ECHL announces Conference and Divisional alignments

Fort Wayne, IN-- The ECHL announced the 2017-18 Conference and Divisional alignment Tuesday. The league will continue to be divided by two conferences, the Western Conference and the Eastern Conference for its 30th anniversary season. Each conference will continue to contain two divisions with the Central and the Mountain divisions in the Western Conference and the North and South divisions making up the Eastern Conference.

The Komets will remain in the Central division. Cincinnati changes conferences and moves from the South division of the Eastern Conference to the Western conference and joins Fort Wayne while Tulsa moves from the Central division to the Mountain division. The Indy Fuel, Kalamazoo Wings, Kansas City Mavericks (formerly Missouri Mavericks), Quad City Mallards and Toledo Walleye remain divisional rivals with the Komets.

Each team will skate a 72-game schedule. The Komets will face Central division foes 47 times during the year while skating 11 games against teams in the Mountain division for a total of 58 Western Conference tilts. Fort Wayne has 11 games slated against North division teams while only three games are against members of the South division for a total of 14 Eastern Conference games.

The ECHL 2017-18 alignment will be as follows:Western Conference

Central Division

Fort Wayne Komets, Cincinnati Cyclones, Indy Fuel, Kalamazoo Wings, Kansas City Mavericks, Quad City Mallards, Toledo Walleye

Mountain Division

Allen Americans, Colorado Eagles, Idaho Steelheads, Rapid City Rush, Tulsa Oilers, Utah Grizzlies, Wichita Thunder

Eastern Conference

North Division

Adirondack Thunder, Brampton Beast, Manchester Monarchs, Reading Royals, Wheeling Nailers, Worcester Railers

South Division

Atlanta Gladiators, Florida Everblades, Greenville Swamp Rabbits, Jacksonville IceMen, Norfolk Admirals, Orlando Solar Bears, South Carolina Stingrays

Opening night for the 66th season of Komet Hockey is slated for Saturday, Oct. 14 in Fort Wayne against the Toledo Walleye.

Got tickets? Single game tickets for 2017-18 go on sale soon. Season Tickets are on sale now at the Komet office at 1010 Memorial Way in Fort Wayne. For more information visit Komets.com or call 260-483-0011.