Central Hockey League
Encyclopedia
The Central Hockey League (CHL) is a mid-level professional
hockey
league, owned by Global Entertainment Corporation
. Its current champions are the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
, which defeated the Colorado Eagles
four games to three in the 2011 playoffs.
The current Central Hockey League was created in 1992 as a centrally owned league, owned by Ray Miron
and Bill Levins. The league was operated by Ray and Monte Miron and funded by Chicago businessman and minor league sports entrepreneur Horn Chen
.
and had briefly been president of the previous Central Hockey League in 1976.
In the inaugural 1992–93 season the league had six teams, including the Oklahoma City Blazers
, the Tulsa Oilers, the Wichita Thunder
, the Memphis RiverKings
, the Dallas Freeze
and the Fort Worth Fire
. With the move of the RiverKings to the SPHL, the Thunder and the Oilers are the last of the league's original teams still extant.
In 1996-97 the Huntsville Channel Cats, along with the planned 1996–97 Southern Hockey League expansion teams Columbus Cottonmouths, Macon Whoopee, and Nashville Nighthawks, joined the Central Hockey League following the SHL's demise.
After Levins died, the league's championship trophy (awarded to the winner of the CHL playoffs) was renamed the Levins Cup. After running the league for eight years, Miron retired in 2000 and sold the league. The Levins Cup was renamed the Ray Miron President's Cup
.
After several experiments in expansion and a long battle for players and markets with the Western Professional Hockey League
(WPHL), the CHL merged with the WPHL in 2001.
The CHL commissioner is currently Duane Lewis, who succeeded Brad Treliving on an interim basis after Treliving took a position with the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes
following the 2006-2007 season. Treliving co-founded the WPHL in 1996, and after the 2001 merger, served with the CHL for seven years. Lewis was named the permanent commissioner in June 2008.
On June 1, 2010 the league announced that it would merge with the International Hockey League. Originally touted as a "merger," the effect was for the IHL's Bloomington, Dayton, Fort Wayne and Quad City franchises to join the CHL; the IHL quietly folded thereafter.
.
Professional
A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...
hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
league, owned by Global Entertainment Corporation
Global Entertainment Corporation
Global Entertainment Corporation is an entertainment company that is in charge of the following owned companies.- Companies :*Central Hockey League*International Coliseums Company*Encore Facility Management*Global Entertainment Marketing Systems...
. Its current champions are the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
The Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs were a professional ice hockey team which played in the Bossier City-Shreveport metropolitan area of Louisiana. From 1997 to 2001 the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs were members of the Western Professional Hockey League, until the a 2001 merger between the WPHL with the...
, which defeated the Colorado Eagles
Colorado Eagles
The Colorado Eagles are a professional ice hockey team based in Loveland, Colorado. The Eagles play in the Mountain Division of the ECHL's Western Conference, where they serve as the "Double-A" affiliate of the National Hockey League's Winnipeg Jets and the American Hockey League's St. John's IceCaps...
four games to three in the 2011 playoffs.
The current Central Hockey League was created in 1992 as a centrally owned league, owned by Ray Miron
Ray Miron
Ray Miron is the former owner of the new Central Hockey League, founded in 1992 by Miron and William "Bill" Levins, as well as a former National Hockey League executive, serving in the Toronto Maple Leafs organization and as General Manager of the Colorado Rockies . They founded the league under...
and Bill Levins. The league was operated by Ray and Monte Miron and funded by Chicago businessman and minor league sports entrepreneur Horn Chen
Horn Chen
Horn Chen is a Chicago-based businessman and minor league sports entrepreneur. He is the founder of the Central Hockey League, which began to play in 1992...
.
History
The Central Hockey League (CHL) was revived in 1992 by Bill Levins and Ray Miron under the idea of central ownership of both the league and the teams. Both men were from hockey backgrounds. Miron had been general manager of what is now the New Jersey DevilsNew Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
and had briefly been president of the previous Central Hockey League in 1976.
In the inaugural 1992–93 season the league had six teams, including the Oklahoma City Blazers
Oklahoma City Blazers
The Oklahoma City Blazers were a professional ice hockey team that played in the Northwest Division of the Central Hockey League. The Blazers played at the Ford Center, located in downtown Oklahoma City. Their colors were burgundy, gold and white...
, the Tulsa Oilers, the Wichita Thunder
Wichita Thunder
The Wichita Thunder are a minor league hockey team based in Wichita, Kansas. The team plays in the Central Hockey League. From 1992 until January 2010 the Thunder played in the Britt Brown Arena located in the northern Wichita suburb of Park City...
, the Memphis RiverKings
Memphis RiverKings
The Mississippi RiverKings are a professional minor league ice hockey team. The RiverKings are a member of the Southern Professional Hockey League, playing their first nineteen seasons from the 1992–93 season to the 2010–11 season in the Central Hockey League The Mississippi RiverKings...
