The Colorado Avalanche announced today that its second-tier minor-league affiliate this season will be the Tulsa Oilers of the Central Hockey League.
The Oilers replace the now-defunct Charlotte Checkers of the ECHL in that role, which amounts to a “AA” minor-league affiliate under the “AAA-equivalent” Lake Erie Monsters of the American Hockey League.
The move adds to the link between Colorado’s major-league teams and the Tulsa market. The Rockies have a far more extensive farm system, of course, but their Double-A affiliate long has been the Tulsa Drillers of the Texas League.
The Oilers’ roster will be only sprinkled with Avalanche farmhands rather than fully stocked. Last season, goalie Trevor Cann went to Tulsa, mainly as a means of getting him extensive work.
The Oilers are in the CHL’s Berry Conference, while the Colorado Eagles — based in Loveland — are in the Turner Conference.
