B-Sens to leave Binghamton after this season

On Monday, the Ottawa Senators announced their plans to relocate their American Hockey League affiliate, Binghamton Senators, closer to Ottawa.

The 2016-17 season will be the final campaign for the Baby Sens in Binghamton, in update New York.

The host city will be Belleville, Ontario where an eight-year lease has been agreed by the city of Belleville and Ottawa Senators owner, Eugene Melnyk. 

“Hockey is back in Belleville,” Melnyk said. “The people of Belleville are a deeply passionate and proud hockey community. This community has truly earned the return of hockey and I am committed to making the Belleville Senators an integral part of the city.

“This is the dawn of new era of hockey in Belleville and we are excited to be part of it.”

“Hockey is back in Belleville,” Melnyk said in announcing the move. “The people of Belleville are a deeply passionate and proud hockey community. This community has truly earned the return of hockey and I am committed to making the Belleville Senators an integral part of the city.

“This is the dawn of new era of hockey in Belleville and we are excited to be part of it.”

The relocation should not come as much of a surprise given that other N HL clubs have been tightening their travel budgets by placing their AHL affiliates closer to home.  The Arizona Coyotes relocated the Springfield Falcons to Tucson this off season.  The Tucson Roadrunners are now just 90 minutes south of the Coyotes.

Belleville is just two and half hours from Ottawa and scouts can catch the action on an easy drive.

Binghamton is losing the Senators after hosting them since 2002.  In 2011, the club won the Calder Cup.

B-Sens managing partner Tom Mitchell assured hockey fans in Binghamton on Monday that the Southern Tier and Binghamton would have AHL hockey in 2017 after the departure of the Sens.

“We have had a tremendous relationship with the Ottawa Senators organization for the better part of 15 years, including a Calder Cup Championship in 2011,” Mitchell said in a statement.  “Their decision to relocate has no impact on the future of the AHL’s presence in the Southern Tier.

“Our organization is taking a proactive approach to ensure this as we move forward, and at the appropriate time we will be happy to share more details with the entire community.”

As NHL clubs move to save money they leave behind cities with established fan bases.  Now Binghamton needs to lure a franchise away from its home and establish a base in the Southern Tier.