The Western States Hockey League (WSHL) was a junior

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 ...

league established in 1993. It was sanctioned by the

United Hockey Union The United Hockey Union (UHU), founded in 2012, is a group of ice hockey leagues in North America. The UHU is overseen and insured by the Amateur Athletic Union. Neither body is recognized by USA Hockey, Hockey Canada, or the International Ice Hoc ...

, the junior hockey branch of the

Amateur Athletic Union The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) is an amateur sports organization based in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs. It h ...

. Previously, it was sanctioned by

USA Hockey USA Hockey is the national ice hockey organization in the United States. It is recognized by the International Olympic Committee and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee as the governing body for organized ice hockey in the United ...

from 1994 to 2011. Teams played approximately 50 games in the regular season schedule, mimicking what players would experience at the collegiate level. As of January 2022, there are no active teams in the league following the creation of the

Can-Am Junior Hockey League The Can-Am Junior Hockey League (CAJHL) is a junior hockey league with teams based in Canada. The league is independently operated and insured; it is not sanctioned by Hockey Canada, USA Hockey, or the Amateur Athletic Union. There are current ...

by former WSHL teams.

History

Year one consisted of six teams, spanning Arizona, California, Nevada and Utah, with all member clubs playing a 30-game schedule operating as Tier III Junior B teams. The league was founded by Dr. Don Thorne and the Thorne Cup championship trophy was named in his recognition. The Anaheim Jr. Ducks won the first Thorne Cup Championship that season and was the last franchise from the inaugural season still in existence as the

Long Beach Bombers The Long Beach Bombers were an Amateur Athletic Union-sanctioned Tier II junior ice hockey team in Western Division of the Western States Hockey League (WSHL). The team played their home games at The Rinks – Lakewood Ice in Lakewood, California ...

until 2019. The Long Beach franchise was sold and the Bombers brand was then used as an expansion team called the Barrhead Bombers. Current commissioner Ron White took over operation of the WSHL in 1995 and continued to expand the league footprint. In 2007, the WSHL upgraded their league status from the Tier III Junior B level to Junior A to attract higher quality prospects. In 2011, the league joined the

(AAU) and dropped its

sanctioning leading to the loss of its most successful franchise, the

Phoenix Polar Bears The Phoenix Polar Bears were a USA Hockey-sanctioned Junior A Tier III ice hockey team based out of Phoenix, Arizona. Their host facility was the Desert Schools Coyotes Center in Chandler, Arizona. The Polar Bears were a member of the Western St ...

, while adding many new teams. After the WSHL's success without USA Hockey, the

(UHU) was formed under the AAU sanctioning along with the Northern States Hockey League (NSHL) and the

Midwest Junior Hockey League The Midwest Junior Hockey League (MWJHL) was an American junior ice hockey league. The MWJHL were members of the United Hockey Union and sanctioned by the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU). On March 10, 2015, the league announced it would be joining ...

(MWJHL). The UHU leagues continued to operate with Tier III Junior A player requirements. The WSHL has had numerous teams participate and win the USA Hockey and UHU National Championship over the years and most recently, the

El Paso Rhinos The El Paso Rhinos are a junior ice hockey organization based in El Paso, Texas. Their home games are played at the County Events Center located within the El Paso County Coliseum complex. The Rhinos are members of the South Division of the Ti ...

were crowned the

National Champions in 2014. The WSHL has had great success in moving players on to the college hockey ranks through the "Western States Shootout", an annual all-league showcase held every December in

Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vega ...

. The event averages in excess of 80 scouts in attendance, all of whom are looking to bolster their roster for the following season. In 2015, the WSHL Board of Governors announced the approval of the league to start competing as a Tier II-level player league for a higher caliber of play beginning in the 2015–16 season. Prior to the announcement the only Tier II-level league in the United States was the

North American Hockey League The North American Hockey League (NAHL) is one of the top junior hockey leagues in the United States and is in its 48th season of operation in 2022–23. It is the only Tier II junior league sanctioned by USA Hockey, and acts as an alterna ...

