The Washington Capitals and South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL extended their affiliation agreement on Thursday afternoon. This will keep the two clubs affiliated through the 20119-20 season. 

FROM THE CAPITALS MEDIA RELEASE
The Washington Capitals and the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL have extended their affiliation agreement through the 2019-20 season, senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today. 

“The Stingrays are a first-class organization and have been a great affiliate for our young players over the last several seasons,” said MacLellan. “We are pleased our prospects get to continue to develop in one of the best hockey markets in the ECHL.”

“It has been a great affiliation for 12 seasons between the South Carolina Stingrays and Washington Capitals,” said Stingrays President Rob Concannon. “We appreciate the Capitals having confidence in us to work with and develop their prospects throughout the season.”

The Stingrays, led by Ryan Warsofsky, who in 2016 became the seventh head coach in team history, the fifth-youngest coach in ECHL history and the youngest active coach in the ECHL, currently sit in second place in the ECHL’s South Division with a 39-13-6-1 record. Seven players who have skated for South Carolina this season attended the Capitals Training Camp in September. 

South Carolina is in its 25th season in the ECHL and has been affiliated with the Capitals for 12 seasons (2004-12, 2014-8). The Stingrays are three-time Kelly Cup Champions (1997, 2001, 2009) and have reached the ECHL playoffs in nine consecutive seasons. South Carolina appeared in its fifth Kelly Cup Finals last season, setting an ECHL record. The Stingrays play their home games at the North Charleston Coliseum in North Charleston, S.C., which holds a capacity of 10,349.  

Five players who have skated for the Capitals this season have played in the ECHL, including former Stingrays goaltenders Braden Holtby and Philipp Grubauer. Holtby represented the Stingrays at the 2009-10 ECHL All-Star Game and Grubauer was named to the ECHL All-Rookie Team while playing for South Carolina in 2011-12.

By Michael Marzzacco
Follow @marswaggo