The Central Hockey League (CHL) is a mid-level professional hockey league, owned by Global Entertainment Corporation.
Central Hockey League Logo
The new 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.
Teams[]
Current[]
| Turner Conference | |||
| Team | Affiliate Team(s) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomington Blaze | None | ||
| Missouri Mavericks | Chicago Wolves | ||
| Quad City Mallards | None | ||
| Rapid City Rush | None | ||
| Berry Conference | |||
| Team | Affiliate Team(s) | ||
| Allen Americans | Dallas Stars, Texas Stars1 | ||
| Arizona Sundogs | Phoenix Coyotes, Portland Pirates | ||
| Texas Brahmas | None | ||
| Tulsa Oilers | None | ||
| Wichita Thunder | None | ||
| 2012-13 Expansion | |||
| Team | Affiliate Team(s) | ||
| Denver Cutthroats | Colorado Avalanche, Lake Erie Monsters | ||
| 2013-14 Expansion | |||
| Team | Affiliate Team(s) | ||
| St. Charles Chill | TBD | ||
1 = Per Americans' website. CHL lists the affilations as TBD.
Defunct[]
- Amarillo Gorillas (WPHL 1996–2001, CHL 2001–2010; team known as Amarillo Rattlers 1996–2002)
- Austin Ice Bats (1996–2008, began play in WPHL before moving to CHL in 2001)
- Border City Bandits (Texarkana, TX; 2000–01 season only, suspended by league on 2/20/01)
- Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs (Bossier City–Shreveport, LA; WPHL 1997–2001, CHL 2001–2011; folded on June 10, 2011)
- Bloomington Prairie Thunder (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 Eagles (Loveland, CO; 2003–2011, moved to ECHL)
- Columbus Cottonmouths (Columbus, GA; 1996–2001, moved to ECHL from 2001–04 and SPHL from 2004)
- Corpus Christi IceRays (2001–2010, replaced by NAHL franchise of same name)
- Dallas Freeze (1992–1995)
- Dayton Gems (Dayton, OH; 2009-2010 IHL, 2010-2012 CHL)
- El Paso Buzzards (WPHL 1996–2001, CHL 2001–2003)
- Evansville IceMen (Evansville, IN; 2010-2012, moved to ECHL)
- Fayetteville Force (1997–2001)
- Fort Wayne Komets (Fort Wayne, IN; 1952-1999 IHL, 1999-2007 UHL, 2007-2010 IHL, 2010-2012 CHL, moved to ECHL)
- Fort Worth Fire (1992–1999)
- Huntsville Channel Cats (began in Southern Hockey League 1995–96, moved to CHL from 1996–1999, changed name to Huntsville Tornado in 1999–2000)
- Indianapolis Ice (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 Tarantulas for 2004–05)
- Laredo Bucks (2002–2012, franchise sold and moved to St. Charles, Missouri, will begin play as St. Charles Chill in 2013-14)
- Lubbock Cotton Kings (1999–2007)
- Macon Whoopee (1996–2001, moved to ECHL for 2001–02)
- Mississippi RiverKings (1992–2011, known as Memphis RiverKings from 1992–2007, moved to SPHL for 2011–12.)
- Nashville Nighthawks (1996–97, changed name to Nashville Ice Flyers for 1997–98. The Ice Flyers looked into the possibility of relocating to Albany, Georgia, after the 1997–98 season following the announcement that the Nashville Predators were joining the NHL for the 1998–99 season. For whatever reason that relocation never occurred)
- New Mexico Scorpions (Rio Rancho, NM; WPHL 1996–2001, CHL 2001–2009)
- Odessa Jackalopes (1997–2011, replaced by NAHL franchise of the same name. Another source says the same team switched leagues)
- Oklahoma City Blazers (1992–2009, folded on July 2, 2009)
- Rocky Mountain Rage (Broomfield, Colorado|Broomfield, CO; 2006–2009)
- San Antonio Iguanas (1994–1997, 1998–2002)
- San Angelo Outlaws (Western Professional Hockey League|WPHL 1997–2001, CHL 2001–02, changed name to San Angelo Saints from 2002–2005)
- Topeka ScareCrows (1998–2001)
- Youngstown SteelHounds (2005–2008, CHL suddenly announced they would no longer be playing in that league, team looked to join IHL or ECHL, but the market was replaced by the Youngstown Phantoms of the United States Hockey League.)
Official Central Hockey League Website: http://www.centralhockeyleague.com/
Since this is not a Wiki about the CHL, go to its Wikipedia page for more detailed information about defunct CHL teams and its trophies: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Hockey_League