The Newfoundland Growlers are tentatively scheduled to open their 2020-21 ECHL season on Jan. 15.
According to an ECHL news release, the league will start the new hockey season on Dec. 11 under a split-season format.
The league says 13 teams — Allen, Florida, Greenville, Indy, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Orlando, Rapid City, South Carolina, Tulsa, Utah, Wheeling and Wichita — will begin a 72-game season on Dec. 11.
The remaining 12 ECHL teams — Newfoundland, Adirondack, Brampton, Fort Wayne, Norfolk, Reading, Cincinnati, Maine, Idaho, Kalamazoo and Toledo — will begin their season on Jan. 15, competing in a 62-game season upon jurisdictional approval.
The Atlanta Gladiators have taken a voluntary suspension for the 2020-21 season due to COVID-19 restrictions, returning to play in 2021-22. All Atlanta Gladiators players are considered free agents for the upcoming season.
“While we are excited that the ECHL is providing a path forward for teams to start playing again, we have to operate within the rules currently in place to protect the health and safety of our players, staff and the people of our province." — Dean MacDonald
Under the split-season scenario, league standings will be based on winning percentage during the regular season. The post-season format will be based on the eligible competing teams in the regular season.
The league had originally targeted a Dec. 4 start for all teams.
The Growlers, according to a team-issued news release, will continue to monitor public health guidance and associated travel restrictions over the coming months, “to navigate towards a safe return to hockey at Mile One Centre.
Travel issues amount to a double whammy for the Newfoundland team. Not only do the Growlers and Ontario-based Brampton Beast have to deal with restrictions on cross-border travel to the United States, where more than 90 per cent of the league's teams are located, the Growlers are also within the Atlantic bubble which calls for restrictions to travel to Ontario.
That leant to the cautious tone from the Growlers as they commented on the league's announcement.
“While we are excited that the ECHL is providing a path forward for teams to start playing again, we have to operate within the rules currently in place to protect the health and safety of our players, staff and the people of our province”, said Dean MacDonald, chairman of Deacon Sports and Entertainment, owner of the Growlers. “We will continue to work closely with Mile One Centre and the Department of Health and Community Services to get the Growlers back on home ice to defend our league championship title (the 2020 season was cancelled because of COVID-19).”
In fact, the fact that Jan. 15 should be considered as a tentative start date for the Growlers was reinforced on the same day the ECHL realeased its new season-starting plans. That's when the team made the following announcement on its Twitter account, with the post coming in the same thread as one about the start-up announcement.
"The Growlers have decided that it is in the best interests of our current Regiment Gold Season Ticket Members to issue refunds for all accounts until we have a clearer pathway to return to play."
The Growlers have decided that it is in the best interests of our current Regiment Gold Season Ticket Members to issue refunds for all accounts until we have a clearer pathway to return to play.
— Newfoundland Growlers (@NLGrowlers) October 9, 2020
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As it stands, the ECHL regular season will conclude on June 6, 2021.
The National Hockey League has set Jan. 1, 2021 as a start date for its next season. The American Hockey League has not announced a start date.
