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Welcome to the new Rampage Desk at MHH! We have our first breaking news today so let's get right to it.
The Rampage announced that they will be joining the new Pacific division in 2015-16 along with Texas, and the California migration. Each conference will still have 15 teams but there will be only two divisions in each, somewhat paralleling the NHL's recent re-alignment. Here are the new Conferences/Divisions as they stand right now:
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
Bridgeport Sound Tigers (NYI)
Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR)
Hershey Bears (WSH)
Lehigh Valley Phantoms (PHI)
Portland Pirates (FLA)
Providence Bruins (BOS)
Springfield Falcons (ARI)
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (PIT)
North Division
Albany Devils (NJ)
Binghamton Senators (OTT)
Rochester Americans (BUF)
St. John’s IceCaps (MTL)
Syracuse Crunch (TB)
Toronto Marlies (TOR)
Utica Comets (VAN)
Western Conference
Central Division
Charlotte Checkers (CAR)
Chicago Wolves (STL)
Grand Rapids Griffins (DET)
Iowa Wild (MIN)
Lake Erie Monsters (CBJ)
Manitoba Moose (WPG)
Milwaukee Admirals (NSH)
Rockford IceHogs (CHI)
Pacific Division
Bakersfield Condors (EDM)
Ontario Reign (LA)
San Antonio Rampage (COL)
San Diego Gulls (ANA)
San Jose Barracuda (SJ)
Stockton Heat (CGY)
Texas Stars (DAL)
Our old friends the Monsters' Midwest Division gains Iowa, Charlotte and Manitoba (former St Johns)
The North Division moves to the Eastern Conference and gains the rest of the NY teams but has to keep the former Hamilton Bulldogs, who are now the St Johns IceCaps.
Everybody else, basically all the New England & Pennsylvania Teams, move to the Atlantic Division
No word on the schedule or number of games and there probably won't be any for a couple of months. The Next AHL Board of Governors meeting is in early July. Season begins on October 9th.
More on this as it becomes available.