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Central Hockey League








Central Hockey League


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Central Hockey League

Central Hockey League logo.svg
Final CHL logo, used until 2014

SportIce hockey
Founded1992
Ceased2014
Countries
 United States
 Canada
Last
champion(s)
Allen Americans
Most titles(tie) Allen Americans, Wichita Thunder, Oklahoma City Blazers, Memphis RiverKings, Laredo Bucks, & Colorado Eagles (2)

The Central Hockey League (CHL) was a North American mid-level minor professional ice hockey league which operated from 1992 until 2014. Until 2013, it was owned by Global Entertainment Corporation, at which point it was purchased by the individual franchise owners. As of the end of its final season in 2014, three of the 30 National Hockey League teams had affiliations with the CHL: the Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, and Tampa Bay Lightning.


Several teams of defunct leagues joined the CHL along its history, including the Southern Hockey League, Western Professional Hockey League and International Hockey League. After two teams suspended operations during the 2014 offseason, the ECHL accepted the remaining seven teams as members in October 2014, meaning the end for the CHL after 22 seasons.[1]




Contents





  • 1 History


  • 2 Teams

    • 2.1 Timeline


    • 2.2 Expansion



  • 3 League champions


  • 4 See also


  • 5 References




History[edit]


The Central Hockey League (CHL) was revived in 1992 by Ray Miron and the efforts of Bill Levins, with the idea of central ownership of both the league and the teams. Both men were from hockey backgrounds. Miron had been general manager of the Colorado Rockies (now the New Jersey Devils), 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.


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 experiments in expansion and an ongoing battle for players and markets with the Western Professional Hockey League (WPHL) throughout the late 1990s, the CHL merged with the WPHL in 2001, with 10 former WPHL teams joining the CHL for the 2001–02 season. However, several years of gradual contraction in the former WPHL markets claimed most of these teams in the ensuing years. The last active former WPHL team, the Fort Worth Brahmas, effectively ceased operations following the 2012–13 season. Subsequently, in 2010, the International Hockey League folded and all five remaining IHL teams joined the CHL. As of the end of the 2013–14 season only the Quad City Mallards remain from the former IHL.


Brad Treliving, who co-founded the WPHL in 1996, became CHL commissioner following the merger, before leaving to join the Phoenix Coyotes.[2]Duane Lewis was named the permanent commissioner in June 2008.[3] In October 2013, the CHL appointed former president of the Pittsburgh Penguins Steve Ryan to succeed Lewis.


On March 8, 2013, the Central Hockey League announced an expansion team in Brampton, Ontario. The Brampton Beast would become the first Canadian team in the CHL's history. In October 2013, the Central Hockey League was purchased from Global Entertainment by all the team owners, putting the CHL business model in line with that of the NHL and AHL.


On May 2, 2014 the St. Charles Chill ceased operations. Soon after, the Arizona Sundogs and Denver Cutthroats suspended operations.[4] On October 7, 2014, it was announced that the ECHL had accepted the Central Hockey League's remaining seven teams as members for the 2014–15 season, officially signaling the end of the Central Hockey League after 22 seasons.[5][6] The Allen Americans, who won the last two CHL President's Cups, won two consecutive ECHL titles following the folding of the Central Hockey League.


The Mississippi RiverKings, Tulsa Oilers, and Wichita Thunder are the last of the original six franchises still playing in some capacity at the end of the CHL's tenure. In the 2014–15 season, ten teams (Allen, Brampton, Colorado, Evansville, Fort Wayne, Missouri, Quad City, Rapid City, Tulsa, and Wichita) were in the ECHL, two teams (Mississippi and Columbus) were in the SPHL, and four organizations (Corpus Christi, Fort Worth Brahmas, Odessa, and Rio Grande Valley) fielded junior teams in the NAHL.



Teams[edit]




CHL teams
Central Hockey League

Central Hockey League

Central Hockey League

Central Hockey League

Central Hockey League

Central Hockey League

Central Hockey League

Central Hockey League

Central Hockey League

Central Hockey League

Central Hockey League

Central Hockey League

Central Hockey League

Central Hockey League

Central Hockey League

Central Hockey League

Central Hockey League

Central Hockey League

Central Hockey League

Central Hockey League

Central Hockey League

Central Hockey League

Central Hockey League

Central Hockey League

Central Hockey League

Central Hockey League

Central Hockey League

Central Hockey League

Central Hockey League

Central Hockey League

Central Hockey League

Central Hockey League

Central Hockey League

Central Hockey League


Brampton

Brampton



Missouri

Missouri



Quad City

Quad City



Rapid City

Rapid City



Allen

Allen



Tulsa

Tulsa



Wichita

Wichita





A map showing the expanse of all historical CHL teams
Green pog.svg Teams joined the ECHL on October 7, 2014
Blue pog.svg Teams that joined another league prior to the folding of the CHL
Red pog.svg Defunct, relocated, or folded to make room for team from another league



  • Allen Americans (Allen, Texas; 2009–14. Joined the ECHL on October 7, 2014.)


