The Newfoundland Growlers are opting out of competition for the 2020-21 ECHL season under the league’s Voluntary Suspension Policy.

The announcement coincides with the remaining teams in the ECHL’s North Division including Adirondack, Brampton, Maine, Reading, and Worcester.

Under the terms of the ECHL PHPA Collective Bargaining Agreement, all players from each of those teams are free agents for the season, effectively immediately.

Chair of Deacon Sports and Entertainment, Dean MacDonald says while they have been working diligently towards a safe return to hockey, they have reached a point where it makes sense to shift their focus on the 2021-22 season.

Meanwhile, MacDonald says an important component of the Growlers business plan was managing the day-to-day operations of Mile One Centre. He says it was “instrumental” in cementing their relationship with the Maple Leafs, but they don’t own the building.

He says the Toronto Maple Leafs supports MacDonald’s intention to both “manage and reimagine” Mile One Centre.