Newfoundland Growlers looks to be name choice for ECHL team

New entry going with a double-meaning moniker and provincial identity

Growlers.

That is set to be the nickname of the new minor professional hockey team coming to St. John’s this fall.

But while there will be those intrigued by the double entendre of a moniker that can apply to both fierce animals and icebergs (a growler is a small piece or remnant of an iceberg), the most interesting aspect of the name of the ECHL club might be what comes in front.

Newfoundland.

Look for the Newfoundland Growlers to eventually be announced as the choice after a month-and-a-half of consideration by the team’s ownership group.

Shamrocks, Storm and Regiment were nicknames under consideration — domain names relating to those had been registered in mid-march — and there were those, at least from the outside, plumping for Capitals/ Caps or Maple Leafs, the names of local senior entries and the former American Hockey League team from St. John’s, respectively. The latter also had applications since the ECHL team will be affiliated with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

However, the delay would indicate the ownership was never really sold on any of those choices, and it appears there was also internal debate about whether the geographical reference should be city- or provincial-based.

They’ve gone with the latter. The Idea Factory, which has been handling such matters for the team, registered newfoundlandgrowlers.com as a domain name earlier this month.

Word was the nickname announcement, along with that of team colours and a logo (a bear on floating ice, perhaps?) might be officially made in early May.

However, it could be the timing of some formal revelations relating to the new hockey club are tied to the length of the playoffs runs of the National Basketball League of Canada’s St. John’s Edge, whose ownership group has partnered with their ECHL counterparts, and the Orlando Solar Bears, the Maple Leafs’ current ECHL affiliate.