The Central Hockey League (CHL) was a North American mid-level minor professional

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...

league which operated from 1992 until 2014. It was founded by Ray Miron and Bill Levins and later sold to Global Entertainment Corporation, which operated the league from 2000 to 2013, 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 The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...

teams had affiliations with the CHL: the

Dallas Stars The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and were founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minne ...

Minnesota Wild The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and play their home games at the Xcel Ener ...

, and

Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. They play th ...

. Several teams of defunct leagues joined the CHL along its history, including the Southern Hockey League,

Western Professional Hockey League The Western Professional Hockey League (abbreviated WPHL) is a defunct minor professional ice hockey league. The WPHL operated from 1996 to 2001 with teams based in the southern United States, primarily Texas and Louisiana. The league started with ...

and International Hockey League. After two teams suspended operations during the 2014 offseason, the

ECHL The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, with teams scattered across the United States and Canada. It is a tier below the American Hockey League (AHL). The E ...

accepted the remaining seven teams as members in October 2014, meaning the end for the CHL after 22 seasons.

History

The Central Hockey League (CHL) was revived in 1992 by

Ray Miron Joseph Rodolph "Ray" Miron (March 20, 1923 – August 28, 2015) was an owner of the new Central Hockey League (CHL), as well as a National Hockey League (NHL) executive, serving in the Toronto Maple Leafs organization and as general manager of th ...

and the efforts of

Bill Levins William “Bill” Levins (1922 – August 26, 1991) was an American ice hockey executive and sports entrepreneur. Levins was the first general manager of the Oklahoma City Blazers of the old Central Hockey League. He is also recognized as th ...

, 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 The New Jersey Devils are a professional sports, professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...

), and had briefly been president of the previous

Central Hockey League The Central Hockey League (CHL) was a North American mid-level minor professional ice hockey league which operated from 1992 until 2014. It was founded by Ray Miron and Bill Levins and later sold to Global Entertainment Corporation, which opera ...

in 1976. In the inaugural 1992–93 season the league had six teams, including the Oklahoma City Blazers, the

Tulsa Oilers The Tulsa Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and play in the ECHL. The Oilers played their home games at the Tulsa Convention Center until 2008 when they moved into the new BOK Center. For many years, the Tuls ...

, the

Wichita Thunder The Wichita Thunder are a minor league hockey team based in Wichita, Kansas. The team played in the Central Hockey League from 1992 until 2014, and then in the ECHL since the 2014–15 season. From 1992 until December 2009, the Thunder played in ...

, the

Memphis RiverKings Memphis most commonly refers to: * Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt * Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city Memphis may also refer to: Places United States * Memphis, Alabama * Memphis, Florida * Memphis, Indiana * Memphi ...

, the

Dallas Freeze Ronald Everett Flockhart (born October 10, 1960) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He is the brother of Rob Flockhart. Playing career Ron Flockhart scored over 300 NHL points in the 1980s playing mostly with the Philadelphia F ...

and the

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. At the conclusion of the ...

. After Levins died, the league's championship trophy (awarded to the winner of the CHL playoffs) was renamed the

Levins Cup The Ray Miron President's Cup is a trophy that was awarded to the playoff champion of the Central Hockey League (CHL) from 2002 until 2014, when the remaining CHL teams joined the ECHL. The trophy was known as The William "Bill" Levins Memorial 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 The Ray Miron President's Cup is a trophy that was awarded to the playoff champion of the Central Hockey League (CHL) from 2002 until 2014, when the remaining CHL teams joined the ECHL. The trophy was known as The William "Bill" Levins Memorial Cup ...

. After experiments in expansion and an ongoing battle for players and markets with the

(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 The Fort Worth Brahmas were a professional ice hockey team in the Central Hockey League, and previously the Western Professional Hockey League. The team originally played at the Fort Worth Convention Center but played their final six seasons, inc ...

, 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; the last of these, the

Quad City Mallards The Quad City Mallards were a minor league professional ice hockey team based in the Quad Cities area of Illinois and Iowa that competed in the International Hockey League, Central Hockey League and ECHL. They were named after the Mallards team ...

