Flint, Mich. – The Flint Firebirds announced June 13th, 2019 that the club has reached an affiliation agreement with the Leamington Flyers of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL).
With the agreement, the Firebirds will be able to assign affiliated players, draft picks and prospects to play and develop in Leamington.
“We are excited about the opportunity to have the Leamington Flyers as an affiliate of the Firebirds,” said Flint Firebirds Vice President of Hockey Operations & General Manager Barclay Branch. “Leamington is well-known as a respected program in a great developmental league as the GOJHL and will provide an excellent environment for our prospects to develop and reach their hockey goals.”
The Flyers have a rich tradition of success as the club won back-to-back GOJHL Western Conference playoff champions in 2014 and 2015 and most recently were the Western Conference regular season champions this past 2018-19 season. The Firebirds, formerly the Plymouth Whalers, will begin their fifth season in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) this coming fall. Flint and Leamington are separated by 106 Miles (170 Kilometers).
“We are thrilled to be affiliating with a first-class organization like the Flint Firebirds,” said Leamington Flyers General Manager Justin Solcz. “This partnership is a perfect fit for our organization and aligns with our goals of developing players for the next level. The entire Leamington organization is excited to learn from Barclay, Eric and the rest of the Firebirds’ staff as we start this relationship.”
