> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # FTB: A new team is coming - URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/ftb-a-new-team-is-coming-bloomington-echl-expansion/ - Published: 2024-01-17T11:00:41.000Z - Updated: 2024-01-17T11:00:40.000Z - Description: Expansion is happening. Will the new team be original or stick with an old name? - Author: Adam Selvig - Tags: From The Branches Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans! News came down yesterday that there would be a league expansion next season in the ECHL. [Official Site of The ECHL | ECHL approves Expansion Membership for Bloomington, IllinoisThe ECHL Board of Governors has approved the expansion application of Bloomington, Illinois for admittance into the League to begin play in October 2024.![](https://img.echl.com/tr:cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff00,w-180,h-180,f-png/production/echl/siteconfiguration/1/site_logo_raster/db0da499-a098-4877-92a0-047a57d36772/media-libraryDtCEXS?ik-s=c093c8512e5b7a8c30ff860a9b1469dd1fd1666d)ECHLECHL![](https://img.echl.com/tr:c-maintain_ratio,fo-auto,ar-1200-630,w-1200/production/echl/post/8998/featured_image/401d4f30-d35c-4ff7-973d-d7fe57575305/bloomington-expansion-approved.jpg?ik-s=5780731e3b2ed9025a53e13a43c89bfe87be1452)](https://echl.com/news/2024/01/echl-approves-expansion-membership-for-bloomington-illinois?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Just a reminder that ECHL does not stand for East Coast Hockey League. It actually doesn't stand for anything which is one of the dumbest things in minor league hockey. Bloomington, Indiana will be getting the newest ECHL team who will begin play in the 2024/25 season alongside fellow expansion team Tahoe Knight Monsters. The team will be owned by the same group that owns the ECHL Indy Fuel franchise. This is the second go around in professional hockey for Bloomington as they had a franchise in the UHL / CHL / SPHL from 2006-2014. Neither of these new teams have announced NHL affiliates yet, but the Tahoe Knight Monsters name and location gives away a probable relationship with the Vegas Golden Knights and the new Bloomington teams closest NHL teams are Chicago (Indy Fuel), Nashville (Atlanta Gladiators), and St. Louis (unaffiliated). Not every NHL team works with an ECHL team. Four are not solely affiliated: Arizona, Carolina, Columbus, and St. Louis. If Vegas does goes with Tahoe and St. Louis Bloomington, that will leave the Savannah Ghost Pirates without someone to work with, as they currently are aligned with Vegas. However as we play musical franchises, the rumor mill is churning with NHL to Atlanta talk again, and that has people bringing up a graduation for the Ghost Pirates to the AHL, as the natural assumption is one Georgie team aligns with another. That didn't stick for the Carolina Hurricanes and Charlotte Checkers, a natural pair. Carolina broke up with the Checkers and are working with the Chicago Wolves. The Florida Panthers took over the Checkers. So, welcome back Bloomington to the pro hockey world. Now the question is: Will you pick a new brand or recycle the old Prairie Thunder name? Elsewhere in the hockey world.... The Leafs did a thing last night. The front page has it. If you are reading this I forgot to update with the recap. But! I did remember to add this goal from Auston Matthews: > 1634 > > that's the tweet. [pic.twitter.com/TX5Fc2jQNU](https://t.co/TX5Fc2jQNU?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [January 17, 2024](https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/1747442154308354154?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) That is goal #333 for Matthews and he became number four on the Maple Leafs all time goals list. He is 33 away from overtaking Dave Keon, and 88 away from breaking the Leafs all time goals scoring record of 420 by Mats Sundin. Terry Ryan is everyone's favourite story this week and it's pretty awesome to see a guy get called to play a game on his birthday when he never expected to play professionally again. [Bruce Arthur: Terry Ryan went from the Canadiens to stocking shelves to ‘Shoresy’. But pro hockey called the 47-year-old one last timeFormer first-round NHL draft pick and “Shoresy” actor Terry Ryan got a chance to say the perfect goodbye to the game he thought had long passed him by.![](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/thestar.com/content/tncms/live/libraries/flex/components/torstar_core/resources/images/favicons/thestar/apple-icon-180x180.png?_dc=1704911583)Toronto StarBruce Arthur![](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/thestar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/16/5163b8af-5cf3-5c2b-ba15-e669165dd607/65a5c94415eb5.image.jpg?crop=1763%2C926%2C0%2C124&resize=1200%2C630&order=crop%2Cresize)](https://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/terry-ryan-went-from-the-canadiens-to-stocking-shelves-to-shoresy-but-pro-hockey-called/article%5F44d54c20-b3d0-11ee-9e2a-f3c3c0368b81.html?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Golden Knights made a mid-season signing of their own. [Vegas Golden Knights Introduce Team Dog ‘Maverick,’ Plus VGK-9 Club For Fans | Vegas Golden KnightsTeam, America’s VetDogs will raise Maverick to become a service dog![](https://www.nhl.com/assets/icons/fav/teams/54/favicon-apple-touch-icon.png)Vegas Golden Knights logoVegas Golden Knights![](https://media.d3.nhle.com/image/private/t_ratio16_9-size50/prd/c7c5sesrclyuyio6kelg.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/goldenknights/news/vegas-golden-knights-introduce-team-dog-maverick-plus-vgk-9-club-for-fans?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Hey. They're stealing our bit. [NHL Fit Check: Stylist to Premier League stars ranks the NHL’s best-dressedIn the latest edition of NHL Fit Check, English football stylist Algen Hamilton breaks down the top 10 fits from around the hockey world over the past month.![](https://www.sportsnet.ca/sn_favicon.ico)Sportsnet| January 16, 2024, 9:38 AM![](https://www.sportsnet.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Auston-Matthews-Header-1040x572.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/nhl-fit-check-stylist-to-premier-league-stars-ranks-the-nhls-best-dressed/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) 6,000+ at la​st night's game in Laval. [10 Games In, The New PWHL Women’s Hockey League Is ThrivingAfter a six-month sprint to the start line, the PWHL is delivering on its promise with big crowds and thrilling hockey featuring the best players in the world.![](https://i.forbesimg.com/48X48-F.png)ForbesCarol Schram![](https://imageio.forbes.com/specials-images/imageserve/65a6cd2867d014a140775967/0x0.jpg?format=jpg&height=900&width=1600&fit=bounds)](https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolschram/2024/01/16/10-games-in-the-new-pwhl-womens-hockey-league-is-thriving/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The QMJHL Acadie-Bathurst Titan are for sale. [Want To Buy A Maritime QMJHL Hockey Team?One of New Brunswick’s Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League teams is for sale, you can now buy the Acadie-Bat…![](https://media-cdn.socastsrm.com/uploads/station/1842/squareIcon.png?r=58273)Hot Country 103.5Ian Robinson![](https://media-cdn.socastsrm.com/wordpress/wp-content/blogs.dir/2168/files/2024/01/zoom9bid-400x400-1.jpg)](https://hotcountry1035.ca/2024/01/16/want-to-buy-a-qmjhl-hockey-team/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Finally, I have finally seen the Winnipeg Jets\* mascot for myself and... Okay. > GO JETS GO 🎷 [pic.twitter.com/MrFCpHWA30](https://t.co/MrFCpHWA30?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) [January 17, 2024](https://twitter.com/NHLJets/status/1747463983127236697?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Enjoy your day everyone!