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"This will be the last season. They'll announce it tomorrow" Monarchs and Sharks skipping town

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By Cornelius Hardenbergh
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Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

The AHL made a big announcement earlier today. We already knew it was coming, but now it's official. Two local rivals of your Providence Bruins will be moving out west: the Monarchs and Sharks.

The Manchester Monarchs are moving to the home of the Ontario (California) Reign to be closer to their parent organization. The Kings aren't giving up on Manchester, however - they're moving their ECHL affiliate (currently, the Ontario Reign) to Manchester to take up residence. Manchester and Ontario, CA are making an AHL-for-ECHL swap.

It makes sense for them, but sucks for Monarchs fans. The upside in all of this is that Mike Richards doesn't have to sell his home in California.

The Worcester Sharks are moving to San Jose. They will play home games at the home rink of the San Jose Sharks, and be renamed. There isn't yet a team reported to be taking over in Worcester, but it's likely we'll be seeing an ECHL team or something there soon. The Worcester Sharks' current ECHL affiliate are the Allen Americans, who just started playing in the ECHL this year. They were a CHL team before that.

I never actually got a chance to see the Worcester Sharks. Therefore, my biggest memory of them is Rob Gronkowski spiking the puck at a game:

Split the damn thing in half.

Other teams moving:

  • The Anaheim Ducks are moving the Norfolk Admirals to San Diego, CA.
  • The Calgary Flames are moving their affiliate from Glenn Falls, NY to Stockton, CA.
  • The Edmonton Oilers are moving their affiliate in Oklahoma City to Bakersfield, CA.

    • RIP, Monarchs and Sharks.

    Which AHL team are you going to miss most?

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