After years of struggling financially, the Dauphin Kings are finally debt free.

Prior to Friday’s game against the Swan Valley Stampeders, Kings president Ashley Shaw presented a cheque for $42,031.27 to Dauphin Recreation Services general manager Ryan Vanderheyden, as the team’s final payment for the ice rental.

The biggest contributors to eliminating the debt, Shaw said, were the tractor lotto and the team’s growing project.

“Our ag project this year was huge for us. But we also can’t forget the other fund-raisers like the golf tournament, 50 for 50, our bingos, all the fund-raisers,” she said.

The cheque presented to Vanderheyden represented the last of the team’s debt.

“That cheque covers everything and we are now officially debt free,” Shaw said.

With the team now free of debt, the Kings can start planning for its financial future.

“It’s huge because we’re not having to put money into debt now and pay off loans and things like that,” Shaw said. “But it also means that we’re able to take some of the money and put it into reserves and plan for the future. We’re really excited.”

Shaw added the team will continue to hold fund-raisers in the future.

“But it definitely means that we can plan more for the future now,” she said.