, the Dallas Freeze
Dallas Freeze
The Dallas Freeze were a minor professional team that played in Dallas, Texas. They played in the Central Hockey League from 1992 to 1995 at the Fair Park Coliseum....
and the Fort Worth Fire
Fort Worth Fire
The Fort Worth Fire were a professional ice hockey team in the Central Hockey League. Their home games were played in the Fort Worth Convention Center Arena. They began operations in 1992 and ceased operations in 1999....
. With the move of the RiverKings to the SPHL, the Thunder and the Oilers are the last of the league's original teams still extant.
In 1996-97 the Huntsville Channel Cats, along with the planned 1996–97 Southern Hockey League expansion teams Columbus Cottonmouths, Macon Whoopee, and Nashville Nighthawks, joined the Central Hockey League following the SHL's demise.
After Levins died, the league's championship trophy (awarded to the winner of the CHL playoffs) was renamed the Levins Cup. After running the league for eight years, Miron retired in 2000 and sold the league. The Levins Cup was renamed the Ray Miron President's Cup
Ray Miron President's Cup
The Ray Miron President's Cup goes to the play-off champion of the Central Hockey League. The Ray Miron President's Cup has been awarded to teams since 2002. Prior to 2002, the playoff winner was awarded the Ray Miron Cup. The current cup is named after Ray Miron, one of the league's co-founders...
.
After several experiments in expansion and a long battle for players and markets with the Western Professional Hockey League
Western Professional Hockey League
The Western Professional Hockey League is a defunct minor professional ice hockey league.It operated in the United States from 1996 to 2001, with teams in the southern United States, mainly Texas. The league started with six teams in the 1996-1997 season and grew to 18 teams in 1999-2000...
(WPHL), the CHL merged with the WPHL in 2001.
The CHL commissioner is currently Duane Lewis, who succeeded Brad Treliving on an interim basis after Treliving took a position with the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes
Phoenix Coyotes
The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena....
following the 2006-2007 season. Treliving co-founded the WPHL in 1996, and after the 2001 merger, served with the CHL for seven years. Lewis was named the permanent commissioner in June 2008.
On June 1, 2010 the league announced that it would merge with the International Hockey League. Originally touted as a "merger," the effect was for the IHL's Bloomington, Dayton, Fort Wayne and Quad City franchises to join the CHL; the IHL quietly folded thereafter.
Current
The CHL is divided into two Conferences. Teams compete annually for the Ray Miron President's CupRay Miron President's Cup
The Ray Miron President's Cup goes to the play-off champion of the Central Hockey League. The Ray Miron President's Cup has been awarded to teams since 2002. Prior to 2002, the playoff winner was awarded the Ray Miron Cup. The current cup is named after Ray Miron, one of the league's co-founders...
.
| Turner Conference | ||||
| Team | Arena | City/area | Affiliate team(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomington Blaze Bloomington Blaze The Bloomington Blaze is a minor league ice hockey franchise currently a member of the Central Hockey League in the Turner Conference and scheduled to begin play for the 2011-12 season. Based in Bloomington, Illinois, the Blaze will play its home games at the U.S... |
U.S. Cellular Coliseum U.S. Cellular Coliseum U.S. Cellular Coliseum is an arena in downtown Bloomington, Illinois that opened to the public on April 1, 2006. It is on the southwest corner of Madison Street and Front Street. It hosts the Bloomington Extreme of the Indoor Football League, the Bloomington Blaze of the Central Hockey League,... |
Bloomington, Illinois Bloomington, Illinois Bloomington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States and the county seat. It is adjacent to Normal, Illinois, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area... |
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| Dayton Gems | Hara Arena Hara Arena Hara Arena is a 5,500-seat multi-purpose arena, in Trotwood, Ohio, just outside the city of Dayton.At one time, it hosted the Dayton Jets basketball team and Dayton Gems, Dayton Blue Hawks, Dayton Owls, Dayton Bombers and Dayton Ice Bandits ice hockey teams and The Marshals indoor football... |
Trotwood, Ohio Trotwood, Ohio Trotwood is a city in Montgomery County, Ohio, United States. The population was 27,431 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is served by the Trotwood-Madison City School District... |
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| Evansville IceMen Evansville IceMen The Evansville IceMen were a professional hockey team based in Evansville, Indiana. The team folded in 2010, as IceMen owner Ron Geary purchased the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the International Hockey League and moved the team to Evansville, taking on the name "Evansville IceMen".The AAHL IceMen... |
Ford Center | Evansville, Indiana Evansville, Indiana Evansville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Indiana and the largest city in Southern Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 117,429. It is the county seat of Vanderburgh County and the regional hub for both Southwestern Indiana and the... |
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| Fort Wayne Komets Fort Wayne Komets The Fort Wayne Komets are a minor league ice hockey franchise currently a member of the Central Hockey League in the Northern Conference. The team was previously a member of the International Hockey League before it merged into the CHL in 2010... |
Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Allen County War Memorial Coliseum The Allen County War Memorial Coliseum is a 13,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Fort Wayne, Indiana, initially built in 1952 for nearly $3 million in Fort Wayne's Johnny Appleseed Park. The Allen County War Memorial Coliseum was originally designed to seat 8,000 for hockey or 10,240 for basketball... |
