Newfoundland Growlers won't finish the season as membership in ECHL terminated

The Newfoundland Growlers won't finish out the 2023-2024 season, marking the second time a Toronto Maple Leafs minor league affiliated team has left the province.

With six games left on the schedule, the ECHL an‐ nounced on Tuesday its board of governors voted to terminate the club's mem‐ bership effective immediately "for failure to fulfil its obliga‐ tions under the ECHL By‐ laws."

In a statement posted on its website, the Growlers said team owners Deacon Sports and Entertainment couldn't finalize a sale of the franchise prior to the league-mandated April 2 deadline. The TroisRivières Lions, also owned by Deacon, was sold and will fin‐ ish the season.

"Due to unforeseen chal‐ lenges, and while a discus‐ sion was put forth to salvage the future of both teams, on‐ ly the continuation of the Trois-Rivières Lions was ap‐ proved by the ECHL, and as a result, the ECHL Board of Governors has voted to ter‐ minate the league member‐ ship of the Newfoundland Growlers," reads the Growler‐ s' statement.

"We extend our heartfelt appreciation to our fans, sponsors, partners, staff, and the hundreds of players who have proudly represented the Growlers, whose unwa‐ vering resilience and support has been instrumental to our on-ice product."

ECHL commissioner Ryan Crelin wrote the league is "saddened to lose ECHL hockey in the Newfoundland market."

He said the league is "hopeful that hockey can re‐ turn to the region for their dedicated and passionate fan base."

Growlers players with ECHL contracts will become unrestricted free agents. Those with AHL contracts are ineligible to finish out the

ECHL season.

The Growlers statement says refunds for remaining three home games will be au‐ tomatically processed by the box office at the Mary Brown's Centre.

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