The St. Louis Blues and the Worcester Railers of the ECHL today announced an affiliation agreement through the 2030-31 season.
Starting with the upcoming 2026-27 campaign, the Railers will serve as the secondary affiliate for the Blues and their primary developmental affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds of the American Hockey League (AHL).
St. Louis’ affiliation agreement with Springfield began in 2021 and was extended in 2024 to last through the 2030-31 season.
“For the development of St. Louis Blues prospects, Worcester truly is an ideal location for our ECHL affiliate and we look forward to launching this partnership with their organization and community,” said Tim Taylor, St. Louis Blues Assistant General Manager and Co-General Manager of the Springfield Thunderbirds. “Having Springfield and Worcester located within 50 miles of each other will maximize the competitive opportunities for our young players and introduce some unique efficiencies for our player development and pro scouting teams.”
The ECHL affiliate for the Blues over the previous two seasons was the Florida Everblades. The team just completed a run to win the ECHL’s Kelly Cup for the fourth time in five seasons.
The addition of Worcester as the Blues new ECHL affiliate enhances the organizational development pyramid based on geography and alignment between management teams. Recently named by The Athletic as having the 10th-best prospect pool in the NHL, the Blues head into the 2026 NHL Draft with 12 total selections, including three in the first round. Prospects already in the Blues system with Springfield recently completed an inspiring playoff run to the AHL’s Atlantic Division Finals under the leadership of first-year head coach Steve Ott, establishing a record for the biggest upset in AHL playoff history in the process.
“When we were assessing affiliation opportunities, we looked at a number of factors,” said Michael Myers, Worcester Railers Chief Operating Officer “We took into account proximity, resources, and track record. Seeing what the Blues and their affiliates have done in recent history, excites us as an organization for what the future with St. Louis may hold. We look forward to welcoming St. Louis back into our Central Massachusetts hockey culture.”
The Worcester Railers were founded in 2016 and served as the ECHL affiliate for the New York Islanders since beginning play in the 2017-18 season. The Railers have posted a .500 or better record in seven of their eight seasons, including a 35-30-7 record during the 2025-26 season, their second-best record in franchise history. The head coach and general manager of the Railers is Nick Tuzzolino.
The Railers play in the ECHL’s North Division in the Eastern Conference and have seen five former players make their NHL debut. A pillar of the Worcester, Massachusetts community, the Railers have received the ECHL’s league-wide Community Service Award five times in their eight seasons.
The Blues helped introduce minor league hockey to Worcester from 1994-2005 when the Worcester IceCats were the team’s top AHL affiliate. In addition to a series of successful playoff runs, the IceCats produced several players that went on to play prominent roles for the Blues, including Jim Campbell, Michal Handzus, Jamal Mayers, Tyson Nash, Darren Rumble, and Blues Hall of Famer Barret Jackman. After the IceCats were sold and relocated to become the Peoria Rivermen in 2005, the Worcester Sharks served as the AHL affiliate of the San Jose Sharks until 2015.