. However, unlike the USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier II NAHL, the UHU-sanctioned WSHL operates similar to the

Canadian Junior Hockey League The Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) is an association of Canadian junior A ice hockey leagues and teams and was formed in November 1993, emerging from the Canada West Association of Junior 'A' Hockey. The champion of the Canadian Junior H ...

's Junior "A" status and continues to charge player tuition to help pay for team travel expenses. In the 2015–16 season, the WSHL grew to its largest membership with 29 teams across 14 states. In 2018, the league expanded into western Canada with a Provinces Division in the WSHL that had originally been announced to play as its own league called the Western Provinces Hockey Association (WPHA). After one season, the WSHL's association with the WPHA dissolved and removed the teams that had been directly operated by the owners of the WPHA. The WPHA then joined the

Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League The Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League (GMHL) is a Canadian developmental junior ice hockey league. The league has primarily had teams in the Greater Toronto Area, Central Ontario, Northeastern Ontario, and Quebec. In 2019, they added three ...

, an independent junior league primarily based in Ontario. In April 2020, the WSHL lost the

Fresno Monsters The Fresno Monsters are a junior ice hockey team based in Fresno, California. The team is a member of the United States Premier Hockey League and plays in the Premier Division. The Monsters' home venue is Gateway Ice Center. History The Monster ...

Las Vegas Thunderbirds The Las Vegas Thunderbirds are a junior ice hockey team in the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL). The Thunderbirds play their home games at City National Arena. History The Las Vegas Thunderbirds were announced by the Western State ...

, Northern Colorado Eagles,

Ogden Mustangs The Ogden Mustangs are a junior ice hockey team based in Ogden, Utah. The Mustangs are members of the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL) and play their home games at The Ice Sheet at Ogden. Before joining the USPHL in 2020, the Mustang ...

, Ontario Avalanche,

Pueblo Bulls The Pueblo Bulls are a junior ice hockey team in the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL). The Bulls play their home games at the Pueblo Ice Arena beginning with the 2019–20 season. History The Pueblo Bulls were announced by the Wester ...

San Diego Sabers The San Diego Sabers are a junior ice hockey team and are a member of United States Premier Hockey League. The team is based in Carlsbad, California, and plays at the Carlsbad Icetown. The team was the fourth team to be known as the San Diego Gul ...

Southern Oregon Spartans The Southern Oregon Spartans were a junior ice hockey team that played their home games at The RRRink in Medford, Oregon. History On May 25, 2007, it was announced by the Northern Pacific Hockey League (NorPac) that two expansion teams would be ...

, and the Utah Outliers to the

United States Premier Hockey League The United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL) is an American ice hockey league. Founded in 2012, the USPHL has grown to over 60 organizations from across the United States fielding teams in the National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC), ...

, another independent junior hockey organization. The

Oklahoma City Jr. Blazers The Oklahoma City Ice Hawks, formerly the Oklahoma City Jr. Blazers, were a Tier III junior ice hockey team, based in Edmond, Oklahoma, in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. The Ice Hawks competed in the USA Hockey-sanctioned North Americ ...

then left on May 19, 2020, to join to the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL). On May 26, 2020, the WSHL announced it would be dormant for the 2020–21 season due to the on-going

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...

, stating the league was already they have begun preparing to return for the 2021–22 season. In June 2020, the El Paso Rhinos also left for the NA3HL for the 2020–21 season with the intention of joining the NAHL for the 2021–22 season. In January 2021, the league stated that it still intended to return for a 2021–22 season. In August, the league gave an update with six new teams and five returning teams split into two divisions: Northwest and Provincial. The schedule was released in September and the league had lost the Vancouver Devils expansion team. The season started the last weekend of October and the expansion Utah Altitude folded after one game played. By November 5, the Northwest Division was announced as going dormant for the season with no games played by Bellingham, Rogue Valley, or Seattle. Bellingham and Vernal then joined the Provincial Division, but Bellingham withdrew after playing five games. By January 2022, the six remaining teams left the WSHL and started another league called the

(CAJHL) to finish the season independently.

