Newfoundland Growlers

Newfoundland Growlers
2018–19 ECHL season
City St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
League ECHL
Conference Eastern
Division North
Founded 2018
Home arena Mile One Centre
Colours Gold, black
         
Owner(s) Deacon Investments LTD
Head coach Ryane Clowe
Media CJYQ
Affiliates Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL)
Toronto Marlies (AHL)
Website nlgrowlers.com
Franchise history
2018–present Newfoundland Growlers

The Newfoundland Growlers are a professional minor league ice hockey team in the ECHL based in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. The team began play in the 2018–19 ECHL season with home games at Mile One Centre. They are members in the North Division of the Eastern Conference and are affiliated with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League and Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League.[1]

History

The search for a new professional hockey team for St. John's began after the departure of the St. John's IceCaps of the American Hockey League. In July 2016, the Montreal Canadiens, who owned the franchise used by the club, confirmed the relocation of the team to the newly constructed Place Bell arena in Laval, Quebec, for the start of the 2017–18 season. Danny Williams, who ran the IceCaps and owned the team's intellectual property, stated his intentions to find another franchise with the AHL or another league.[2][3]

From that point two rival groups formed. The first were the operators of the St. John's Edge basketball team and current occupants of the Mile One Centre, who looked to secure a Quebec Major Junior Hockey League franchise for the arena. The other, a group of local businessmen including ice hockey executive Glenn Stanford of the former IceCaps, were looking to secure an ECHL team.[4][5]

The ECHL franchise was conditionally approved for the Stanford-led group pending an arena deal but was delayed in late January 2018 after a dispute with the St. John's Edge ownership group over arena rights that led to arbitration.[6] After the lease issue was settled, the ECHL officially approved St. John's for entry into the league on March 13, 2018, to begin with the 2018–19 season, placing them in the North Division of the Eastern Conference.[7] The ECHL ownership group reportedly created a partnership with the Toronto Maple Leafs, which would bring the organization back to St. John's for the first time since the team relocated their American Hockey League affiliate, the St. John's Maple Leafs, to Toronto in 2005.[8] The affiliation would eventually be confirmed on June 14.[1] Among the names considered for the new franchise were Shamrocks, Storm, Regiment, and Newfoundland Growlers.[9] The team announced its name as the Newfoundland Growlers on May 22 the name in reference to the Newfoundland dog specifically the World War I mascot of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment Sable Chief. Ryane Clowe, a Newfoundland native, previously an assistant coach with the New Jersey Devils, was named head coach on June 20.[10] John Snowden was added as assistant coach on July 19 after serving in the same capacity for the Maple Leafs' previous ECHL affiliate, the Orlando Solar Bears.[11]

The Growlers played their first game on October 12, 2018, a 3–2 win over the Florida Everblades in front of a sold-out arena.[12]

Mascot

Buddy the Puffin is the mascot of the Growlers. Buddy, a longtime sports mascot in St. John's was previously the mascot of the St. John's Maple Leafs and later the St. John's IceCaps. Buddy's number is 92, which represents 1992, the year that he was introduced as the mascot of the St. John's Maple Leafs. Buddy is also the mascot for the basketball team, the St. John's Edge.[13]

Current roster

As of October 1, 2018.[14]

# Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace Contract
– Russia Semyon Babintsev RW L 24 2018 Moscow, Russia Growlers
– Canada Matt Bradley C R 21 2018 Vancouver, British Columbia Marlies
– Canada Giorgio Estephan C R 21 2018 Edmonton, Alberta Marlies
– Canada Michael Garteig G L 26 2018 Prince George, British Columbia Growlers
– Canada Alex Gudbranson D R 24 2018 Orleans, Ontario Marlies
– United States Brady Ferguson LW L 24 2018 Lewisville, Texas Marlies
– United States Josh Kestner RW R 24 2018 Huntsville, Alabama Marlies
– Canada Stefan LeBlanc D L 22 2018 Oakville, Ontario Marlies
– United States Eamon McAdam G L 24 2018 Perkasie, Pennsylvania Maple Leafs
– Canada James Melindy D R 24 2018 St. John's, Newfoundland Growlers
– United States Ryan Moore C L 21 2018 Troy, Michigan Marlies
– United States Evan Neugold C R 26 2018 Goshen, Connecticut Growlers
– Canada Zach O'Brien RW R 26 2018 St. John's, Newfoundland Marlies
– Canada Adam Pardy D L 34 2018 Bonavista, Newfoundland Growlers
– Canada Derian Plouffe C L 23 2018 Nepean, Ontario Marlies
– United States Scott Pooley RW R 24 2018 Granger, Indiana Marlies
– Canada Marcus Power C L 25 2018 St. John's, Newfoundland Growlers
– Latvia Kristians Rubins D L 20 2018 Riga, Latvia Growlers
– Canada Kyle Thacker D L 25 2018 Mississauga, Ontario Growlers

References

  1. 1 2 "Newfoundland Growlers Announce Affiliation with Toronto Maple Leafs & Toronto Marlies". The Newfoundland Herald. June 14, 2018.
  2. ↑ "IceCaps Seek New Hockey Partner". OurSports Central. July 11, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Canadiens moving AHL affiliate to Laval in 17-18". AHL. July 11, 2016.
  4. ↑ "A brand new hockey game at Mile One in St. John's?". The Telegram. December 7, 2017.
  5. ↑ "Faceoff over Mile One: Local group seeks ECHL franchise for St. John's". The Telegram. December 8, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Securing Of ECHL Team On Hold During Arbitration: MacDonald". VOCM-FM. January 30, 2018.
  7. ↑ "BOARD OF GOVERNORS APPROVES CHANGES FOR 2018-19 SEASON". ECHL. March 13, 2018.
  8. ↑ "St. John's ECHL bid strikes partnership with Toronto Maple Leafs: sources". The Aurora. January 19, 2018.
  9. ↑ "Newfoundland Growlers looks to be the name choice for new ECHL team". The Telegram. April 26, 2018.
  10. ↑ "Ryane Clowe Named Head Coach of Newfoundland Growlers". OurSportsCentral.com. June 20, 2018.
  11. ↑ "John Snowden Hired as Newfoundland Growlers' Assistant Coach". TheTelegram.com. July 19, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Growlers Win Inaugural Game". OurSportsCentral.com. October 12, 2018.
  13. ↑ News, NTV. "Buddy the Puffin coming out of retirement". Retrieved 2018-10-14.
  14. ↑ "Newfoundland Growlers Elite Prospects". EliteProspects.com. Retrieved July 13, 2018.

See also

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