, folded in 2018 in the ECHL. Brad Treliving, who co-founded the WPHL in 1996, became CHL commissioner following the merger, before leaving to join the Phoenix Coyotes. Duane Lewis was named the permanent commissioner in June 2008. In October 2013, the CHL appointed former president of the

Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...

Steve Ryan to succeed Lewis. On March 8, 2013, the Central Hockey League announced an expansion team in

Brampton, Ontario Brampton ( or ) is a city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Brampton is a city in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and is a lower-tier municipality within Peel Region. The city has a population of 656,480 as of the 2021 Census, making it th ...

. The

Brampton Beast The Brampton Beast were a professional ice hockey team based in Brampton, Ontario, Canada. The team originally played in the Central Hockey League for one year during the 2013–14 season prior to the league's folding before joining the ECHL f ...

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. On October 7, 2014, it was announced that the

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.

Legacy

The

Allen Americans The Allen Americans are a professional ice hockey team headquartered at the Credit Union of Texas Event Center in Allen, Texas, which currently plays in the ECHL. The team was founded in 2009 in the Central Hockey League (CHL) where they played f ...

, 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 were the last of the original six franchises still playing at the end of the CHL's tenure; the RiverKings since folded, in 2018. 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. Of the CHL's remaining teams prior to October 7, 2014. As of 2022, Tulsa, Wichita, Allen, Colorado, Fort Wayne, Missouri (now Kansas City), Rapid City are still active. Of the CHL's six original teams from the 1992-1993 inaugural season, as of 2022, only the Tulsa Oilers and Wichita Thunder remain and still active.

Teams

(

Allen, Texas Allen is a city in Collin County in the U.S. state of Texas, and a northern suburb of Dallas. According to the 2020 U.S. census its population was 104,627, up from 84,246 in 2010. Allen is located approximately twenty miles (32.2 km) nort ...

; 2009–14. Joined the

on October 7, 2014.) *

Amarillo Gorillas The Amarillo Gorillas were a minor league hockey team based in Amarillo, Texas. The team was most recently affiliated with the now defunct Central Hockey League (CHL) from 2001–10. The Gorillas began play in 1996 as the Amarillo Rattlers in th ...

(

Amarillo, Texas Amarillo ( ; Spanish for "yellow") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the seat of Potter County. It is the 14th-most populous city in Texas and the largest city in the Texas Panhandle. A portion of the city extends into Randall County ...

; 1996–2001 WPHL, 2001–2010 CHL. Originally named the Amarillo Rattlers from 1996 to 2002. Suspended operations on May 19, 2010 and were replaced by the

Amarillo Bulls The Amarillo Bulls were a Tier II junior ice hockey team based in Amarillo, Texas. They were a member of the North American Hockey League's South Division and played home games in the Amarillo Civic Center. History The franchise joined the NAHL ...

of the North American Hockey League (NAHL) in the same year.) *

Arizona Sundogs The Arizona Sundogs were a minor league professional ice hockey team based in Prescott Valley, Arizona. They played in the Central Hockey League from 2006 to 2014 with their home games at Tim's Toyota Center. History The team name, Sundogs, re ...

(

Prescott Valley, Arizona Prescott Valley is a town located in Yavapai County, Arizona, United States, approximately east of Prescott. According to the 2020 United States Census, Prescott Valley has a population of 46,785 residents. History Prescott Valley's Fitzmau ...

; 2006–2014. Suspended operations on August 20, 2014.) *

Austin Ice Bats The Austin Ice Bats were a professional minor league ice hockey team based in Austin, Texas, from 1996 to 2008. The were originally members of the Western Professional Hockey League (WPHL) and later the Central Hockey League (CHL). The team was na ...

(

Austin, Texas Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the county seat, seat and largest city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and Williamson County, Texas, Williamson co ...

; 1996–2001 WPHL, 2001–2008 CHL. Suspended operations on May 7, 2008, and the franchise was never re-established.) *

Bloomington Blaze The Bloomington Thunder were a minor professional ice hockey team that was a member of the Southern Professional Hockey League. Based in Bloomington, Illinois, the Thunder played their home games at the U.S. Cellular Coliseum, located in downto ...

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

Bloomington PrairieThunder The Bloomington PrairieThunder were a minor 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 United Hockey League (later ...

