Toronto Maple Leafs announce new ECHL affiliation

The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced  a new ECHL affiliation beginning next season.

On Thursday, the club announced it has agreed to an affiliation with the Newfoundland Growlers.

The Growlers will replace the Orlando Solar Bears as the Maple Leafs’ secondary affiliate and the primary affiliate of the AHL’s Toronto Marlies.

Orlando was the Maple Leafs affiliate from 2013-18.

The Growlers will compete in the North Division of the Eastern Conference of the 27-team league in their inaugural season.

They will be playing at Mile One Arena in St. John’s.

The city was home to a Maple Leafs’ AHL affiliate team, the St. John’s Maple Leafs, from 1991-2005 before relocating to Toronto as the Marlies for the 2005-06 season.

The Maple Leafs have had previous affiliations with Reading, Columbia and Pensacola of the ECHL.