Growlers shutting down is a big loss for Maple Leafs, Newfoundland hockey fans

The ECHL’s Newfoundland Growlers announced yesterday that they are seizing operations after a deal could not be finalized prior to the league-mandated April 2, 2024 deadline. As a result, the ECHL Board of Governors voted to terminate the league membership of the Newfoundland Growlers.

Today on Daily Faceoff Live, Frank Seravalli and Tyler Yaremchuk touch on this loss for Newfoundland hockey fans and more.

Tyler Yaremchuk: It was announced yesterday that the Growlers will be seizing operations and it just always sucks to see a hockey market lose their team

Frank Seravalli: Not only that but it’s also a tough spot for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Their guys don’t have a place to play in the ECHL now and I know a lot of people have the attitude of “Who cares it’s just the ECHL” but that’s where Bobby McMann spent some time, Timothy Liljegren played a game for the Growlers. So it’s not only a passionate hockey market that ran into business operations troubles and that hurts. It hurts the Maple Leafs and it hurts a great Canadian market that was trying to support a team.

Frank Seravalli: I am convinced someone will come forward and try to make hockey work again in Newfoundland, it was just a lot to get done in a short period of time where they had to get their debt paid off and sell the franchise to new owners and then come in during the last few weeks of the season to keep things propped open. To seize operations while the season is still ongoing sucks, and especially sucks for those players who are now scrambling to find teams and those Leafs players who are under NHL contracts.