Fort Wayne, Indiana Fort Wayne, Indiana Fort Wayne is a city in the US state of Indiana and the county seat of Allen County. The population was 253,691 at the 2010 Census making it the 74th largest city in the United States and the second largest in Indiana... |
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| Missouri Mavericks Missouri Mavericks The Missouri Mavericks are an ice hockey team in the Central Hockey League. They play in Independence, Missouri, USA, located near Kansas City, Missouri, at the Independence Events Center.-History:... |
Independence Events Center | Independence, Missouri Independence, Missouri Independence is the fourth largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri, and is contained within the counties of Jackson and Clay. It is part of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area... |
Chicago Wolves Chicago Wolves The Chicago Wolves are a professional hockey team playing in the American Hockey League. They are the top affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL. The Wolves play home games at the Allstate Arena in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois... |
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| Quad City Mallards Quad City Mallards The Quad City Mallards were a professional ice hockey team competing in the AA level United Hockey League. The Mallards played their home games at The MARK of the Quad Cities in Moline, Illinois. Their team colors were forest green and burgundy. They won the Colonial Cup in 1997, 1998 and 2001,... |
i wireless Center | Moline, Illinois Moline, Illinois Moline is a city located in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States, with a population of 45,792 in 2010. Moline is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring East Moline and Rock Island in Illinois and the cities of Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa. The Quad Cities has a population of... |
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| Rapid City Rush Rapid City Rush The Rapid City Rush is an ice hockey team in the Central Hockey League. It plays in Rapid City, South Dakota, USA at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center. The Rapid City Rush organization quickly became the premiere franschise in the CHL.-History:... |
Rushmore Plaza Civic Center Rushmore Plaza Civic Center The Rushmore Plaza Civic Center is a exhibition center, in Rapid City, South Dakota. It contains a 10,000 seat, multi-purpose arena. It was built in 1977 and the grand opening event was an Elvis Presley concert on June 21st.... |
Rapid City, South Dakota Rapid City, South Dakota Rapid City is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of South Dakota, and the county seat of Pennington County. Named after Rapid Creek on which the city is established, it is set against the eastern slope of the Black Hills mountain range. The population was 67,956 as of the 2010 Census. Rapid... |
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| Berry Conference | ||||
| Team | Arena | City/area | Affiliate team(s) | |
| Allen Americans Allen Americans The Allen Americans is an ice hockey team in the Central Hockey League which began play in the 2009–10 season. They play at the Allen Event Center in Allen, Texas.-History:... |
Allen Event Center | Allen, Texas Allen, Texas Allen is a city in Collin County, Texas, United States, a northern suburb of Dallas. As of the 2010 census the city had a total population of 84,246.-Geography:According to the City of Allen, the city has a total area of... |
Colorado Avalanche Colorado Avalanche The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise... , Lake Erie Monsters Lake Erie Monsters The Lake Erie Monsters are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They began play in the 2007–08 AHL season at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio... , Dallas Stars Dallas Stars The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The... , Texas Stars Texas Stars The Texas Stars are an American Hockey League team. They play in Cedar Park, Texas, near Austin.The team is the top affiliate of the NHL Dallas Stars. In April 2008, the Iowa Stars announced that they would no longer affiliate with the Dallas Stars, and changed the team's name to Chops for the... |
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| Arizona Sundogs Arizona Sundogs The Arizona Sundogs are a double-A minor-league professional ice hockey team based in Prescott Valley, Arizona that began play in the Central Hockey League in 2006 and celebrated its fifth anniversary season in 2010-11... |
Tim's Toyota Center | Prescott Valley, Arizona Prescott Valley, Arizona Prescott Valley is a town in Yavapai County, Arizona, United States, just east of Prescott. Prescott Valley was the seventh fastest-growing place among all cities and towns in Arizona between 1990 and 2000... |
Phoenix Coyotes Phoenix Coyotes The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena.... , Portland Pirates Portland Pirates The Portland Pirates is a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They are the top affiliate of the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League. They play in the Cumberland County Civic Center in downtown Portland, Maine. The franchise was previously known as the... |
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| Laredo Bucks Laredo Bucks The Laredo Bucks are an ice hockey team in the Central Hockey League. They play in Laredo, Texas, USA at the Laredo Energy Arena.-History:Arena Ventures, made up of six businessmen, teamed up with the City of Laredo to build a state-of-the-art facility for the Laredo area and South Texas... |
Laredo Energy Arena | Laredo, Texas Laredo, Texas Laredo is the county seat of Webb County, Texas, United States, located on the north bank of the Rio Grande in South Texas, across from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. According to the 2010 census, the city population was 236,091 making it the 3rd largest on the United States-Mexican border,... |
