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Fort Wayne Komets named ECHL affiliate of Golden Knights

The Vegas Golden Knights have agreed to a partnership with the Fort Wayne Komets to be their new ECHL affiliate, the team announced Tuesday.

The partnership is a one-year deal. Fort Wayne takes the place of the Quad City Mallards as the Golden Knights’ affiliate.

The Journal-Gazette first reported the partnership on Aug. 7.

“Today is an exciting day in Komet land,” said Fort Wayne general manager David Franke in a statement. “We hope that this is mutually beneficial for all three franchises [in addition to the Chicago Wolves]. This is a great opportunity for our players to get a call-up to the Wolves during the course of the 2018-19 season.”

Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant’s first stop as a coach was with the Komets in 1998 as an assistant coach.

“ECHL clubs play an important role in player development,” said Vegas general manager George McPhee. “Our young players and prospects will have the opportunity to grow and improve in both Fort Wayne at the ECHL level and then in Chicago at the American Hockey League level.”

The Komets finished last season with a 46-20-5-1 record, their fourth straight season with at least 40 wins. Fort Wayne was eliminated in the ECHL semifinals by the Colorado Eagles. It was Fort Wayne’s fifth straight trip to the Kelly Cup playoffs.