Hockey's back: QMJHL returning to St. John's next season as group purchases N.B. team

Sixteen years after the Fog Devils left St. John's, the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League is returning to Newfoundland and Labrador.

Local group SPS Entertainment, headed by prominent business owners John Patten, John Steele, Jason Sharpe and Jeff Sharpe, has purchased the Acadie-Bathurst Titan and will relocate the franchise to St. John's in time for next season.

"St. John's is a market that the league has kept an eye on since the departure of the Fog Devils more than 15 years ago," said QMJHL commissioner Mario Cecchini in a news release on Friday. "The ownership is solid, the arena is outstanding, and Newfoundland and Labrador fans love hockey."

The new organization is moving fast as fans can already make a deposit to hold their place in line for season tickets. A website is now live with pricing details, ranging between $464 and $624 for an adult and between $336 and $528 for seniors and students, depending on the location inside the arena.

However, the team's branding, name and colours weren't on display on Friday. It's expected those details will be announced in January.

Brent Meade, the head of St. John's Sports and Entertainment, and longtime hockey executive Glen Stanford, made an announcement Friday at Mary Brown's Centre. Stanford told reporters he served as a facilitator for the deal, but isn't listed among SPS Entertainment's ownership.

"I think we're both pretty happy about it," Stanford said.

Titan president Serge Thériault told CBC News earlier this year that there had been financial struggles for the franchise for a decade. The team has had success on the ice including QMJHL championships in 1999 and 2018 and a Memorial Cup that same year, but ownership was further affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meade said he believes welcoming the Titan to St. John's is the right deal that came at the right time.

"I believe, as a longtime season ticket holder myself, that we're a hockey town," he said.

The City of St. John's recently announced reduced funding for SJSE in its 2025 municipal budget. Meade said that decision was made without the city knowing a hockey team was coming — but added it doesn't change anything for now.

"I can say to you, unequivocally, that this is not going to cost taxpayers money. This is in fact, I think, a win-win-win."

Ties to the Q

Newfoundland and Labrador has long ties to the QMJHL, with over 160 players from this province having played in the league. Former Fog Devils went on to be drafted into the NHL, with notable names like goaltender Jake Allen still playing in the big league.

SPS Entertainment says having a major junior franchise in the city again will allow local talent to grow in front of hometown fans.

While there was much speculation around when Friday's announcement would happen, the provincial government paved the way in November.

Changes to the Labour Standards Act were approved by the provincial cabinet to exempt QMJHL players from the employer-employee relationship. It followed a $30-million class action lawsuit against the Canadian Hockey League over the employment status of its players.

Meade said that was a requirement from the league in order to make the sale happen.

St. John's has been without high-level hockey since April, when the Newfoundland Growlers of the ECHL had their membership terminated "for failure to fulfil its obligations" under the league's bylaws.

The ownership group of that team, Deacon Sports and Entertainment, had its own battles with the City of St. John's. Both sides made headlines ahead of the 2021-22 season, when the Growlers were evicted from Mary Brown's Centre after alleged workplace harassment complaints at the time.

Meade said all parties involved recognize the benefit that over 30 nights of hockey will have in St. John's, and they're excited to move forward on a "new era of partnership."

"We knew that we had to put the past behind us, and that St. John's Sports and Entertainment had to create a partnership with an ownership group to make this happen. And we did that," he said.

And while attendance has been historically high for hockey in St. John's, logistical challenges have often been blamed for the failures of past teams due to the the hefty costs and travelling with players and gear to and from the island.

Stanford said those challenges remain, but hopes that facing teams located exclusively within Quebec and Atlantic Canada will lower costs, compared to the itinerary that came with the Growlers' schedule.

"Hockey has been supported here, and I really believe the timing is right for junior geographically," Stanford said.

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