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| Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees The Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees are a professional ice hockey team based in Hidalgo, Texas, and play their home games at State Farm Arena. They are a member of the Central Hockey League, and two time Central Hockey League franchise of the year... |
State Farm Arena | Hidalgo, Texas Hidalgo, Texas Hidalgo is a city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. The population was 11,198 at the 2010 census. It is home to the Rio Grande Valley Magic of the Southern Indoor Football League, the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees of the Central Hockey League, and the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA... |
Florida Panthers Florida Panthers The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and are the... , San Antonio Rampage San Antonio Rampage The San Antonio Rampage are an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League based in San Antonio, Texas. They are the top affiliate of the Florida Panthers of the NHL. Their home arena is the AT&T Center.-History:... |
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| Texas Brahmas | NYTEX Sports Centre NYTEX Sports Centre The NYTEX Sports Centre is a 2,400 seat multi-purpose arena in North Richland Hills, Texas. It is home to the Texas Brahmas of the Central Hockey League, the Texas Outlaws of the Professional Arena Soccer League, and Texas Jr. Brahmas Tier III Jr. A ice hockey team in Western States Hockey League... |
North Richland Hills, Texas North Richland Hills, Texas North Richland Hills is a city in Tarrant County, Texas, United States, and a suburb of Fort Worth. The population was 63,343 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth largest city in Tarrant County. In 2006, North Richland Hills was selected as one of the "Top 100 Best Places to live in America"... |
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| Tulsa Oilers | BOK Center BOK Center The BOK Center, or Bank of Oklahoma Center, is a 19,100-seat multi-purpose arena and a primary indoor sports and event venue in Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States. Designed to accommodate arena football, hockey, basketball, concerts, and similar events, the facility was built at a cost of $178 million... |
Tulsa, Oklahoma Tulsa, Oklahoma Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's... |
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| Wichita Thunder Wichita Thunder The Wichita Thunder are a minor league hockey team based in Wichita, Kansas. The team plays in the Central Hockey League. From 1992 until January 2010 the Thunder played in the Britt Brown Arena located in the northern Wichita suburb of Park City... |
Intrust Bank Arena | Wichita, Kansas Wichita, Kansas Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area... |
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Defunct
- Amarillo GorillasAmarillo GorillasThe Amarillo Gorillas were a minor league hockey team based in Amarillo, Texas. The team was affiliated with the Central Hockey League. The Gorillas began play in the Western Professional Hockey League in 1996 as the Rattlers, the name they would carry until an ownership change in 2002...
(WPHLWestern Professional Hockey LeagueThe Western Professional Hockey League is a defunct minor professional ice hockey league.It operated in the United States from 1996 to 2001, with teams in the southern United States, mainly Texas. The league started with six teams in the 1996-1997 season and grew to 18 teams in 1999-2000...
1996–2001, CHL 2001–2010; team known as Amarillo Rattlers 1996–2002) - Austin Ice BatsAustin Ice BatsThe Austin Ice Bats were a professional minor-league ice hockey team based in Austin, Texas, United States. They played in Austin from 1996 to 2008. Affiliated with the Central Hockey League, the team was named in honor of the Mexican Free-tailed Bats which nest under the Ann W. Richards Congress...
(1996–2008, began play in WPHL before moving to CHL in 2001) - Border City BanditsBorder City BanditsThe Border City Bandits were a professional ice hockey team from Texarkana, Texas. They were a member of the Central Hockey League during the 2000-01 season.-History:...
(Texarkana, TXTexarkana, TexasTexarkana is a city in Bowie County, Texas, United States. It effectively functions as one half of a city which crosses a state line — the other half, the city of Texarkana, Arkansas, lies on the other side of State Line Avenue...
; 2000–01 season only, suspended by league on 2/20/01) - Bossier-Shreveport MudbugsBossier-Shreveport MudbugsThe Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs were a professional ice hockey team which played in the Bossier City-Shreveport metropolitan area of Louisiana. From 1997 to 2001 the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs were members of the Western Professional Hockey League, until the a 2001 merger between the WPHL with the...
(Bossier CityBossier City, LouisianaBossier City is a city in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, United States.As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of 61,315. Bossier City is closely tied to its larger sister city Shreveport, located on the western bank of the Red River. The Shreveport-Bossier City metropolitan area is the...
–ShreveportShreveport, LouisianaShreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
, LALouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
; WPHL 1997–2001, CHL 2001–2011; folded on June 10, 2011) - Bloomington Prairie ThunderBloomington Prairie ThunderThe Bloomington PrairieThunder was a minor league professional ice hockey team based in Bloomington, Illinois. They were a member of the Central Hockey League in the Turner Conference. The team was originally a member of the International Hockey League before it merged into the CHL in 2010. They...
