Staying put

Deal struck to sell team to Bay of Quinte businessman

The owner of the Wellington Dukes, Ken Clement, has reached a binding agreement to sell the hockey team. If completed, expected before the end of this month, the sale will mark the end of the most tumultuous era in the team’s 37 seasons in Wellington.

An, as yet, unnamed ‘Bay of Quinte businessman’ has entered into a Letter of Intent with Clement to acquire control of the Dukes’ franchise.

“This step represents meaningful progress toward securing the long-term stability of the Dukes and maintaining Junior A hockey in the community,” said Ken Clement, according to a report in Quinte Total Sports, an online magazine.

The deal came together over the past couple of weeks and turned on the team remaining in Wellington, according to Chris Miles, the team’s business manager.

“It is definitely a step in the right direction,” said Miles.

Few details are known yet about the new owner, other than they are young and energetic with deep knowledge of hockey and the hockey world.

There was no word yet on whether current general manager Jacob Panetta, assistant coach Darcy Murphy, or Miles would have a continuing role with the team.

“I expect he will want to assess the situation before deciding how to proceed,” said Miles.

Clement bought the Dukes franchise outright in the summer of 2021. He had been funding its operations since 2017. In that time, changes to the Junior A game led to rising costs. The Dukes struggled at times to pay their bills on time.

In June 2023, Derek Smith led an exodus from the coaching and training ranks and headed to Trenton. Five Dukes players followed. Last spring, the team was again near collapse when Jacob Panetta and Chris Miles assembled a meeting at the rink in Wellington.

While late in the planning cycle, Panetta and Darcy Murphy assembled a competitive team. Good enough that the Dukes inexplicably earned a berth in the playoffs for the 37th consecutive season. The team has never, in its existence, failed to make it to the postseason.

More to come.