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Report: Sens looking to move AHL team to Belleville

Minnesota Wild v Ottawa Senators

OTTAWA, CANADA - OCTOBER 11: Owner, governor and chairman Eugene Melnyk of the Ottawa Senators walks the red carpet and greets fans during the Senators’ 20th anniversary pre-game ceremonies prior to the start of the NHL home opener against the Minnesota Wild at Scotiabank Place on October 11, 2011 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images)

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The Senators could be the latest NHL team to move their farm team closer to home.

Per the Ottawa Citizen, the club is looking to move its AHL affiliate from Binghamton to Belleville -- the former site of the OHL’s Bulls, which is roughly a three-hour drive away from the Canadian capital.

More, from the Citizen:

The talk in AHL circles is the club is investigating relocating the franchise to the Yardmen Arena in Bellevile for the 2017-18 campaign.

If that happens, the belief is the Senators would try not to leave Binghamton empty-handed because the AHL considers it a strong market. It’s quite possible another NHL team could move its affiliate to Binghamton if the Senators are successful in negotiations with the city of Belleville and a potential buyer.

The Senators wouldn’t comment when contacted.

Should Ottawa complete the move, it would be in a similar situation to the rival Maple Leafs, who have their AHL affiliate, the Marlies, within spitting distance.

Belleville has been without a full-time hockey tenant since the Bulls moved to Hamilton last season.

So Ottawa’s potential move to Belleville wouldn’t just be filling a need -- it’d also be in lockstep with what the NHL’s three California teams did last summer. All of them brought their AHL affiliates in-state: Kings moved theirs from Manchester to Ontario (California), the Sharks moved theirs from Worcester to San Jose, and the Ducks moved theirs from Norfolk to San Diego.

Last week, the Coyotes purchased their AHL affiliate and moved it from Springfield, Massachusetts to Tucson, Arizona.