The ECHL Board of Governors has announced that the Newfoundland Growlers have folded and will not finish the rest of the regular season. Players on Newfoundland were told earlier today that they would become free agents. This is going to give teams that are in a Kelly Cup Race a chance to make some massive additions to their team prior to the playoffs. Regardless of what happens to the players, they will be paid through the first round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs, and their health insurance will stay intact until the end of June.
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It appears that the Trois-Rivieres Lions will survive and continue under new ownership, as a last-minute buyer came in to keep the Lions alive. It is unknown who the buyer is at this moment. With Newfoundland out of the picture, the playoff race in the North Division now sits at a three-team race for the final playoff spot between the Maine Mariners, Trois-Rivieres Lions, and Worcester Railers.
The final six games Newfoundland was supposed to play will be canceled and playoff seeding will be based on point percentage. Teams are only allowed to sign a maximum of two players from Newfoundland. Any NHL/AHL contracts that were on Newfoundlands roster after March 20th are ineligible for the Kelly Cup Playoffs.
I am not suprised. This is not a very good league anymore. Div 3 college players getting paid less then a MacDonalds employee. Decent players go to Europe.