Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 9, 1995 TAG: 9506090074
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The move ends Greensboro's six-year affiliation with the East Coast Hockey League.
``We feel the AHL will bring an incredible entertainment value to the best level of hockey attainable,'' said Bill Black, the Monarchs' president. ``Our mission is to bring a much higher level of professional ice hockey to North Carolina.''
Carolina becomes the 18th franchise in the 59-year-old AHL.
The Panthers will provide the Monarchs with 18 players, as well as coaches and trainers. Bryan Murray, Florida's general manager, said no decision had been made on a head coach. Jeff Brubaker, who has been the Monarchs' coach and general manager throughout the franchise's six-year history, is on a ``short list'' of applicants to be interviewed, Murray said.
Ticket prices will increase by $2 on all seats, Black said. The Monarchs play at the 21,000-seat Greensboro Coliseum, where the Panthers will hold training camp in the fall.
The Monarchs will be the AHL's southern-most team, with Baltimore the nearest franchise. They will play in the AHL's Southern Division with Hershey (Pa.), Binghamton (N.Y.) and Baltimore.
Black and fellow owner Howard Williams were chastised by other ECHL owners last season when it was believed the Monarchs were trying to lure other ECHL teams to join the AHL.
``It was a tough journey,'' Black said. ``But it was an opportunity to bring major-league sports to Greensboro.''
- Landmark News Service
by CNB