Newfoundland Growlers
CitySt. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
LeagueECHL
ConferenceEastern
DivisionNorth
Founded2018
Home arenaMary Brown's Centre
ColoursGold, black
   
Owner(s)Deacon Investments LTD
Head coachMatt Cooke
CaptainTodd Skirving
MediaCJYQ
Rogers TV
AffiliatesToronto Maple Leafs (NHL)
Toronto Marlies (AHL)
Websitenlgrowlers.com
Franchise history
2018–presentNewfoundland Growlers
Championships
Division titles2 (2018–19, 2022–23)
Conference titles1 (2018–19)
Kelly Cups1 (2018–19)
Current season

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 and have home games at Mary Brown's 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 Montreal Canadiens announced, in July 2016, that their affiliate, the St. John's IceCaps of the American Hockey League, would move to the newly constructed Place Bell arena in Laval, Quebec, for the start of the 2017–18 season. Danny Williams, from the incumbent franchise, stated his intention to find a replacement.[2][3]

From that point two rival groups formed: the operators of the St. John's Edge basketball team, which played at the Mile One Centre, who wanted a Quebec Major Junior Hockey League franchise for the arena; and another, led by local businessman Dean MacDonald and Glenn Stanford of the former IceCaps, who were looking for an ECHL team.[4][5]

The ECHL franchise was conditionally approved but was delayed in late January 2018 after the dispute with the St. John's Edge ownership group over arena rights went to arbitration.[6] After the lease issue was settled, the ECHL officially approved St. John's application on March 13, 2018, placing the team in the North Division of the Eastern Conference in the 2018–19 season.[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 was 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 refers 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] In January 2019, Clowe stepped down due to health concerns and was replaced by assistant coach John Snowden.[13] The Growlers finished the season first in their division with 94 points. The Growlers then advanced to the finals of the 2019 playoffs defeating the Toledo Walleye in six games to win the Kelly Cup. The Growlers were the second team after the 1989–90 Greensboro Monarchs to win the ECHL championship in its first season of operations.[14][15] They are also the first Canadian team to win the Cup.

The Growlers did not defend their title in 2020 as the playoffs were cancelled due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The club then voluntarily suspended operations for the 2020–21 ECHL season due to ongoing pandemic travel restrictions.[16] In the 2021 offseason, head coach John Snowden was hired by the Growlers' AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, as an assistant coach[17] with Eric Wellwood later named head coach for the 2021–22 season.[18] With Wellwood unavailable in February 2022 due to COVID-19 protocols, the Growlers hired Danielle Goyette as a temporary assistant coach, making Goyette the first woman to coach an ECHL team.[19]

2021 arena dispute

In July 2021, co-tenant of Mile One Centre, the St. John's Edge basketball team, were not given the option to renew their lease despite being in negotiations with the Growlers ownership, Deacon Sports and Entertainment (DSE), to purchase the Edge.[20][21][22] This led to a dispute between DSE and the City of St. John's as the Growlers still needed to renew their lease agreement as well, which they did, signing a three-year agreement in August 2021.[23] However, the operations of the arena was continued to be criticized by DSE and tickets were not being sold a week before their first scheduled home game of the 2021–22 season.[24]

On October 27, 2021, citing workplace harassment of arena employees, the city voted to evict the team, which elicited the threat of a lawsuit from DSE.[25] A third-party investigation was undertaken. The Growlers initially scheduled their first six home games for the Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto, the home of their AHL parent club, the Toronto Marlies, in case they could not secure a local arena.[26][27] They subsequently came to an agreement with the nearby city of Conception Bay South to play their first six games at the CBS arena.[28] On November 18, DSE and the city of St. John's came to an agreement to play the rest of the season at the Mile One Centre, renamed Mary Brown's Centre, in early November.[29]

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. Chris Abbott, the man who wore Buddy's costume, died in 2022. Buddy was then retired by the Growlers. In December 2022 the Growlers introduced Buddy Jr. sporting the number 22. Buddy was also the mascot for the St. John's Edge basketball team.[30]

Season-by-season records

Regular season Playoffs
SeasonGPWLOTLSOLPtsGFGAStandingYear1st round2nd round3rd roundKelly Cup
2018–1972432144942582071st, North2019W, 4–2, BRMW, 4–2, MANW, 4–1, FLAW, 4–2, TOL
2019–2060421701852401771st, North2020Season cancelled
2020–21Opted out of participating due to the COVID-19 pandemic2021did not participate
2021–2267422041892621912nd, North2022W, 4–3, TRLW, 4–3, REAL, 1–4, FLA—
2022–2372482220982712171st, North2023W, 4–1, ADKW, 4–1, REAL, 2–4, FLA—

Players

Current roster

Updated November 12, 2023.[31]

