The American Hockey League’s Board of Governors is expected to vote within two weeks on the sale of the Portland Pirates and relocation of the franchise to Springfield, Massachusetts, for the 2016-17 season.

The governors met Tuesday in Chicago and granted conditional approval of the transfer of ownership of the Springfield Falcons to the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes. Should all conditions of the transaction be met, the Coyotes’ AHL franchise will begin play this fall at the Tucson Convention Center Arena in Arizona.

The Pirates announced last week that “a letter of intent has been signed with an outside buyer to purchase and relocate” the franchise, leaving Portland without an AHL team for the first time in 24 years. Springfield Mayor Dominic J. Sarno said “a broad-based local investor group” has purchased the team.


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