A report from the New Hampshire Union Leader indicates that the Manchester Monarchs, the Kings’ ECHL affiliate, are up for sale.
This isn’t the first time the Monarchs have changed hands recently. This potential sale comes less than three years since AEG sold the team to an independent ownership group, led by Marc Casper, a Waltham, Massachusetts-based businessman.
The team’s leadership, as well as the management team of SNHU Arena, the Monarchs’ home rink, are hopeful that the Monarchs will stay in Manchester and not relocate under new management. The Monarchs have a lease at SNHU Arena which runs for “several more seasons,” per the assistant general manager of SMG Group, the organization which manages the arena.
The Monarchs previously served as the Kings’ AHL affiliate from 2001 to 2015, and captured the Calder Cup in the 2014-15 season. Beginning with the 2015-16 season, the organization decided to bring the AHL team closer to home, designating the Ontario Reign as their AHL team and moving the Monarchs to the ECHL.
The Monarchs have appeared in the playoffs each season since joining the ECHL and made it to the Eastern Conference finals in 2016-17. Much like the Kings and Reign, however, the Monarchs have struggled this season. For example, the injuries to Jonathan Quick and Jack Campbell cascaded down through the organization; at one point, both of the Monarch’s goalies were up with the Ontario Reign. The Monarchs currently sit fifth out of seven teams in the North Division and have a record of 19-18-1-1.