Minnesota Monsters moving to St. Paul for 2027 AF1 season

ST. PAUL — The Minnesota Monsters announced Monday that Lee & Penny Anderson Arena at the University of St. Thomas will become the franchise's home beginning with the 2027 season.

The move follows an inaugural AF1 season in which Minnesota finished 8-4, earned the No. 3 playoff seed, won a home postseason game at Amsoil Arena and advanced to the league semifinals.

Originally established as the Duluth Harbor Monsters, the franchise played at the Duluth Arena before joining AF1 for the 2026 season and adopting the Minnesota Monsters name.

The relocation represents a significant market shift for owner Jacob Lambert, who is moving the franchise from northeastern Minnesota into the state's largest metropolitan area.

Lee & Penny Anderson Arena opened in October 2025 on the University of St. Thomas campus. The 253,000-square-foot facility was constructed with substantial financial support from Lee and Penny Anderson, whose $75 million donation was the largest monetary gift to a university in Minnesota history.

The arena seats approximately 4,000 spectators for hockey and more than 5,000 for basketball. It will accommodate Monsters home games during the spring and summer, outside the university's primary college hockey and basketball seasons.

The move gives the Monsters access to a substantially larger population base and a major professional sports market. It also ends the franchise's tenure in Duluth, where the team developed its original following and played home games at the DECC and Amsoil Arena.

Willie Howard will serve as the Monsters' general manager and head coach.

The University of St. Thomas athletic department has confirmed its agreement to host the Monsters for the 2027 season.

The team's 2027 schedule, season-ticket packages, individual game tickets and sponsorship opportunities have not been announced.