Picking Up Stakes

The image you see is that of Université Laval, located in the city of Laval, QC. Why would I be talking about anything from the city of Laval, you may be asking? Today, the Montreal Canadiens announced that they would be moving their AHL affliliate from Saint John's, NL to the suburb of Montreal starting in the 2017-18 season.

The team will begin play that season in the still-under construction Place Bell, and will provide the Canadiens a shorter distance for their prospects to travel, a trend that has been commonplace recently with the Western teams relocating their AHL franchises closer to their respective homes. While the move wasn't entirely expected, it does provide the Canadiens a chance to keep an eye on their key players while avoiding potential travel troubles that normally plague the team during the winter months. Logo and color scheme will likely be sorted out closer to the date.