The Bakersfield Condors aren’t saying yet how they’ll be affected by major shakeups the Double-A ECHL and the higher-level American Hockey League.
Kevin Bartl is with the team. He said they’re waiting to hear from the Edmonton Oilers, the NHL parent team that owns the franchise, about where they’ll will play next season – which could be Norfolk, Va.
“These are all hypotheticals,” Bartl said. “As of right now, we’re here – we’re the Condors.”
The Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk reported Monday that plans were green-lit during meetings in both leagues over the weekend that would allow the Oilers to move their AHL affiliation from Oklahoma City to Bakersfield.
It’s part of a major restructuring in the Triple-A league that will add a western, all-California division.
To make room for the former Barons in Bakersfield, the Condors franchise would move to Norfolk.
Bartl said the organization’s front office is waiting on word from Edmonton about its fate.
“There’s been a lot of reports and everything,” he said. “It probably would be somewhat of a relief to have everything out in the open.”
– Anthony Pollreisz