By Matt Mueller Culture Editor Published Jan 04, 2021 at 6:56 PM

The American Hockey League will start its 2020-21 season on Feb. 5, but unfortunately the Milwaukee Admirals will remain on the bench as the team announced today that it will opt out of the upcoming season. 

Admirals owner and CEO Harris Turer noted that the team's decision is due to the financial repercussions of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are disappointed that we will be unable to play hockey for the current AHL season,” Turer said, in a release. “Unfortunately the prospect of playing the season without fans and the lack of any revenue was too difficult to manage. We look forward to getting back on the ice and welcoming our fans back to Panther Arena for the 2021-22 season.

"We continue to have a strong relationship with the Nashville Predators and the Wisconsin Center District, who have both been helpful and supportive during this time. In addition we would like to thank our fans and corporate partners for their backing and dedication and we look forward to working with them as we look ahead to the 2021-22 season and beyond.”

The Admirals join two other teams – the Springfield Thunderbirds and the Charlotte Checkers – in sitting out the 2020-2021 season, though all three squads are expected to return for the 2021-22 season when it begins in October.

“The Predators look forward to continuing our long-standing relationship with the Admirals in the 2021-22 season,” said David Poile, President of Hockey Operations and general manager for the Nashville Predators, the Admirals' NHL affiliate, in a release. 

Matt Mueller Culture Editor

As much as it is a gigantic cliché to say that one has always had a passion for film, Matt Mueller has always had a passion for film. Whether it was bringing in the latest movie reviews for his first grade show-and-tell or writing film reviews for the St. Norbert College Times as a high school student, Matt is way too obsessed with movies for his own good.

When he's not writing about the latest blockbuster or talking much too glowingly about "Piranha 3D," Matt can probably be found watching literally any sport (minus cricket) or working at - get this - a local movie theater. Or watching a movie. Yeah, he's probably watching a movie.