(Bloomington, IL; 2006-2007 UHL, 2007-2010 IHL, 2010-2011 CHL. team failed to contact U.S Cellular coliseum for an Extended lease. in result, a new hockey Franchise replaced them. officially ceased operation on July 3rd, 2011) - Colorado EaglesColorado EaglesThe Colorado Eagles are a professional ice hockey team based in Loveland, Colorado. The Eagles play in the Mountain Division of the ECHL's Western Conference, where they serve as the "Double-A" affiliate of the National Hockey League's Winnipeg Jets and the American Hockey League's St. John's IceCaps...
(Loveland, COLoveland, ColoradoLoveland is a Home Rule Municipality that is the second most populous city in Larimer County, Colorado, United States. Loveland is situated north of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. Loveland is the 14th most populous city in Colorado. The United States Census Bureau that in 2010 the...
; 2003–2011, moved to ECHLECHLThe ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
) - Columbus CottonmouthsColumbus CottonmouthsThe Columbus Cottonmouths are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Georgia. The team is nicknamed the Snakes, and play their home games at the Columbus Civic Center.-Central Hockey League : 1996-2001:...
(Columbus, GAColumbus, GeorgiaColumbus is a city in and the county seat of Muscogee County, Georgia, United States, with which it is consolidated. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 189,885. It is the principal city of the Columbus, Georgia metropolitan area, which, in 2009, had an estimated population of 292,795...
; 1996–2001, moved to ECHLECHLThe ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
from 2001–04 and SPHL from 2004) - Corpus Christi IceRays (2001–2010, replaced by NAHL franchiseCorpus Christi IceRaysThe Corpus Christi IceRays are a Junior A ice hockey team playing in the North American Hockey League . The IceRays are based in Corpus Christi, Texas and play in the North American Hockey League's South Division. The "IceRays" moniker derives from the many different species of stingrays who...
of same name) - Dallas FreezeDallas FreezeThe Dallas Freeze were a minor professional team that played in Dallas, Texas. They played in the Central Hockey League from 1992 to 1995 at the Fair Park Coliseum....
(1992–1995) - El Paso BuzzardsEl Paso BuzzardsThe El Paso Buzzards were a professional ice hockey team. They were a member of the Central Hockey League. They played their home games at El Paso County Coliseum....
(WPHLWestern Professional Hockey LeagueThe Western Professional Hockey League is a defunct minor professional ice hockey league.It operated in the United States from 1996 to 2001, with teams in the southern United States, mainly Texas. The league started with six teams in the 1996-1997 season and grew to 18 teams in 1999-2000...
1996–2001, CHL 2001–2003) - Fayetteville ForceFayetteville ForceThe Fayetteville Force was a professional ice hockey team. based in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The franchise was a member of the Central Hockey League . They played their home games at the Crown Coliseum.-Background:...
(1997–2001) - Fort Worth FireFort Worth FireThe Fort Worth Fire were a professional ice hockey team in the Central Hockey League. Their home games were played in the Fort Worth Convention Center Arena. They began operations in 1992 and ceased operations in 1999....
(1992–1999) - Huntsville Channel CatsHuntsville Channel CatsThe Huntsville Channel Cats was a professional ice hockey team based in Huntsville, Alabama. The franchise was a member of several different leagues, the Southern Hockey League , the Central Hockey League and the South East Hockey League...
(began in Southern Hockey League 1995–96, moved to CHL from 1996–1999, changed name to Huntsville Tornado in 1999–2000) - Indianapolis IceIndianapolis IceThe Indianapolis Ice is the name of a former hockey team in Indianapolis, Indiana, that played in the International Hockey League from 1988–99 and in the Central Hockey League from 1999–2004. Their original home arena was the Indiana State Fairgrounds Pepsi Coliseum at the Indiana State Fairgrounds...
(began play in IHL from 1988–1999, moved to CHL from 1999–2004. Franchise was sold and moved to Topeka, KS where they played as the Topeka TarantulasTopeka TarantulasThe Topeka Tarantulas were a professional ice hockey team. They were a member of the Central Hockey League. They played their home games at Landon Arena. They played one season then folded....
for 2004–05) - Lubbock Cotton KingsLubbock Cotton KingsThe Lubbock Cotton Kings are a professional ice hockey team formerly based in Lubbock, Texas. Affiliated with the Central Hockey League, the team played home games in City Bank Coliseum.-History:...
(1999–2007) - Macon WhoopeeMacon WhoopeeThe Macon Whoopee was the name given to two distinct former ice hockey teams, both of which were located in Macon, Georgia. The teams played their home games at the Macon Coliseum....
(1996–2001, moved to ECHLECHLThe ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
for 2001–022001–02 ECHL seasonThe 2001-02 ECHL season was the 14th season of the East Coast Hockey League. Before the start of the season, the league saw one expansion franchise and five relocations, three of which were through the buying of the franchise rights of former clubs that had ceased operations...