  • Amarillo Gorillas (Amarillo, Texas; 1996–2001 WPHL, 2001–10 CHL. Originally named the Amarillo Rattlers from 1996 to 2002. Suspended operations on May 19, 2010 and were replaced by the Amarillo Bulls of the North American Hockey League (NAHL) in the same year.)


  • Arizona Sundogs (Prescott Valley, Arizona; 2006–14. Suspended operations on August 20, 2014.)


  • Austin Ice Bats (Austin, Texas; 1996–2001 WPHL, 2001–08 CHL. Suspended operations on May 7, 2008, and the franchise was never re-established.)


  • Bloomington Blaze (Bloomington, Illinois; 2011–13 CHL. Joined the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) under new ownership as the Bloomington Thunder on May 15, 2013.)


  • Bloomington PrairieThunder (Bloomington, Illinois; 2006–10 UHL/IHL, 2010–11 CHL. Failed to contact U.S. Cellular Coliseum for an extended lease leading to a new professional hockey franchise named the Bloomington Blaze replacing them. Officially ceased operations on July 3, 2011.)


  • Border City Bandits (Texarkana, Texas; 2000–01. Franchise suspended by league mid-season on February 20, 2001.)


  • Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs (Bossier City–Shreveport, Louisiana; 1997–2001 WPHL, 2001–11 CHL. Franchise folded on June 10, 2011.)


  • Brampton Beast (Brampton, Ontario; 2013–14. Joined the ECHL on October 7, 2014.)


  • Colorado Eagles (Loveland, Colorado; 2003–11. Joined the ECHL on May 29, 2011.)


  • Columbus Cottonmouths (Columbus, Georgia; 1996–2001. Joined the ECHL from 2001 to 2004. Joined the SPHL in 2004.)


  • Corpus Christi IceRays (Corpus Christi, Texas; 1998–2001 WPHL, 2001–10 CHL. Owners purchased a NAHL franchise on May 21, 2010, and replaced the CHL team with a team of the same name.)


  • Dallas Freeze (Dallas, Texas; 1992–95.)


  • Dayton Gems (Dayton, Ohio; 2009–10 IHL, 2010–12 CHL. Ceased operations on May 17, 2012.)


  • Denver Cutthroats (Denver, Colorado; 2012–14. Suspended operations on August 20, 2014.)


  • El Paso Buzzards (El Paso, Texas; 1996–2001 WPHL, 2001–03 CHL.)


  • Evansville IceMen (Evansville, Indiana; 2010–12. Joined the ECHL on May 17, 2012.)


  • Fayetteville Force (Fayetteville, North Carolina; 1997–2001.)


  • Fort Wayne Komets (Fort Wayne, Indiana; 1952–99 IHL, 1999–2007 UHL, 2007–10 IHL, 2010–12 CHL, Joined the ECHL on May 17, 2012.)


  • Fort Worth Brahmas (Fort Worth, Texas; 1997–2001 WPHL, 2001–06, 2007–13 CHL. League announced Fort Worth would suspend operations on June 16, 2013, and the team would be replaced by a NAHL team called the Lone Star Brahmas in the same year.)


  • Fort Worth Fire (Fort Worth, Texas; 1992–99.)


  • Huntsville Channel Cats (Huntsville, Alabama; 1995–96 SHL, 1996–2001 CHL. Changed name to Huntsville Tornado for 2000–01.)


  • Indianapolis Ice (Indianapolis, Indiana; 1988–99 IHL, 1999–2004 CHL. Franchise relocated and renamed the Topeka Tarantulas for 2004–05.)


  • Laredo Bucks (Laredo, Texas; 2002–12. Franchise folded on May 1, 2012 before being sold on August 1, 2012, and moved to St. Charles, Missouri. Played as St. Charles Chill for the 2013–14 season.)


  • Lubbock Cotton Kings (Lubbock, Texas; 1999–2001 WPHL, 2001–07 CHL. Suspended operations June 20, 2007, and the franchise was never re-established)


  • Macon Whoopee (Macon, Georgia; 1996–2001. Folded and replaced with another team of the same name in the ECHL for 2001–02.)


  • Mississippi RiverKings (Southaven, Mississippi; 1992–2011. Known as Memphis RiverKings from 1992 to 2007, moved to SPHL on June 13, 2011.)


