The Brampton Beast were a professional ice hockey team based in Brampton, Ontario, Canada. The team originally played in the Central Hockey League for one year during the 2013–14 season prior to the league’s folding before joining the ECHL from 2014 to 2020. The Beast played their home games at the CAA Centre. The team was one of only two ECHL members located in Canada, along with the Newfoundland Growlers, from 2018 to 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Beast voluntarily suspended operations through at least the 2020–21 ECHL season,[1] but ceased operations entirely.
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From 1998 to 2013, Brampton was home to the Ontario Hockey League‘s Brampton Battalion, a major junior hockey team. The Battalion relocated to North Bay, Ontario, in the 2013 off-season after several years of low attendance and financial struggles. On January 23, 2013, the Central Hockey League announced that it had signed a Letter of Intent with the ownership group led by Gregg Rosen, former Kingston Voyageurs owner, and president of KIMCO Steel in Kingston. Minority owner, Cary Kaplan, would serve as the president and general manager.[2][3] The lease was officially signed and the agreement executed on March 8, 2013.[4][5]
On April 22, the Beast announced that Brampton native and former Fayetteville FireAntz coach, the 2012 SPHL coach of the year, Mark DeSantis would serve as the team’s first head coach.[6] DeSantis named former Brampton Battalion player and former teammate, Brent Hughes, as Beast assistant coach.
In June 2013, the Beast announced its first player signed was Brett Smith, the former assistant captain of the Fort Wayne Komets and member of the CHL Championship team in 2011. Cal Wild and Jason Pitton were announced on July 9, 2013. Defenceman Michael Couch and right winger Tylor Michel were signed on August 16, 2013. On August 30, 2013. the Beast added two forwards, former New York IslanderRob Collins and defending SPHL League MVP Josh McQuade.[7] On September 28, 2013, the Beast Mascot “Boomer” was born.
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