ECHL Newfoundland Growlers: Why did Maple Leafs' affiliate get terminated?

On Tuesday, the ECHL Board of Governors announced the immediate termination of Newfoundland Growlers, an affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

According to NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman, the decision to dissolve the team from the ECHL was due to conflicts between the team's owner, Deacon Sports and Entertainment, and issues related to payments:

"The same owner (Deacon Sports and Entertainment) owns the two teams, but there's been a lengthy behind-the-scenes battle over payments to the cities and some of the NHL teams," Friedman said.

Expand Tweet

The unfortunate outcome signifies the end of professional hockey in Newfoundland. Here's what The ECHL commissioner Ryan Crelin said:

“We are saddened to lose ECHL hockey in the Newfoundland market. We’d like to thank the Growlers fans and partners for their support of the team throughout their existence, and are hopeful that hockey can return to the region for their dedicated and passionate fanbase.”

Expand Tweet

The Newfoundland Growlers were a minor league hockey team in the ECHL from St. John's, Newfoundland, and Labrador. The club started playing in the 2018-19 season at the Mary Brown's Center for their home games.

The Growlers had affiliations with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the NHL and the Toronto Marlies in the AHL.

What's next for Newfoundland Growlers players?

After the termination of the Newfoundland Growlers, all players with ECHL contracts with the team are now unrestricted free agents.

Notably, the ECHL has imposed a rule that no team can sign more than two of these UFAs from the Growlers. Additionally, all players who were on AHL contracts with Newfoundland will now move to join the Marlies for the rest of the season.

It is worth noting that players on AHL or NHL contracts. who joined the Growlers' roster after 11:59 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 20, are not permitted to play in the ECHL for the remainder of the season, according to league regulations.

Expand Tweet

In their official statement, Growlers said:

"Despite the efforts of our front-office, Deacon Sports and Entertainment regrets to announce that the sale of the Newfoundland Growlers could not be finalized prior to the league-mandated April 2, 2024 deadline."

About the author

Abhishek is an NHL writer at Sportskeeda with over 2 years of sports reporting experience and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Delhi. He became a fan of ice hockey after watching NHL fight videos on YouTube, which led to him professionally writing about the sport and his continued interest in all things hockey.

A fan of the Boston Bruins, Abhishek considers their incredible comeback win against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2013 playoffs as the most iconic moment in the NHL. His admiration for the six-time Stanley Cup winners also comes from the team’s storied history, distinctive black and gold uniform and their success in the sport. His all-time favorite NHL players are Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid, for their ability to perform at the highest level consistently.

Abhishek ensures his reporting is fair and balanced by being well-researched in his details, which he expects to be relevant, up-to-date and in line with ethical standards. His specialties are doing detailed match analysis and covering fan reactions.

Abhishek enjoys music, traveling and going on walks with his three German Shepherds in his free time, along with learning about horticulture.

Know More

Wayne Gretzky’s wife Janet responds to critics questioning his loyalty to Canada, Bobby Orr's support following 4 Nations drama

Edited by Tejas Rathi