) - Mississippi RiverKings (1992–2011, known as Memphis RiverKings from 1992–2007, moved to SPHLSouthern Professional Hockey LeagueThe Southern Professional Hockey League is a low-level professional ice hockey league based in Charlotte, North Carolina, with teams located in the southeastern United States.- History :...
for 2011–12.) - Nashville Nighthawks (1996–97, changed name to Nashville Ice FlyersNashville Ice FlyersThe Nashville Ice Flyers played as part of the Central Hockey League at Nashville Municipal Auditorium from 1997–1998. Alexsandr Chunchukov lead the team in points in the 1997–1998 season, with 102 points. They were previously known as the Nashville Nighthawks. Iain Duncan also played for the Ice...
for 1997–98. The Ice Flyers looked into the possibility of relocating to Albany, GeorgiaAlbany, GeorgiaAlbany is a city in and the county seat of Dougherty County, Georgia, United States, in the southwestern part of the state. It is the principal city of the Albany, Georgia metropolitan area and the southwest part of the state. The population was 77,434 at the 2010 U.S. Census, making it the...
, after the 1997–98 season following the announcement that the Nashville PredatorsNashville PredatorsThe Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
were joining the NHLNational Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
for the 1998–99 season. For whatever reason that relocation never occurred) - New Mexico ScorpionsNew Mexico ScorpionsThe New Mexico Scorpions were a Central Hockey League team located in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. The team was established in 1953 as a part of the Western Professional Hockey League . In 2001, the WPHL merged with the CHL...
(Rio Rancho, NMRio Rancho, New MexicoThere were 18,995 households out of which 40.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.4% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.7% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had...
; WPHLWestern Professional Hockey LeagueThe Western Professional Hockey League is a defunct minor professional ice hockey league.It operated in the United States from 1996 to 2001, with teams in the southern United States, mainly Texas. The league started with six teams in the 1996-1997 season and grew to 18 teams in 1999-2000...
1996–2001, CHL 2001–2009) - Odessa Jackalopes (1997–2010, replaced by NAHL franchiseOdessa JackalopesThe Odessa Jackalopes were a minor professional ice hockey team based in Odessa, Texas. The team played in the Central Hockey League , and was an affiliate of the New York Islanders...
of the same name. Another source says the same team switched leagues) - Oklahoma City BlazersOklahoma City BlazersThe Oklahoma City Blazers were a professional ice hockey team that played in the Northwest Division of the Central Hockey League. The Blazers played at the Ford Center, located in downtown Oklahoma City. Their colors were burgundy, gold and white...
(1992–2009, folded on July 2, 2009) - Rocky Mountain RageRocky Mountain RageThe Rocky Mountain Rage are an inactive professional ice hockey team in the Central Hockey League. Their first season was in 2006-07. They played their home games at the Broomfield Event Center in Broomfield, Colorado...
(Broomfield, COBroomfield, ColoradoThe City and County of Broomfield is a prominent suburb and tier of the Denver metropolitan area in the State of Colorado of the United States. Broomfield has a consolidated city and county government which operates under Article XX, Sections 10-13 of the Constitution of the State of Colorado. The...
; 2006–2009) - San Antonio IguanasSan Antonio IguanasThe San Antonio Iguanas were a minor league professional ice hockey team based in San Antonio, Texas. The first expansion team in the Central Hockey League, they were active for seven seasons from 1994–1997 and 1998-2002. Their home arena was the Freeman Coliseum. Bill Goldsworthy initially...
(1994–1997, 1998–2002) - San Angelo OutlawsSan Angelo OutlawsThe San Angelo Saints were an American minor ice hockey team in San Angelo, Texas. They played in the Western Professional Hockey League from 1997-2001, and the Central Hockey League from 2001-2004...
(WPHLWestern Professional Hockey LeagueThe Western Professional Hockey League is a defunct minor professional ice hockey league.It operated in the United States from 1996 to 2001, with teams in the southern United States, mainly Texas. The league started with six teams in the 1996-1997 season and grew to 18 teams in 1999-2000...
1997–2001, CHL 2001–02, changed name to San Angelo Saints from 2002–2005) - Topeka ScareCrowsTopeka ScareCrowsThe Topeka Scarecrows were a professional ice hockey team located in Topeka, Kansas, playing their home games at Landon Arena. The team was a member of the Central Hockey League from their founding in 1998 until 2001 when they were sold...
(1998–2001) - Youngstown SteelHoundsYoungstown SteelhoundsThe Youngstown SteelHounds were a professional ice hockey team that participated in the CHL from the 2005-2006 season through the 2007-2008 season. The team was affiliated with the Columbus Blue Jackets of the NHL and the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL. The team played its home games at the Covelli...
(2005–2008, CHL suddenly announced they would no longer be playing in that league, team looked to join IHL or ECHLECHLThe ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
, but the market was replaced by the Youngstown Phantoms of the United States Hockey LeagueUnited States Hockey LeagueThe United States Hockey League is the top junior ice hockey league in the United States. The USHL has 16 member teams located in the Midwestern United States, consisting of players who are 20 years of age and younger...
