The Santa Rosa Growlers semi-pro hockey team has withdrawn from the upcoming playoffs, part of an announcement Friday that the seven-year-old club is leaving the Mountain Hockey League.
The Growlers, who play at Snoopy’s Home Ice in Santa Rosa, will finish the regular season with home games over the next three weekends, including this Friday and Saturday against the Mansfield Barracudas.
The team also plans to compete in the 2026-2027 season, the announcement said, but will not participate in the MHL playoffs later this spring.
“After thoughtful discussions between team leadership, ownership and our players, we collectively determined that the safety, health and overall well-being must remain our top priority,” the team said. “Given recent circumstances, we believe stepping away from the league at this time is the responsible decision for our organization.”
The statement said the team is also looking forward to next season, “where our goal is to compete against strong, competitive organizations that better align with the Growlers’ vision.”
Reached for comment on Friday afternoon, MHL Commissioner Richard Batenburg said “It’s an internal decision for them and we wish them the best of luck and future success.”
The Growlers field a 35-man roster drawn from throughout the Bay Area, ranging in age from 22 to 40. They are led by first-year coach Mikayla Capelle.
They are currently in second place in the seven-team Mountain Hockey League with a 10-4 record, behind 11-5 Reno.
The Press Democrat has reached out to the Growlers for additional comment.