--> -->

Team roster
No. Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace Contract
7 Canada Jackson Berezowski RW R 21 2023 Yorkton, Saskatchewan Marlies
6 United States Brock Caufield RW R 24 2023 Stevens Point, Wisconsin Marlies
40 Canada Luke Cavallin G R 22 2022 Swindon, United Kingdom Marlies
19 United States Grant Cruikshank C L 25 2023 Delafield, Wisconsin Marlies
47 Canada Adam Dawe F R 24 2023 Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador Growlers
38 United States Cory Dennis D L 26 2023 Madison, Wisconsin Growlers
16 Canada Nolan Dillingham D R 21 2023 Mississauga, Ontario Marlies
17 Canada Jordan Escott (A) F L 32 2022 St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador Growlers
39 United States Alex Koopmeiners F L 31 2023 St. Cloud, Minnesota Growlers
5 Canada D-Jay Jerome F R 24 2023 Lethbridge, Alberta Growlers
45 United States Dryden McKay G L 26 2022 Downers Grove, Illinois Marlies
3 United States Jacob Modry D L 24 2023 El Segundo, California Growlers
50 Russia Vyacheslav Peksa G L 21 2023 Magnitogorsk, Russia Maple Leafs
22 United States Neil Shea F L 24 2023 Marshfield, Massachusetts Marlies
9 United States Tate Singleton F L 25 2023 West Lebanon, New Hampshire Marlies
15 Canada Todd Skirving (C) C L 31 2018 Thunder Bay, Ontario Growlers
27 United States Keenan Suthers F L 25 2022 Tecumseh, Ontario Marlies
20 Canada Jonny Tychonick (A) D L 23 2023 Calgary, Alberta Marlies
24 United States Josh Victor D L 29 2023 Round Rock, Texas Growlers
13 United States Joe Masonius D L 26 2023 Spring Lake, New Jersey Growlers
43 Canada James Melindy D R 30 2018 St. Johns, Newfoundland Growlers
8 Canada Serron Noel RW R 23 2023 Ottawa, Ontario Growlers
33 Canada Dan Cadigan D R 34 2023 Outer Cove, Newfoundland Growlers
14 United States Jake Hamilton D L 28 2023 O'Fallon, Illinois Growlers
26 United States Lincoln Erne D R 25 2023 Blaine, Minnesota Growlers
36 United States Tyler Weiss LW L 23 2023 Raleigh, North Carolina Marlies

See also

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. Archived from the original on June 14, 2018. Retrieved 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. ↑ "Ryane Clowe steps down as Newfoundland Growlers coach 'due to medical reasons'". CBC. January 24, 2019. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  14. ↑ "NEWFOUNDLAND WINS 2019 KELLY CUP TITLE". ECHL. June 4, 2019.
  15. ↑ "Newfoundland Growlers cap inaugural season with Kelly Cup title". Sportsnet. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  16. ↑ "NORTH DIVISION ELECTS SUSPENSION OF PLAY FOR 2020-21 SEASON". ECHL. November 18, 2020. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  17. ↑ "Toronto Marlies Name John Snowden Assistant Coach". OurSports Central. July 18, 2021.
  18. ↑ "ERIC WELLWOOD NAMED HEAD COACH". Newfoundland Growlers. August 20, 2021.
  19. ↑ "N.L. Growlers' Danielle Goyette becomes first woman in ECHL history to coach". Sportsnet. February 4, 2022.
  20. ↑ "Tentative Deal Reached for New St. John's Basketball Franchise". VOCM (AM). July 15, 2021.
  21. ↑ "FAST FACTS ON THE NEW BASKETBALL DEAL". Newfoundland Growlers. July 16, 2021.
  22. ↑ "City 'Edges Out' Dean MacDonald with New Tentative Basketball Deal". VOCM. July 15, 2021.
  23. ↑ "City of St. John's, Newfoundland Growlers reach lease agreement for Mile One Centre". CBC.ca. August 25, 2021.
  24. ↑ "GROWLERS STATEMENT REGARDING TICKETING". Growlers. October 25, 2021.
  25. ↑ "Deacon Sports says Growlers "Kicked Out" of Mile One". vocm.com. October 27, 2021.
  26. ↑ "Newfoundland Growlers to play next homestand in Toronto; after that is anyone's guess". saltwire.com. October 27, 2021.
  27. ↑ "UPDATE: Newfoundland Growlers to play at Coca-Cola Coliseum after getting barred from their arena pending investigation". SBNation. October 7, 2021.
  28. ↑ "GROWLERS TO PLAY FIRST SIX GAMES OF THE SEASON AT CBS ARENA". Newfoundland Growlers. October 30, 2021.
  29. ↑ "DSE and SJSEL Issue Joint Statement". OurSports Central. November 23, 2021.
  30. ↑ "Buddy the Puffin coming out of retirement". NTV. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
  31. ↑ "Newfoundland Growlers current roster". Newfoundland Growlers. October 14, 2023. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
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