The American Hockey League has announced that it has awarded conditional approval to two new franchises to start play at the beginning of the 2002-03 season, raising the number of teams in the AHL to 29.
A group from Binghamton, N.Y., has agreed to purchase the dormant Ottawa Senators franchise and will be the Senators affiliate. Another group based in San Antonio, Texas, has come to terms to purchase the Detroit Red Wings dormant franchise and begin play next season as the affiliate of the Florida Panthers.
The San Antonio approval means the one-year agreement the Utah Grizzlies had with the Florida Panthers will not be renewed. The Grizzlies, the top affiliate of the Dallas Stars, also featured several Panther players in the 2001-02 season, including Wade Flaherty, Ryan Jardine and Eric Beaudoin, all of whom saw action in the NHL during the season. The San Antonio team will play in the new SBC Center (home of the NBA's Spurs), which will open next season.
AHL Hockey returns to Binghamton for the first time in five seasons with the approval.