.)
Expansion
| Year | Teams | Expansion | Defunct | Suspended | Return from Hiatus | Relocated | Name Changes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992–91 | 6 | Dallas Freeze Fort Worth Fire Memphis RiverKings Oklahoma City Blazers Tulsa Oilers Wichita Thunder |
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| 1993–94 | 6 | ||||||
| 1994–95 | 7 | San Antonio Iguanas | |||||
| 1995–96 | 6 | Dallas Freeze | |||||
| 1996–97 | 10 | Columbus Cottonmouths Huntsville Channel Cats Macon Whoopie Nashville Nighthawks |
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| 1997–98 | 10 | Fayetteville Force | San Antonio Iguanas (went to IHL) | Nashville Nighthawks → Nashville Ice Flyers | |||
| 1998–99 | 11 | San Antonio Iguanas Topeka Scarecrows |
Nashville Ice Flyers | ||||
| 1999–00 | 11 | Indianapolis Ice | Fort Worth Fire | ||||
| 2000–01 | 12 | Border City Bandits | Border City Bandits (defunct mid-season) | Huntsville Channel Cats → Huntsville Tornado | |||
| 2001–02 | 16 | Amarillo Rattlers (from WPHL Western Professional Hockey League The Western Professional Hockey League is a defunct minor professional ice hockey league.It operated in the United States from 1996 to 2001, with teams in the southern United States, mainly Texas. The league started with six teams in the 1996-1997 season and grew to 18 teams in 1999-2000... ) Austin Ice Bats (from WPHL) Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs (from WPHL) Corpus Christi Icerays (from WPHL) El Paso Buzzards (from WPHL) Fort Worth Brahmas (from WPHL) Lubbock Cotton Kings (from WPHL) New Mexico Scorpions (from WPHL) Odessa Jackalopes (from WPHL) San Angelo Outlaws (from WPHL) |
Columbus Cottonmouths (to ECHL ECHL The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States... ) Fayetteville Force Huntsville Tornado Macon Whoopie (to ECHL) Topeka Scarecrows |
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| 2002–03 | 16 | Laredo Bucks | San Antonio Iguanas | Amarillo Rattlers → Amarillo Gorillas San Angelo Outlaws → San Angelo Saints |
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| 2003–04 | 17 | Colorado Eagles Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees |
El Paso Buzzards | ||||
| 2004–05 | 17 | Indianapolis Ice → Topeka Tarantulas | |||||
| 2005–06 | 15 | Youngstown SteelHounds | San Angelo Saints Topeka Tarantulas |
New Mexico Scorpions | |||
| 2006–07 | 17 | Arizona Sundogs Rocky Mountain Rage |
Texas Brahmas | New Mexico Scorpions | Fort Worth Brahmas → Texas Brahmas | ||
| 2007–08 | 17 | Lubbock Cotton Kings | Texas Brahmas | Memphis RiverKings → Mississippi RiverKings | |||
| 2008–09 | 16 | Rapid City Rush | Austin Ice Bats Youngstown Steelhounds |
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| 2009–10 | 15 | Allen Americans Missouri Mavericks |
New Mexico Scorpions Oklahoma City Blazers Rocky Mountain Rage |
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| 2010–11 | 18 | Bloomington PrairieThunder (from IHL IHL IHL could refer to:* International Hockey League, the name of several different defunct hockey leagues:* International Professional Hockey League , central-eastern North America... ) Dayton Gems (from IHL IHL IHL could refer to:* International Hockey League, the name of several different defunct hockey leagues:* International Professional Hockey League , central-eastern North America... ) Evansville IceMen (from IHL IHL IHL could refer to:* International Hockey League, the name of several different defunct hockey leagues:* International Professional Hockey League , central-eastern North America... ) Fort Wayne Komets (from IHL IHL IHL could refer to:* International Hockey League, the name of several different defunct hockey leagues:* International Professional Hockey League , central-eastern North America... ) Quad City Mallards (from IHL IHL IHL could refer to:* International Hockey League, the name of several different defunct hockey leagues:* International Professional Hockey League , central-eastern North America... ) |
Amarillo Gorillas Corpus Christi IceRays |
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| 2011–12 | 14 | Bloomington Blaze | Bloomington Prairie Thunder Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs Colorado Eagles (to ECHL ECHL The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States... ) Mississippi RiverKings (to SPHL Southern Professional Hockey League The Southern Professional Hockey League is a low-level professional ice hockey league based in Charlotte, North Carolina, with teams located in the southeastern United States.- History :... ) Odessa Jackalopes (to NAHL) |
League champions
- 1993 - Tulsa Oilers
- 1994 - Wichita ThunderWichita ThunderThe Wichita Thunder are a minor league hockey team based in Wichita, Kansas. The team plays in the Central Hockey League. From 1992 until January 2010 the Thunder played in the Britt Brown Arena located in the northern Wichita suburb of Park City...
