While it is safe to say league leading Somerville Hellcats will leave their long time home in Somerville next season, it is still open where they will move to. After all they may not move that far away.
"There are options. Many great, great options. Maybe the best options there are." GM Sebastian Horn tellingly said in an interview. League sources say that a considered move to Chicago is off the table after Chicago Crusaders GM Greg Abcarian strongly opposed the idea of a second team coming to the city. Horn himself apparently decided against a move to Uxbridge, ON even though city town officials think the community is ready for a UHL franchise and openly courted Hellcats officials. "Southern Ontario is hockey and UHL crazy, but I don't think another team there is in the best interest of anyone" Horn said.
Two possible destinations still seem to be in the race: Boston, MA and Cologne, Germany.
With Somerville being a part of the greater Boston Area, a move to Downtown Boston would probably be the easier move. Players could keep their houses and apartments, the families wouldn't have to move, the fanbase would be the same as in past years. Horn would only have to pay for the new $600.000.000-arena planned to be built on Lewis and Sargent Wharfs.
Cologne is a different challenge. Not arena-wise. The plans to build a billion dollar 20.000 seat underground arena right next to the famous Kölner Dom are ready, and Horn is wealthy enough to pay the billls. But while the city with its unique friendly and liberal atmosphere is Horns personal preferred solution the biggest obstacly is probably the UHL divisional alignment. With 4 teams already in Germany and 3 more in the Netherlands and Sweden, the UHL's European Division may not be ready for another team. So for now Horn may have to hope for a European team moving a cross the pond to free up a spot in the European division, or a possible future league expansion.
So next season we will see the Boston Hellcats?