( Bloomington, Illinois; 2006–2010 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

replacing them. Officially ceased operations on July 3, 2011.) *

Border City Bandits The 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 and played at the Four States Arena. History The Central Hockey League announced that Can ...

(

Texarkana, Texas Texarkana is a city in Bowie County, Texas, United States, in the Ark-La-Tex region. Located approximately from Dallas, Texarkana is a twin city with neighboring Texarkana, Arkansas. The Texas city's population was 36,193 at the 2020 census. ...

; 2000–01. Franchise suspended by league mid-season on February 20, 2001.) *

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 Le ...

(

Bossier City Bossier City ( ) is a city in Bossier Parish in the northwestern region of the U.S. state of Louisiana in the United States. It is the second most populous city in the Shreveport–Bossier City metropolitan statistical area. In 2020, it had a ...

– Shreveport, Louisiana; 1997–2001 WPHL, 2001–2011 CHL. Franchise folded on June 10, 2011. Launched a new NAHL team in 2016 as the

Shreveport Mudbugs The Shreveport Mudbugs are a Tier II junior ice hockey team based in Shreveport, Louisiana, as a member of the North American Hockey League. The new Mudbugs replaced a former professional team that played in the area from 1997 to 2011 known as ...

.) *

(

; 2013–14. Joined the ECHL on October 7, 2014.) *

Colorado Eagles The Colorado Eagles are a professional minor league ice hockey team based in Loveland, Colorado. The Eagles play in the Pacific Division of the American Hockey League. The Eagles were founded as an expansion franchise in 2003 in the Central Hoc ...

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

Columbus Cottonmouths The Columbus Cottonmouths were a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Georgia. The team is nicknamed the Snakes and played their home games at the Columbus Civic Center. In 2017, the team suspended operations after failing to find a ne ...

(

Columbus, Georgia Columbus is a consolidated city-county located on the west-central border of the U.S. state of Georgia. Columbus lies on the Chattahoochee River directly across from Phenix City, Alabama. It is the county seat of Muscogee County, with which it ...

; 1996–2001. Joined the ECHL from 2001 to 2004. Joined the SPHL in 2004.) *

Corpus Christi IceRays The Corpus Christi IceRays are a Tier II junior ice hockey team playing in the North American Hockey League (NAHL). The IceRays are based in Corpus Christi, Texas, and play in the North American Hockey League's South Division. The "IceRays" mo ...

(

Corpus Christi, Texas Corpus Christi (; Ecclesiastical Latin: "'' Body of Christ"'') is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat and largest city of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patrici ...

; 1998–2001 WPHL, 2001–2010 CHL. Owners purchased an NAHL franchise on May 21, 2010, and replaced the CHL team with a team of the same name.) *

(

Dallas, Texas Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the largest city in and seat of Dallas County w ...

; 1992–1995.) *

Dayton Gems The Dayton Gems were a minor league ice hockey team based in Dayton, Ohio, and members of the International Hockey League from 1964 to 1977, and 1979–1980. In the fall of 1964, the lobby of their new arena, Hara Arena, had a natural gas ex ...

(

Dayton, Ohio Dayton () is the sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County. The 2020 U.S. census estimate put the city population at 137,644, while Greater Day ...

; 2009–10 IHL, 2010–2012 CHL. Ceased operations on May 17, 2012.) *

Denver Cutthroats The Denver Cutthroats were a minor league ice hockey team, as a member of the Central Hockey League, that began play in the 2012–13 season. They served as a farm team of the National Hockey League's Colorado Avalanche and the American Hockey ...

(

Denver, Colorado Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...

; 2012–2014. Suspended operations on August 20, 2014.) *

El Paso Buzzards The El Paso Buzzards were a professional ice hockey team in El Paso, Texas and were members of the Western Professional Hockey League and Central Hockey League. They played their home games at El Paso County Coliseum. The team was founded by Jim ...

(

El Paso, Texas El Paso (; "the pass") is a city in and the county seat, seat of El Paso County, Texas, El Paso County in the western corner of the U.S. state of Texas. The 2020 population of the city from the United States Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau w ...

; 1996–2001 WPHL, 2001–2003 CHL.) *

Evansville IceMen The Evansville IceMen were a minor league ice hockey team in the ECHL in Evansville, Indiana. The franchise was originally a member of the United Hockey League before it merged into the Central Hockey League in 2010. The franchise has won four po ...

