As TJHN reported earlier this week, the Denver Cut Throats folded, and the Arizona Sundogs were rumored to be folding next. That rumor turned to fact yesterday with the following excerpt taken from the team release;
” The Arizona Sundogs announced today their request and approval from the Central Hockey League, to suspend operations for the 2014-15 season, effective immediately. The franchise will remain a member in good standing in the CHL, despite not participating in this season, in hopes of keeping Sundogs hockey in Prescott Valley for the 2015-16 season.”
The problem with this release is that unless the CHL teams are in fact merged or absorbed into the ECHL, there will not likely be minor pro hockey in Prescott Valley or Denver in the 2015-2016 season.
The CHL is now down to seven member teams for the 2014-2015 season. Three of the teams folding represented three of the bottom four teams in CHL attendance numbers.
The lone team standing in that bottom four group is the Brampton Beast. If rumors are to be believed, Brampton may be the next team out. If not this year then sources are reporting that the ECHL would not likely be interesting in the Brampton location.
Prescott Valley and Denver are now prime targets for the NAHL or another rumored start up Tier II league.
The Western United States is familiar territory for the NAHL. It was not long ago that the NAHL featured the New Mexico Mustangs, and prior to the Mustangs, the Santa Fe Roadrunners who are now located in Topeka.
Attendance and corporate sponsorship numbers in both of these cities would easily support Tier II hockey. The locations would also support other NAHL teams as travel partners, and fill a Western United States void left by the departure of the Fresno Monsters.
TJHN will update this story as more information develops.
