MONTREAL -- Trois-Rivieres will be home to an ECHL team next year, the league announced on Tuesday.
Along with the long-rumoured expansion to the Quebec City, the league said another new team will launch in Coralville, IA in the 2021-22 season.
Both teams will be owned by Deacon Sports and Entertainment, which already owns the ECHL's Newfound Growlers.
The as yet unnamed Trois-Rivieres club will call Le Nouveau Colisee, a new arena with seating capacity of 4,390, home.
“This is an extremely exciting day for the ECHL and the future of our League, welcoming these two great markets and beautiful state-of-the-art facilities,” said ECHL Commissioner Ryan Crelin in a statement. “We have a great history of working with Dean’s ownership group and leadership team and look forward to bringing ECHL hockey to Trois-Rivieres and Coralville, making an impact as an asset to these communities.”
The Trois-Rivieres team is rumoured to be a future affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens. The Habs have not had an ECHL club as part of its farm system since its agreement with the Brampton Beast expired in 2018.
