Minor league San Francisco Bulls fold
San Jose Sharks general manager Doug Wilson said its five players assigned to the San Francisco Bulls will be assigned elsewhere. / Mark Blinch, AP 
The landscape of the ECHL's Western Conference shifted Monday when the San Francisco Bulls folded, effective immediately.
The team sent an email Monday to its fans announce that it was ceasing operations. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the Bulls lost $2 million last season and had similar projections for this season. There were hopes that the team would transfer to a new ownership group, but those talks fell through.
The removal of the Bulls leaves only eight teams in the Western Conference, meaning all eight will make the playoffs. The ECHL said all Bulls players are deemed unrestricted free agents, free for any team to sign.
In only its second year in existence, San Francisco was in eighth place in the Western Conference, ahead of only Las Vegas. San Francisco was an affiliate of the San Jose Sharks.
'The Bulls have been a great partner for our organization, both on the ice and as a partner in growing the game of hockey in Northern California,' Sharks general manager Doug Wilson said in a statement. 'We wish everyone involved with the franchise the best in the future.
'The Sharks organization currently has five players on NHL or AHL contracts playing in San Francisco. Those players will be reassigned in the very near future.'
The five players are J.P. Anderson (NHL), Kyle Bigos, Riley Brace, Sebastian Stalberg (NHL) and Steven Tarasuk.
The ECHL said an updated schedule will be released as soon as possible.
Kevin Lytle writes for The (Fort Collins) Coloradoan
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