(

Evansville, Indiana Evansville is a city in, and the county seat of, Vanderburgh County, Indiana, United States. The population was 118,414 at the 2020 census, making it the state's third-most populous city after Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, the largest city in ...

; 2010–2012. Joined the ECHL on May 17, 2012.) *

Fayetteville Force The Fayetteville Force was a professional ice hockey team. based in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The franchise was a member of the Central Hockey League (1997–2001). They played their home games at the Crown Coliseum. Background In 1996, the C ...

( Fayetteville, North Carolina; 1997–2001.) *

Fort Wayne Komets The Fort Wayne Komets are a minor league ice hockey team in the ECHL. They play their home games at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana. This team was previously a member of the Central Hockey League, the original Inte ...

(

Fort Wayne, Indiana Fort Wayne is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Indiana, United States. Located in northeastern Indiana, the city is west of the Ohio border and south of the Michigan border. The city's population was 263,886 as of the 2020 Censu ...

; 1952–1999 IHL, 1999–2007 UHL, 2007–2010 IHL, 2010–2012 CHL, joined the ECHL on May 17, 2012.) *

(

Fort Worth, Texas Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, covering nearly into four other counties: Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise. According ...

; 1997–2001 WPHL, 2001–2006, 2007–2013 CHL. League announced Fort Worth would suspend operations on June 16, 2013, and the team would be replaced by an NAHL team called the

Lone Star Brahmas The Lone Star Brahmas are a Tier II junior ice hockey team in the North American Hockey League (NAHL) based in North Richland Hills, Texas (a suburb of Fort Worth). The Brahmas play their home games at the NYTEX Sports Centre. The Brahmas nic ...

in the same year.) *

(

; 1992–1999.) *

Huntsville Channel Cats The 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 (1995–1996), the Central Hockey League (1996–2001) and the Sou ...

(

Huntsville, Alabama Huntsville is a city in Madison County, Limestone County, and Morgan County, Alabama, United States. It is the county seat of Madison County. Located in the Appalachian region of northern Alabama, Huntsville is the most populous city in t ...

; 1995–96 SHL, 1996–2001 CHL. Changed name to Huntsville Tornado for 2000–01.) *

Indianapolis Ice The Indianapolis Ice were a minor league professional ice hockey team based in Indianapolis, Indiana, that played in the International Hockey League from 1988 to 1999 and in the Central Hockey League from 1999 to 2004. Their original home arena ...

(

Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Mari ...

; 1988–99 IHL, 1999–2004 CHL. Franchise relocated and renamed the Topeka Tarantulas for 2004–05.) *

Laredo Bucks The Laredo Bucks were an ice hockey team in the Central Hockey League. The Bucks played in Laredo, Texas, United States at the Laredo Energy Arena, formerly known as the Laredo Entertainment Center. On May 1, 2012, the management, citing declin ...

(

Laredo, Texas Laredo ( ; ) is a city in and the county seat of Webb County, Texas, United States, on the north bank of the Rio Grande in South Texas, across from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Laredo has the distinction of flying seven flags (the flag of th ...

; 2002–2012. Franchise folded on May 1, 2012, before being sold on August 1, 2012, and moved to

St. Charles, Missouri Saint Charles (commonly abbreviated St. Charles) is a city in, and the county seat of, St. Charles County, Missouri, United States. The population was 65,794 at the 2010 census, making St. Charles the ninth-largest city in Missouri. Situated on t ...

. Played as St. Charles Chill for the 2013–14 season.) *

Lubbock Cotton Kings The Lubbock Cotton Kings were a professional ice hockey team formerly based in Lubbock, Texas as members of the Western Professional Hockey League and the Central Hockey League. The team played home games at City Bank Coliseum. History The Lubboc ...

( Lubbock, Texas; 1999–2001 WPHL, 2001–2007 CHL. Suspended operations June 20, 2007, and the franchise was never re-established.) * Macon Whoopee (

Macon, Georgia Macon ( ), officially Macon–Bibb County, is a consolidated city-county in the U.S. state of Georgia. Situated near the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is located southeast of Atlanta and lies near the geographic center of the state of Geo ...

