The Belleville Senators are staying put through the 2029-30 AHL season.
Ottawa and Belleville Senators owner Michael Andlauer announced the team has signed a three-year arena lease agreement with the City of Belleville through 2029-30 with an option for the Senators to add a further five year extension through 2034-35.
The Senators originally moved to Belleville for the 2017-18 season from Hamilton. The team has amassed a record of 265-223-29-21 since moving to the city.
With the OHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs move to Brantford in 2024 and Hamilton’s TD Coliseum undergoing renovations there were rumors that the Senators could return to Hamilton before Andlauer publicly stated the team would not be moving.
This agreement confirms what Andlaur said in January and shows commitment to both Senators fans and Belleville residents.
Roughly a two and a half hour drive to Ottawa, Belleville’s location is beneficial for call-ups and will help with the new rule regarding "paper transactions" in the NHL CBA that requires players to now report in-person when being sent down.
The Belleville Senators home opener is Oct. 18 against the Toronto Marlies. The full schedule can be seen here.
Check out our AHL Free Agency signing tracker here.