Charlotte Checkers opt out of 2020-21 American Hockey League season
The Charlotte Checkers will not be playing hockey in the 2020-21 season, announcing Monday they would opt out of the American Hockey League season because of coronavirus concerns.
The Checkers in September said they were ending their AHL affiliation with the Carolina Hurricanes and signed a multi-year arrangement with the Florida Panthers. The Canes will be affiliated with the Chicago Wolves this season.
The Checkers, the Calder Cup champions in 2018-19, said the decision was based on “safety and logistical concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic.” The Checkers plan to resume play in the 2021-22 season, the team said.
“While we are disappointed that we cannot resume playing at this time, both the Panthers and Checkers feel it is in the best interests of all parties to opt out for this season,” Checkers owner and CEO Michael Kahn said in a statement. “There are several travel, safety and player supply challenges to consider. Those, coupled with the increasing number of new (COVID-19) cases in our area, make it very unlikely that we will be able to host fans at our games in the near future.”
The Checkers were one of three AHL teams opting of the season, along with the Milwaukee Admirals (Nashville Predators) and the Springfield Thunderbirds (St. Louis Blues), the AHL announced. The AHL season is scheduled to begin Feb. 5.
Panthers general manager Bill Zito, in a statement, said the Checkers’ decision would not affect their working agreement with the team.
“Despite the travel and business challenges involved with this year, we feel that this decision will not impact our player development system as we continue to provide necessary environments for growth,” Zito said. “We look forward to the continuation of our partnership with the Checkers organization and the puck drop of 2021-22 in Charlotte.”
The Checkers said they would be contacting season ticket holders in the next few days.
This story was originally published January 4, 2021 at 5:54 PM with the headline "Charlotte Checkers opt out of 2020-21 American Hockey League season."
