EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) _ Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke says the city has identified two potential ownership groups of minor league hockey teams that could move into the Ford Center and replace the departing Evansville Icemen.

The Icemen announced Wednesday they’ve signed contracts to move to nearby Owensboro, Kentucky, for the 2016-17 season.

Negotiations between Evansville officials and the Icemen on a new lease agreement to keep the ECHL team at the Ford Center broke down last week.

Southern Professional Hockey League President Jim Combs told the Evansville Courier & Press it has had discussions about placing a team in the Evansville market. The league has nine active franchises for the current season and one dormant franchise.