; 1996–2001. Folded and replaced with another team of the same name in the ECHL for 2001–02.) *

Mississippi RiverKings The Mississippi RiverKings were a professional minor league ice hockey team. The RiverKings were a member of the Southern Professional Hockey League from 2011 to 2018 after playing their first nineteen seasons (1992–2011) in the Central Ho ...

(

Southaven, Mississippi Southaven is a city in DeSoto County, Mississippi, United States. It is a principal city in Greater Memphis. The 2020 census reported a population of 54,648, making Southaven the third-largest city in Mississippi and the second most populous ...

; 1992–2011. Known as Memphis RiverKings from 1992 to 2007, moved to the SPHL on June 13, 2011.) *

Missouri Mavericks The Kansas City Mavericks are an ice hockey team in the ECHL. Founded in 2009 as the Missouri Mavericks of the Central Hockey League, CHL, the team plays in Independence, Missouri, a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri, at the Cable Dahmer Arena. H ...

(

Independence, Missouri Independence is the fifth-largest city in Missouri and the county seat of Jackson County. Independence is a satellite city of Kansas City, Missouri, and is the largest suburb on the Missouri side of the Kansas City metropolitan area. In 2020, ...

; 2009–2014. Joined the ECHL on October 7, 2014.) *

Nashville Ice Flyers The Nashville Ice Flyers (named the Nashville Nighthawks for the 1996–97 season) were a professional ice hockey franchise that played in the Central Hockey League from 1996–1998. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, they played their home games ...

(

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...

; 1996–1998. 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 The Nashville Predators (commonly referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and ha ...

.) *

New Mexico Scorpions The New Mexico Scorpions were a Central Hockey League (CHL) team located in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. The team was established in 1996 as a part of the Western Professional Hockey League (WPHL). In 2001, the WPHL merged with the CHL. On July 2, 20 ...

(

Rio Rancho, New Mexico Rio Rancho ( es, Río Rancho) is the most populous and only city in Sandoval County, part of the expansive Albuquerque metropolitan area, in the U.S. state of New Mexico. A small portion of the city extends into northern Bernalillo County. It i ...

; 1996–2001 WPHL, 2001–2009 CHL. Folded on July 2, 2009.) * Odessa Jackalopes (

Odessa, Texas Odessa is a city in and the county seat of Ector County, Texas, United States. It is located primarily in Ector County, although a small section of the city extends into Midland County. Odessa's population was 114,428 at the 2020 census, ma ...

; 1997–2001 WPHL, 2001–2011 CHL. The ownership group left the CHL and joined the NAHL by purchasing an existing NAHL franchise, moving it to Odessa, and adopting the same name.) * Oklahoma City Blazers (

Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, a ...

; 1992–2009. Folded on July 2, 2009. Replaced by the

Oklahoma City Barons The Oklahoma City Barons were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL). The team's first season was 2010–11. They played their home games at the Cox Convention Center, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. History On February 9 ...

of the

American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary Minor league#Ice hockey, developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 AHL se ...

in 2010.) *

(

Moline, Illinois Moline ( ) is a city located in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. With a population of 42,985 in 2020, it is the largest city in Rock Island County. Moline is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring East Moline and Rock Island ...

; 2009–10 IHL, 2010–2014 CHL. Joined the ECHL on October 7, 2014.) *

Rapid City Rush The Rapid City Rush are a professional ice hockey team in the ECHL based in Rapid City, South Dakota, and play their home games at The Monument. The Rush are currently a minor affiliate of the Calgary Flames NHL franchise. History On June 2, ...

(

Rapid City, South Dakota Rapid City ( lkt, link=no, Mni Lúzahaŋ Otȟúŋwahe; "Swift Water City") is the second most populous city in South Dakota and the county seat of Pennington County. Named after Rapid Creek, where the settlement developed, it is in western So ...

; 2008–2014. Joined the ECHL on October 7, 2014.) * Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees ( Hidalgo, Texas; 2003–2012. 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 Broomfield is a consolidated city and county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. Broomfield has a consolidated government which operates under Article XX, Sections 10-13 of the Constitution of the State of Colorado. The Broomfield populati ...

