On Tuesday, April 2nd, the ECHL and Deacon Sports and Entertainment announced that the affiliate team of the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Newfoundland Growlers, would be disbanded and cease operations immediately.

“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 before the league-mandated April 2, 2024 deadline. Due to unforeseen challenges, and while a discussion was put forth to salvage the future of both teams, only the continuation of the Trois-Rivières Lions was approved by the ECHL, and as a result, the ECHL Board of Governors has voted to terminate the league membership of the Newfoundland Growlers.” The club said in a statement.

The club continues “We extend our heartfelt appreciation to our fans, sponsors, partners, staff, and the hundreds of players who have proudly represented the Growlers, whose unwavering resilience and support has been instrumental to our on-ice product. Deacon Sports and Entertainment extends sincere gratitude to the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montréal Canadiens for their support over the past six seasons.”

One part left out of the statement was what would happen to the players on the roster. If the player has an ECHL contract they will become an unrestricted free agent for the remainder of the season. If for some reason they were able to have an AHL or even NHL contract you will be illegible to sign or must play in those leagues.

I feel Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) should have bought the team. Due to this inaction, many players and staff have lost their jobs. The sports groups are worth eight billion dollars. When looking at a team they are only worth two million dollars. I feel that MLSE let its players, staff, and the people of Newfoundland down. Looking at the perspective of the players, the ECHL is massive for goalie development, and losing this team will only hurt the player pool. This also hurts small-time schools like RMU, which is where most of the post-grad athletes come from.

Overall this move by the ECHL, MLSE, and Deacon Sports is a massive oversight, they’ve hurt the development of players, taken jobs, and now lost fans. I believe a new team must be picked up quickly.