South Carolina Stingrays sign new NHL affiliation deal with Boston Bruins

The South Carolina Stingrays signed a National Hockey League affiliation agreement with the Boston Bruins.

A source with knowledge of the deal confirmed the agreement to The Post and Courier on Tuesday. An official announcement about the new affiliation is set for today, the source said.

For the past eight years, the Stingrays had been affiliated with the NHL’s Washington Capitals. The Capitals signed an ECHL affiliation agreement with the Reading Royals in early July.

The Bruins were affiliated with Reading last season.

Rich Peverley, who played for the Stingrays during the 2004-05 season, played for the Bruins this past season and helped lead Boston to a Stanley Cup title in 2011.

“That’s great news for the Bruins and the Stingrays,” Peverley said. “Any time you have an affiliation with a great organization like the South Carolina Stingrays, it’s going to make your prospects better. There’s no better place to play in the ECHL than Charleston. Charleston is a great organization, with great fans and a great tradition of winning and developing players. I couldn’t be happier.”

The Stingrays have developed players who have gone on to play in the NHL, including goalies Braden Holtby, who started for the Capitals in the Stanley Cup playoffs last season, and James Reimer, who won 20 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 2010-11 season.