Blues secure an affiliate: San Antonio Rampage of the AHL

It won't be in full effect until next season, but the St. Louis Blues are no longer without a minor league affiliate.

The Blues announced Tuesday that the team has signed a five-year affiliation agreement with the San Antonio Rampage of the American Hockey League.

The Blues are sharing select players with San Antonio this season, including forwards Sammy Blais, Klim Kostin and Adam Musil, defensemen Chris Butler and Jordan Schmaltz and goaltender Ville Husso. The official affiliation agreement between the Blues and Rampage will begin with the 2018-19 season.

"We are excited to partner with San Antonio for the next five seasons," Blues GM Doug Armstrong said in a team press release. "With this agreement, the Blues will control all of the hockey operations for the Rampage, enabling us to develop our prospects with the same philosophies we use at the NHL level."

The Rampage are owned and operated by Spurs Sports and Entertainment L.L.C (SS&E), which is based in San Antonio and also operates the five-time NBA champion San Antonio Spurs, the San Antonio Stars of the WNBA, the NBA G League's Austin Spurs and the United Soccer League's San Antonio FC.

The Rampage joined the AHL in 2002-03 and play in the Pacific Division.