- 1995 - Wichita ThunderWichita ThunderThe Wichita Thunder are a minor league hockey team based in Wichita, Kansas. The team plays in the Central Hockey League. From 1992 until January 2010 the Thunder played in the Britt Brown Arena located in the northern Wichita suburb of Park City...
- 1996 - Oklahoma City BlazersOklahoma City BlazersThe Oklahoma City Blazers were a professional ice hockey team that played in the Northwest Division of the Central Hockey League. The Blazers played at the Ford Center, located in downtown Oklahoma City. Their colors were burgundy, gold and white...
- 1997 - Fort Worth FireFort Worth FireThe Fort Worth Fire were a professional ice hockey team in the Central Hockey League. Their home games were played in the Fort Worth Convention Center Arena. They began operations in 1992 and ceased operations in 1999....
- 1998 - Columbus CottonmouthsColumbus CottonmouthsThe Columbus Cottonmouths are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Georgia. The team is nicknamed the Snakes, and play their home games at the Columbus Civic Center.-Central Hockey League : 1996-2001:...
- 1999 - Huntsville Channel CatsHuntsville Channel CatsThe Huntsville Channel Cats was a professional ice hockey team based in Huntsville, Alabama. The franchise was a member of several different leagues, the Southern Hockey League , the Central Hockey League and the South East Hockey League...
- 2000 - Indianapolis IceIndianapolis IceThe Indianapolis Ice is the name of a former hockey team in Indianapolis, Indiana, that played in the International Hockey League from 1988–99 and in the Central Hockey League from 1999–2004. Their original home arena was the Indiana State Fairgrounds Pepsi Coliseum at the Indiana State Fairgrounds...
- 2001 - Oklahoma City BlazersOklahoma City BlazersThe Oklahoma City Blazers were a professional ice hockey team that played in the Northwest Division of the Central Hockey League. The Blazers played at the Ford Center, located in downtown Oklahoma City. Their colors were burgundy, gold and white...
- 2002 - Memphis RiverKingsMemphis RiverKingsThe Mississippi RiverKings are a professional minor league ice hockey team. The RiverKings are a member of the Southern Professional Hockey League, playing their first nineteen seasons from the 1992–93 season to the 2010–11 season in the Central Hockey League The Mississippi RiverKings...
- 2003 - Memphis RiverKingsMemphis RiverKingsThe Mississippi RiverKings are a professional minor league ice hockey team. The RiverKings are a member of the Southern Professional Hockey League, playing their first nineteen seasons from the 1992–93 season to the 2010–11 season in the Central Hockey League The Mississippi RiverKings...
- 2004 - Laredo BucksLaredo BucksThe Laredo Bucks are an ice hockey team in the Central Hockey League. They play in Laredo, Texas, USA at the Laredo Energy Arena.-History:Arena Ventures, made up of six businessmen, teamed up with the City of Laredo to build a state-of-the-art facility for the Laredo area and South Texas...
- 2005 - Colorado EaglesColorado EaglesThe Colorado Eagles are a professional ice hockey team based in Loveland, Colorado. The Eagles play in the Mountain Division of the ECHL's Western Conference, where they serve as the "Double-A" affiliate of the National Hockey League's Winnipeg Jets and the American Hockey League's St. John's IceCaps...
- 2006 - Laredo BucksLaredo BucksThe Laredo Bucks are an ice hockey team in the Central Hockey League. They play in Laredo, Texas, USA at the Laredo Energy Arena.-History:Arena Ventures, made up of six businessmen, teamed up with the City of Laredo to build a state-of-the-art facility for the Laredo area and South Texas...
- 2007 - Colorado EaglesColorado EaglesThe Colorado Eagles are a professional ice hockey team based in Loveland, Colorado. The Eagles play in the Mountain Division of the ECHL's Western Conference, where they serve as the "Double-A" affiliate of the National Hockey League's Winnipeg Jets and the American Hockey League's St. John's IceCaps...
- 2008 - Arizona SundogsArizona SundogsThe Arizona Sundogs are a double-A minor-league professional ice hockey team based in Prescott Valley, Arizona that began play in the Central Hockey League in 2006 and celebrated its fifth anniversary season in 2010-11...
- 2009 - Texas Brahmas
- 2010 - Rapid City RushRapid City RushThe Rapid City Rush is an ice hockey team in the Central Hockey League. It plays in Rapid City, South Dakota, USA at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center. The Rapid City Rush organization quickly became the premiere franschise in the CHL.-History:...
- 2011 - Bossier-Shreveport MudbugsBossier-Shreveport MudbugsThe Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs were a professional ice hockey team which played in the Bossier City-Shreveport metropolitan area of Louisiana. From 1997 to 2001 the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs were members of the Western Professional Hockey League, until the a 2001 merger between the WPHL with the...