; 2006–2009. Suspended operations on June 18, 2009, and the franchise was never re-established.) * San Angelo Saints (

San Angelo, Texas San Angelo ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Tom Green County, Texas, United States. Its location is in the Concho Valley, a region of West Texas between the Permian Basin to the northwest, Chihuahuan Desert to the southwest, Osage Plai ...

; 1997–2001 WPHL, 2001–2005 CHL. Originally named the

San Angelo Outlaws The San Angelo Outlaws are a defunct American minor professional ice hockey team that played in the Western Professional Hockey League from 1997 to 2001 and the Central Hockey League in the 2001–02 season. They were based in San Angelo, Texas an ...

from 1997 to 2002.) *

San Antonio Iguanas The 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 wa ...

(

San Antonio, Texas ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_t ...

; 1994–1997, 1998–2002. Ceased operations on June 26, 2002, after the AHL team, the

San Antonio Rampage The San Antonio Rampage were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League based in San Antonio, Texas. The Rampage was primarily owned by Spurs Sports & Entertainment throughout the team's existence. In 2020, the franchise was sold ...

, was introduced.) *

St. Charles Chill The St. Charles Chill was a minor league ice hockey team and member of the Central Hockey League that began play during the 2013–14 season on October 19, 2013 as the affiliate of the National Hockey League's St. Louis Blues and the American Hoc ...

(

; 2013–14. Ceased operations on May 2, 2014.) *

Topeka ScareCrows The 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 there franchise was term ...

(

Topeka, Kansas Topeka ( ; Kansa language, Kansa: ; iow, Dópikˀe, script=Latn or ) is the Capital (political), capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the County seat, seat of Shawnee County, Kansas, Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the ...

; 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 were replaced by a junior hockey team of the same name the following season in the

United States Hockey League The United States Hockey League (USHL) is the top junior ice hockey league sanctioned by USA Hockey. The league consists of 16 active teams located in the midwestern United States, for players between the ages of 16 and 21. The USHL is strictly ...

.) * Topeka Tarantulas (

; 2004–05. Franchise originally known as the Indianapolis Ice before relocating.) *

(

Tulsa, Oklahoma Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with ...

; 1992–2014. Joined the ECHL on October 7, 2014.) *

(

Wichita, Kansas Wichita ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Sedgwick County, Kansas, Sedgwick County. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population of the city was 397,532. The Wichita metro area had ...

; 1992–2014. Joined the ECHL on October 7, 2014.) *

Youngstown SteelHounds The Youngstown SteelHounds was a professional ice hockey team which participated in the Central Hockey League (CHL) from the 2005–2006 season through the 2007–2008 season. The team was affiliated with the Columbus Blue Jackets of the NHL and t ...

(

Youngstown, Ohio Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio, and the largest city and county seat of Mahoning County, Ohio, Mahoning County. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Youngstown had a city population of 60,068. It is a principal city of ...

; 2005–2008. Franchise terminated by the league for non-payment of league dues on June 2, 2008.)

Timeline

DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:20 Period = from:01/01/1992 till:10/07/2014 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal PlotArea = right:5 left:5 bottom:50 top:5 Colors = id:line value:black PlotData= width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s bar:1 color:tan1 from:10/01/1992 till:08/01/1995 text:

(1992–1995) bar:2 color:tan1 from:10/01/1992 till:08/01/1999 text:

(1992–1999) bar:3 color:tan1 from:10/01/1992 till:08/01/2007 text:

(1992–2007) bar:3 color:tan1 from:10/01/2007 till:06/13/2011 text:

(2007–2011) bar:4 color:tan1 from:10/01/1992 till:07/02/2009 text: Oklahoma City Blazers (1992–2009) bar:5 color:tan2 from:10/01/1992 till:end text:

(1992–2014) bar:6 color:tan2 from:10/01/1992 till:end text:

(1992–2014) bar:7 color:tan1 from:10/01/1994 till:08/01/1997 text:

(1994–1997, 1998–2002) bar:7 color:tan1 from:10/01/1998 till:06/26/2002 bar:8 color:tan1 from:10/01/1996 till:06/25/2001 text:

(1996–2001) bar:9 color:tan1 from:10/01/1996 till:08/01/2001 text: Huntsville Channel Cats / Tornado (1996–2001) bar:10 color:tan1 from:10/01/1996 till:08/01/2001 text: Macon Whoopee (1996–2001) bar:11 color:tan1 from:10/01/1996 till:06/01/1998 text: Nashville Nighthawks / Ice Flyers (1996–98) bar:12 color:tan1 from:10/01/1997 till:08/01/2001 text:

(1997–2001) bar:13 color:tan1 from:10/01/1998 till:04/10/2001 text:

(1998–2001) bar:14 color:tan1 from:10/01/1999 till:08/01/2004 text:

(1999–2004) bar:14 color:tan1 from:10/01/2004 till:08/01/2005 text: Topeka Tarantulas (2004–05) bar:15 color:tan1 from:10/01/2000 till:02/20/2001 text:

(2000–01) bar:16 color:tan1 from:10/01/2001 till:05/19/2010 text: Amarillo Rattlers / Gorillas (2001–2010) bar:17 color:tan1 from:10/01/2001 till:05/07/2008 text:

(2001–2008) bar:18 color:tan1 from:10/01/2001 till:06/10/2011 text:

(2001–2011) bar:19 color:tan1 from:10/01/2001 till:05/21/2010 text:

(2001–2010) bar:20 color:tan1 from:10/01/2001 till:08/01/2003 text:

(2001–2003) bar:21 color:tan1 from:10/01/2001 till:08/01/2006 text: Fort Worth / Texas Brahmas (2001–2006, 2007–2013) bar:21 color:tan1 from:10/01/2007 till:06/16/2013 bar:22 color:tan1 from:10/01/2001 till:06/20/2007 text:

(2001–2007) bar:23 color:tan1 from:10/01/2001 till:08/01/2005 text:

(2001–2005, 2006-2009) bar:23 color:tan1 from:10/01/2006 till:07/02/2009 bar:24 color:tan1 from:10/01/2001 till:05/01/2011 text: Odessa Jackalopes (2001–2011) bar:25 color:tan1 from:10/01/2001 till:08/01/2005 text: San Angelo Saints / Outlaws (2001–2005) bar:26 color:tan1 from:10/01/2002 till:05/01/2012 text:

(2002–2012) bar:26 color:tan1 from:10/01/2013 till:05/02/2014 shift:(-90) text:

(2013–14) bar:27 color:tan1 from:10/01/2003 till:05/29/2011 text:

(2003–2011) bar:28 color:tan1 from:10/01/2003 till:06/20/2012 text: Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees (2003–2012) bar:30 color:tan1 from:10/01/2005 till:06/02/2008 text:

(2005–2008) bar:31 color:tan1 from:10/01/2006 till:08/20/2014 text:

(2006–2014) bar:32 color:tan1 from:10/01/2006 till:06/18/2009 text: Rocky Mountain Rage (2006–2009) bar:33 color:tan2 from:10/01/2008 till:end text:

(2008–2014) bar:34 color:tan2 from:10/01/2009 till:end text:

(2009–2014) bar:35 color:tan2 from:10/01/2009 till:end text:

(2009–2014) bar:36 color:tan1 from:10/01/2010 till:07/03/2011 shift:(-50) text:

(2010–11) bar:37 color:tan1 from:10/01/2010 till:05/17/2012 text:

(2010–2012) bar:38 color:tan1 from:10/01/2010 till:05/17/2012 shift:(-5) text:

(2010–2012) bar:39 color:tan1 from:10/01/2010 till:05/17/2012 shift:(-15) text:

(2010–2012) bar:40 color:tan2 from:10/01/2010 till:end shift:(-15) text:

(2010–2014) bar:41 color:tan1 from:10/01/2011 till:05/15/2013 shift:(-45) text:

(2011–2013) bar:42 color:tan1 from:10/01/2012 till:08/20/2014 shift:(-80) text:

(2012–2014) bar:43 color:tan2 from:10/01/2013 till:end shift:(-105) text:

(2013–14) ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:2 start:1992

Expansion

League champions

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Central Hockey League (1992-2014) Defunct ice hockey leagues in the United States 2014 disestablishments in the United States Minor league hockey Sports leagues established in 1992 1992 establishments in the United States Sports leagues disestablished in 2014

History

Legacy

Teams

Timeline

Expansion

League champions

See also

References