CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Cyclones are officially the new ECHL affiliate for the Toronto Maple Leafs, the team announced Wednesday.
The Cyclones spent the previous season as an affiliate for the NHL's New York Rangers. The Maple Leafs have previously affiliated with the Newfoundland Growlers since 2018.
Since the 2006-07 season, the Cyclones have seen 28 of its players go on to the NHL. Plenty of other players have been called up to the American Hockey League (AHL), as well.
Cyclones head coach Jason Payne, a Toronto native himself, said he's excited about the affiliation between Cincinnati and Toronto.
"The sport and Leafs Nation mean so much, to so many," he said. "It's not just a part of life, it's the way of life."
The Maple Leafs are 13-time Stanley Cup Champions. The team joined the NHL in 1917, known as an Original Six club. The other Original Six clubs include the Boston Bruins, Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens and the New York Rangers.
Kristin Ropp, the general manager vice president of the Cyclones, said the team is excited to be "associated with an organization with such a storied history" as the Maple Leafs.
"To partner with an organization that places value in the development of players from the ECHL through the AHL and into the NHL is truly exciting," Ropp said.
Brad Treliving, the general manager for the Maple Leafs, said the new partnership is a "significant investment" for their hockey club.
In terms of the AHL, the Cyclones new affiliate is the Toronto Marlies, who have been longtime partners with the Maple Leafs. The two hockey clubs play just over two miles apart in downtown Toronto.