Champions

Team history

Full list of teams that have played in the WSHL. * Anaheim Junior Ducks – (

Anaheim, California Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orange County, the 10th-most ...

) 1994–1996 → Southern California Jr. Bombers * Arizona Bandits – (

Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1 ...

) 1994–1995 * Las Vegas Junior Aces – (

) 1994–1995 → Las Vegas Jr. Thunder * San Jose Junior Sharks – (

San Jose, California San Jose, officially San José (; ; ), is a major city in the U.S. state of California that is the cultural, financial, and political center of Silicon Valley and largest city in Northern California by both population and area. With a 2020 popu ...

) 1994–1996 * Utah Lightning – (

Salt Lake City, Utah Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the capital and most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in Utah. With a population of 200,133 in 2020, t ...

) 1994–1996 → Utah Jr. Grizzlies * Ventura Mariners – (

Simi Valley, California Simi Valley (; Chumashan languages, Chumash: ''Shimiyi'') is a city in Simi Valley (valley), the valley of the same name in the southeast region of Ventura County, California, United States. Simi Valley is from Downtown Los Angeles, making it ...

) 1994–2001 * Las Vegas Junior Thunder – (Las Vegas, Nevada) 1995–1996 * Alaska Arctic Ice – (

Anchorage, Alaska Anchorage () is the largest city in the U.S. state of Alaska by population. With a population of 291,247 in 2020, it contains nearly 40% of the state's population. The Anchorage metropolitan area, which includes Anchorage and the neighboring ...

) 1996–1999 * Flagstaff Mountaineers – (

Flagstaff, Arizona Flagstaff ( ) is a city in, and the county seat of, Coconino County in northern Arizona, in the southwestern United States. In 2019, the city's estimated population was 75,038. Flagstaff's combined metropolitan area has an estimated population ...

) 1996–1999 * New Mexico Ice Breakers – (

Albuquerque, New Mexico Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding i ...

) 1996–2001 * Southern California Junior Bombers – (

Lakewood, California Lakewood is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 80,048 at the 2010 census. It is bordered by Long Beach on the west and south, Bellflower on the north, Cerritos on the northeast, Cypress on the east, ...

) 1996–2006 → Bay City Bombers * Utah Junior Grizzlies – (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1996–2001 → Salt Lake Maple Leafs * Colorado Cougars – (

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 ...

) 1997–1999 *

Fairbanks Ice Dogs The Fairbanks Ice Dogs are a Tier II junior ice hockey team in the North American Hockey League's Midwest Division. The Ice Dogs play home games at the 2,200-seat Big Dipper Ice Arena in Fairbanks, Alaska. History Originally started in 1997 i ...

– (

Fairbanks, Alaska Fairbanks is a home rule city and the borough seat of the Fairbanks North Star Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. Fairbanks is the largest city in the Interior region of Alaska and the second largest in the state. The 2020 Census put the p ...

) 1997–1999 * Las Vegas Bandits – (Las Vegas, Nevada) 1997–1998 * Peninsula Hellfighters – (

Kenai Peninsula, Alaska The Kenai Peninsula ( Dena'ina: ''Yaghenen'') is a large peninsula jutting from the coast of Southcentral Alaska. The name Kenai (, ) is derived from the word "Kenaitze" or "Kenaitze Indian Tribe", the name of the Native Athabascan Alaskan tribe ...

) 1997–1999 * Sinbad Sailors – (Anchorage, Alaska) 1997–1999 * Utah Valley Golden Eagles – (

Provo, Utah Provo ( ) is the List of cities and towns in Utah, fourth-largest city in Utah, United States. It is south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the largest city and county seat of Utah County, Utah, Utah County and is home to Bri ...

) 1997–2002 * Las Vegas Blackjacks – (Las Vegas, Nevada) 1998–1999 * Nevada Gamblers – (Las Vegas, Nevada) 1998–2000 * Yukon Claim Jumpers – (

Whitehorse, Yukon Whitehorse () is the capital of Yukon, and the largest city in Northern Canada. It was incorporated in 1950 and is located at kilometre 1426 (Historic Mile 918) on the Alaska Highway in southern Yukon. Whitehorse's downtown and Riverdale areas ...

