As of the 2017-2018 season, the Montreal Canadiens’ American Hockey League affiliate currently known as the St. John’s Ice Caps (playing out of Newfoundland) will be moving to Laval, QC. The announcement was made earlier today by Geoff Molson as he was accompanied by general Marc Bergevin.
The Ice Caps, who previously played in Hamilton, ON as the Bulldogs, will be moving into a new arena called the Place Bell. The $200 million construction is set to be completed by summertime in 2017, and the organization has invited fans from everywhere to propose a new name for the Laval team.
You must be 18 years or older to enter the contest, a resident of Quebec, and can submit your ideas here (in French) or in English by clicking here. The contest begins today and will go on until July 22nd, and a bilingual name will be preferred.
I see this as a great move for the organization as it should have a significantly easier time keeping an eye on the development of prospects. Evidently, a player that gets called up to the NHL team will not have to worry about travelling as much as Laval is only a few kilometers away from Montreal. Moreover, the players will live in the surrounding areas. My only fear is that some might get sucked into the lavish nightlife that this city has to offer…
Nevertheless, I’ll be looking forward to taking in more AHL games and keeping you all updated on my observations regarding the progress of the future of the Habs.
For now, the city of Laval will benefit from an injection of economic benefits and the arena will allow for concerts and other special events to take place within.