National Hockey League insider Elliotte Friedman recently disclosed that both the ECHL affiliate teams for the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs might face closure this week.
"There are two Canadian teams in the ECHL... and barring a major change on Tuesday both of these two teams could have their operations suspended," revealed Friedman.
"There's been a lengthy behind the scenes battle over payments to the cities and some of the NHL teams and they've put a deadline," said Friedman. "If it isn't solved by Tuesday... they are gonna suspend operations of the team."
In the event of suspension, a contingency plan is reportedly in place to ensure players receive their pay for the remainder of the season. However, this situation poses challenges for player development and leaves both the Maple Leafs and Canadiens without an ECHL affiliate, which is less than ideal.
