Lightning ditch Pensacola Ice Pilots

I missed this news story because of other pressing matters at the time... However it is getting covered a week late and a dollar short, thankyouverymuch...

It would seem the Pensacola Ice Pilots of the ECHL are no longer the ECHL affiliate of the Tampa Bay Lightning, being replaced by the Johnstown Chiefs.

The Ice Pilots gave the Lightning mroe advertising, of sorts, in the state by being the Lightning's sole full affiliate hockey team the last few years. This move seems related to the Springfield Falcons becoming the Lightning's AHL Affiliate. It's logistics and things like that which make a ECHL team closer to Springfield more effective than having one in Pensacola.

Then again, I could very much be wrong and speaking out of my ass on that one.