Anaheim Ducks to Part Ways With Syracuse Crunch
By Editorial Staff
The Syracuse Crunch have declined the offer to be the Anaheim Ducks primary American Hockey League affiliate for the next two seasons. The Ducks will be searching for a new city to host their prospects.
Crunch owner Howard Dolgon said both sides would have had to agree to carry the deal for an additional two years. There is an option for negotiating a new deal, but it does not seem likely.
The Ducks and the Crunch have never had the greatest relationship. Murray signed several solid AHL players for the Crunch this season, but they have done little with it. The Crunch are 14th in the Eastern Conference with a miserable 22-25-8 record.
Dolgon spoke to the press:
"“We have not executed the option as it exists,” Dolgon told the Post-Standard. “At this point in time, we want to look out at what’s best for us. That option wasn’t the best for us. There’s a process we’re going through. There are things that need to be looked into further, and things that need to be finalized.”"
Bob Murray also spoke on the matter:
"“This was not a surprise,” Murray said. ”We have known about this for quite some time. We will have options for next year and are currently exploring the possibilities. We hope to have a strong finish to the season and certainly wish Syracuse well in the future.”"
San Diego would be a good spot to bring a team. There used to be a team there and they did pretty well. There are also arenas in Bakersfield, Ontario, Stockton, Fresno and Las Vegas where ECHL franchise currently reside.
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