By May 2013, CS&E's options for the franchise were dwindling; it did consider keeping the franchise in Peoria, but notified the city on May 13 it would not operate in that city, and the Rivermen were replaced by a Southern Professional Hockey League team of the same name.
I mitten av maj 2013 var CS&E:s alternativ för laget krympande; de övervägde vara kvar i Peoria, men meddelade den 13 maj att alternativet inte längre var aktuellt och Rivermen ersattes av ett Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL)-lag med samma namn.