  • Missouri Mavericks (Independence, Missouri; 2009–14. Joined the ECHL on October 7, 2014.)


  • Nashville Ice Flyers (Nashville, Tennessee; 1996–98. Originally called the Nashville Nighthawks for the 1996–97 season. Team folded shortly after the 1997–98 season due to the introduction of the NHL's Nashville Predators.)


  • New Mexico Scorpions (Rio Rancho, New Mexico; 1996–2001 WPHL, 2001–09 CHL. Folded on July 2, 2009)


  • Odessa Jackalopes (Odessa, Texas; 1997–2001 WPHL, 2001–11 CHL. The ownership group left the CHL and joined the North American Hockey League (NAHL) by purchasing an existing NAHL franchise, moving it to Odessa, and adopting the same name.[7])


  • Oklahoma City Blazers (Oklahoma City; 1992–2009. Folded on July 2, 2009. Replaced by the Oklahoma City Barons of the American Hockey League in 2010.)


  • Quad City Mallards (Moline, Illinois; 2009–10 IHL, 2010–14 CHL. Joined the ECHL on October 7, 2014.)


  • Rapid City Rush (Rapid City, South Dakota; 2008–14. Joined the ECHL on October 7, 2014.)


  • Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees (Hidalgo, Texas; 2003–12. Ceased operations on June 20, 2012, and was replaced by a team of the same name in the NAHL in 2013.)


  • Rocky Mountain Rage (Broomfield, Colorado; 2006–09. Suspended operations on June 18, 2009, and the franchise was never re-established)


  • San Angelo Saints (San Angelo, Texas; 1997–2001 WPHL, 2001–05 CHL. Originally named the San Angelo Outlaws from 1997 to 2002.)


  • San Antonio Iguanas (San Antonio, Texas; 1994–97, 1998–2002. Ceased operations on June 26, 2002, after the AHL team, the San Antonio Rampage, was introduced.)


  • St. Charles Chill (St. Charles, Missouri; 2013–14. Ceased operations on May 2, 2014.)


  • Topeka ScareCrows (Topeka, Kansas; 1998–2001. Franchise terminated by the league on February 20, 2001, due to an ownership issue. However, they finished the season and played their last game on April 10, 2001. The ScareCrows would be replaced by a junior hockey team of the same name the following season in the United States Hockey League.)


  • Topeka Tarantulas (Topeka, Kansas; 2004–05. Franchise originally known as the Indianapolis Ice before relocating.)


  • Tulsa Oilers (Tulsa, Oklahoma; 1992–2014. Joined the ECHL on October 7, 2014.)


  • Wichita Thunder (Wichita, Kansas; 1992–2014. Joined the ECHL on October 7, 2014.)


  • Youngstown SteelHounds (Youngstown, Ohio; 2005–08. Franchise terminated by the league for non-payment of league dues on June 2, 2008.)


Timeline[edit]



Brampton BeastDenver CutthroatsBloomington Thunder (SPHL)Quad City MallardsFort Wayne KometsEvansville IceMenDayton Gems (2009–2012)Bloomington PrairieThunderMissouri MavericksAllen AmericansRapid City RushRocky Mountain RageArizona SundogsYoungstown SteelHoundsColorado EaglesSt. Charles ChillLaredo BucksSan Angelo OutlawsOdessa Jackalopes (1997–2011)New Mexico ScorpionsLubbock Cotton KingsFort Worth BrahmasEl Paso BuzzardsCorpus Christi IceRays (1997–2010)Bossier-Shreveport MudbugsAustin Ice BatsAmarillo GorillasBorder City BanditsTopeka TarantulasIndianapolis IceTopeka ScareCrowsFayetteville ForceNashville NighthawksMacon Whoopee (CHL)Huntsville Channel CatsColumbus CottonmouthsSan Antonio IguanasWichita ThunderTulsa OilersOklahoma City Blazers (1992–2009)Mississippi RiverKingsMississippi RiverKingsFort Worth FireDallas Freeze


Expansion[edit]


























































































































































































Year
Teams
Expansion
Defunct
Suspended
Return from Hiatus
Relocated
Name Changes
1992–93
6
Dallas Freeze
Fort Worth Fire
Memphis RiverKings
Oklahoma City Blazers
Tulsa Oilers
Wichita Thunder





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





1997–98
10
Fayetteville Force

San Antonio Iguanas


Nashville Nighthawks → Nashville Ice Flyers
1998–99
11
Topeka Scarecrows
Nashville Ice Flyers

