another footnote in the negotiations “going off the rails.”
With the next ECHL games not scheduled until after Boxing Day, Friedman noted it is a smart time for the players to go on strike, as there won’t be games for several days. He also highlighted some of the potential complications of an ECHL work stoppage, including that many players have housing provided by their teams. Going into the holiday break, some striking players could find themselves without housing support, creating additional challenges.
Friedman sympathized with everyone involved, saying he hates seeing work stoppages happen, not just in hockey but in any workplace, and expressed hope that the issue can be resolved before a strike occurs so fans and players aren’t left with uncertainty during the holidays.
For the Red Wings organization, the Walleye would be directly impacted if a work stoppage occurs. Toledo has been having a strong season, similar to the Grand Rapids Griffins in the AHL. The Walleye currently sit with the fourth-best point percentage in the league with a 15-5-2-2 record.
Leading the team has been forward Brandon Hawkins, who has been sensational this season with 15 goals and 23 assists for 38 points in 24 games. Several players from Toledo have also earned professional tryouts with the Griffins, including Chad Hillebrand, Nolan Moyle, and Jacob Truscott.
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