Rivermen Leaving Peoria

PEORIA, Ill. (AP) – The St. Louis Blues have told the operators of the Peoria Civic Center that the NHL club’s minor league affiliate in Peoria will leave after this season.

The Civic Center recently received an email from the Blues saying the Rivermen will be gone when the current season ends in April. It isn’t clear what will happen to the minor league team.

The Blues own the American Hockey League’s Rivermen. The team has played in Peoria since the 1980s.

Civic Center general manager Jim Wetherington says the Blues have two more seasons on their lease with the arena. The team will pay a $90,000 penalty.

Wetherington plans to try to draw a hockey team to the arena for next season.