San Antonio Iguanas


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)
Austin Ice Bats (from WPHL)
Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs (from WPHL)
Corpus Christi Ice Rays (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)
Fayetteville Force
Huntsville Tornado
Macon Whoopie (replaced by ECHL)
Topeka Scarecrows (replaced by USHL)




2002–03
16
Laredo Bucks
San Antonio Iguanas



Amarillo Rattlers → Amarillo Gorillas
San Angelo Outlaws → San Angelo Saints
2003–04
17
Colorado Eagles
Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees
El Paso Buzzards



Corpus Christi Ice Rays → Corpus Christi Rayz
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

Fort Worth Brahmas
New Mexico Scorpions


2007–08
17

Lubbock Cotton Kings

Fort Worth Brahmas

Fort Worth Brahmas → Texas Brahmas
Memphis RiverKings → Mississippi RiverKings
2008–09
16
Rapid City Rush
Austin Ice Bats
Youngstown Steelhounds



Corpus Christi Rayz → Corpus Christi IceRays
2009–10
15
Allen Americans
Missouri Mavericks
New Mexico Scorpions
Oklahoma City Blazers
Rocky Mountain Rage




2010–11
18
Bloomington PrairieThunder (from IHL)
Dayton Gems (from IHL)
Evansville IceMen (from IHL)
Fort Wayne Komets (from IHL)
Quad City Mallards (from IHL)
Amarillo Gorillas
Corpus Christi IceRays (replaced by NAHL)




2011–12
14
Bloomington Blaze
Bloomington Prairie Thunder
Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
Colorado Eagles (to ECHL)
Mississippi RiverKings (to SPHL)
Odessa Jackalopes (replaced by NAHL[7])




2012–13
10
Denver Cutthroats
Evansville IceMen (to ECHL)
Fort Wayne Komets (to ECHL)
Dayton Gems
Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees
Laredo Bucks


Texas Brahmas → Fort Worth Brahmas
2013–14
10
Brampton Beast
Bloomington Blaze (to SPHL)
Fort Worth Brahmas

Laredo Bucks
Laredo Bucks → St. Charles Chill


League champions[edit]


  • 1993 – Tulsa Oilers

  • 1994 – Wichita Thunder

  • 1995 – Wichita Thunder

  • 1996 – Oklahoma City Blazers

  • 1997 – Fort Worth Fire

  • 1998 – Columbus Cottonmouths

  • 1999 – Huntsville Channel Cats

  • 2000 – Indianapolis Ice

  • 2001 – Oklahoma City Blazers

  • 2002 – Memphis RiverKings

  • 2003 – Memphis RiverKings

  • 2004 – Laredo Bucks

  • 2005 – Colorado Eagles

  • 2006 – Laredo Bucks

  • 2007 – Colorado Eagles

  • 2008 – Arizona Sundogs

  • 2009 – Texas Brahmas

  • 2010 – Rapid City Rush

  • 2011 – Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs

  • 2012 – Fort Wayne Komets

  • 2013 – Allen Americans

  • 2014 – Allen Americans


See also[edit]


  • List of ice hockey leagues

  • Sports league attendances


References[edit]




  1. ^ "ECHL Accepts Seven New Members". ECHL. October 7, 2014. Retrieved October 13, 2014..mw-parser-output cite.citationfont-style:inherit.mw-parser-output .citation qquotes:"""""""'""'".mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registrationcolor:#555.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration spanborder-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output code.cs1-codecolor:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-errordisplay:none;font-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-errorfont-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-maintdisplay:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-formatfont-size:95%.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-leftpadding-left:0.2em.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-rightpadding-right:0.2em


  2. ^ "Treliving new Coyotes assistant GM". Azcentral.com. July 19, 2007. Retrieved 2010-05-07.


  3. ^ "News". centralhockeyleague.com. June 17, 2008. Retrieved 2010-05-07.


  4. ^ "Denver Elects Dormancy for the 2014-15 Season". centralhockeyleague.com. August 20, 2014. Retrieved 2014-08-20.


  5. ^ "CHL Clubs Join ECHL for 2014-15 Season". Central Hockey League. October 7, 2014. Archived from the original on October 7, 2014. Retrieved October 7, 2014.


  6. ^ "ECHL Accepts Seven Members". ECHL. October 7, 2014. Retrieved October 7, 2014.


  7. ^ ab "Jacks make move to North American Hockey League official | hockey, league, american - Central Hockey League - Odessa American Online". Oaoa.com. 2011-03-23. Retrieved 2012-01-29.




  • Stott, Jon C. (2006). Hockey Night in Dixie: Minor Pro Hockey in the American South. Heritage House Publishing Company Ltd. pp. 16–201. ISBN 1-894974-21-2.








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