The World Hockey Association 2 was a 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 created at the instigation of the organizers of the proposed recreated

World Hockey Association The World Hockey Association (french: Association mondiale de hockey) was a professional ice hockey major league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major league to compete with the National Hockey League (NHL) ...

to serve as its development league. The WHA2 teams — some of which had played the 2002–03 season in the

Atlantic Coast Hockey League The Atlantic Coast Hockey League (ACHL) was a minor league hockey organization that operated between 1981 and 1987. The league was founded by Bill Coffey. The Bob Payne Trophy was awarded to the team who won the league playoff championship. Acco ...

— were all in the

southeastern United States The Southeastern United States, also referred to as the American Southeast or simply the Southeast, is a geographical region of the United States. It is located broadly on the eastern portion of the southern United States and the southern por ...

. David Waronker was the league's founder and also served as the league's commissioner. The WHA2 operated in the 2003–04 season only, after which (due to a falling-out with the parent organization) it was served a cease-and-desist from the WHA and ceased operations. David Waronker was credited with both the founding and collapse of the league. In addition he owned or co-owned all of the teams in the league. Its surviving teams merged with survivors of the

South East Hockey League South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþaz ...

to form the

Southern Professional Hockey League The Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) is a professional ice hockey independent minor league based in Huntersville, North Carolina, with teams located primarily in the southeastern United States as well as Illinois and Indiana in the mid ...

for the 2004–2005 season. The

Jacksonville Barracudas The Jacksonville Barracudas were a professional minor league ice hockey team based in Jacksonville, Florida. They were established in 2002, and played in the Atlantic Coast Hockey League (2002–2003), Atlantic Coast Hockey League (2002–2003), th ...

won the WHA2's first and only President's Cup. Jacksonville also hosted the first and only

WHA2 All-Star Game The World Hockey Association 2 was a minor professional ice hockey league created at the instigation of the organizers of the proposed recreated World Hockey Association to serve as its development league. The WHA2 teams — some of which had ...

Teams

* Orlando Seals (became the

Florida Seals The Florida Seals were a minor league ice hockey franchise, a member of the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL). Originally based in Orlando, Florida, as the Orlando Seals, they later moved to Kissimmee, Florida, a suburb thirty miles so ...

for the 2005–06 SPHL season) *

(moved to SPHL for 2004–05) *

Macon Trax The Macon Trax were a minor-league professional ice hockey team based in Macon, Georgia. They played in the low minor leagues Atlantic Coast Hockey League (2002–03), World Hockey Association 2 (2003–04) and Southern Professional Hockey Lea ...

(moved to SPHL for 2004–05) *

Miami Manatees The Miami Manatees were a minor league ice hockey team in the World Hockey Association 2. The Manatees originally played their home games at Miami Arena; however, owner David Waronker had an out clause in the teams lease that stated that if the t ...

(folded after 2003–04) *

Lakeland Loggerheads Lakeland is primarily a toponym. It may refer to: Places Australia *Lakeland, Queensland Canada *Lakeland (electoral district), a federal electoral district in Alberta *Lakeland County, a former municipal district in Alberta * District of La ...

(folded after 2003–04) *

Alabama Slammers The Alabama Slammers were a professional ice hockey team. They were a member of the World Hockey Association 2, and played their home games at Pelham Civic Center in Pelham, Alabama, a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, Birmingham. The Slammers were ...

(folded after 2003–04)

2003–04 season

Regular season

Playoffs

References

Defunct ice hockey leagues in the United States 2003–04 in American ice hockey by league 2003 establishments in the United States 2004 disestablishments in the United States Sports leagues established in 2003 Sports leagues disestablished in 2004 {{Icehockey-league-stub

Teams

2003–04 season

Regular season

Playoffs

See also

References