) 1998–1999 *

– (Phoenix, Arizona) 1999–2011 → Phoenix Knights * Las Vegas Outlaws – (Las Vegas, Nevada) 2000–2001 * Nevada Rattlers – (Las Vegas, Nevada) 2001–2003 * Salt Lake Maple Leafs – (Salt Lake City, Utah) 2001–2002 → Salt Lake Jr. Grizzlies *

San Diego Surf San Diego Surf may refer to: * San Diego Surf SC, a youth soccer club * Oceanside Surf, a basketball team formerly known as San Diego Surf * ''San Diego Surf'' (film), a 1968 film by Andy Warhol {{disambiguation ...

– (

San Diego, California San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United Stat ...

) 2001–2008 → San Diego Gulls *

Valencia Flyers The Valencia Flyers are an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU)-sanctioned junior ice hockey team based in Valencia, Santa Clarita, California. The team plays in the Western Division of the Western States Hockey League at the Ice Station Valencia. His ...

– (

Valencia, California Valencia is an unincorporated community in northwestern Los Angeles County, California. This area, with major commercial and industrial parks, straddles State Route 126 and the Santa Clara River. Development projects continue to be built i ...

) 2001–2003 → Valencia Vipers – 2003–2009 → Valencia Flyers – 2009–2020 * Capital Thunder – (

Roseville, California Roseville is the most populous city in Placer County, California, located within the Sacramento metropolitan area. As of 2019, the US Census Bureau estimated the city's population to be 141,500. Interstate 80 runs through Roseville and State Rout ...

) 2002–2004, 2005–2009 * Salt Lake Junior Grizzlies – (Salt Lake City, Utah) 2002–04 * Bazooka Blues – (

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 wit ...

) 2004–2006 → Tulsa Rampage * Dallas Titans – (

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 ...

) 2004–2006 * Idaho Rattlers – (

Boise, Idaho Boise (, , ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho and is the county seat of Ada County. On the Boise River in southwestern Idaho, it is east of the Oregon border and north of the Nevada border. The downtown ar ...

) 2004–2006 * Valencia Vipers – (Valencia, California) 2004–2009 → Valencia Flyers *

Cajun Catahoulas The Cajun Catahoulas were a Junior A Tier III ice hockey team, based in Carencro, Louisiana, which is located just outside Lafayette. Initially announced in May 2005 as a Junior B team, the Catahoulas were promoted to Junior A Tier III in August ...

– (

Lafayette, Louisiana Lafayette (, ) is a city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, and the most populous city and parish seat of Lafayette Parish, located along the Vermilion River. It is Louisiana's fourth largest incorporated municipality by population and the 234t ...

) 2005–2008 → Texas Renegades * Fort Worth Texans – (

Fort Worth, Texas Fort Worth is the List of cities in Texas by population, fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the List of United States cities by population, 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, Texas, T ...

) 2005–2006 * Peoria Coyotes – (

Peoria, Arizona Peoria is a city in Maricopa and Yavapai counties in the state of Arizona. Most of the city is located in Maricopa County, while a portion in the north is in Yavapai County. It is a major suburb of Phoenix. As of the 2020 census, the popul ...

) 2005–2007 * San Antonio Diablos – (

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_ ...

) 2005–2010 * Bay City Bombers – (Lakewood, California) 2006–2010 → Long Beach Bombers * Dallas Hawks – (

Addison, Texas Addison is an incorporated town in Dallas County, Texas, in the United States. Addison is situated to the immediate north of the city of Dallas, with a 2020 census population of 16,661. Addison and Flower Mound were the only two Texas municipali ...

) 2006–2009 *

– (

El Paso, Texas El Paso (; "the pass") is a city in and the seat of El Paso County in the western corner of the U.S. state of Texas. The 2020 population of the city from the U.S. Census Bureau was 678,815, making it the 23rd-largest city in the U.S., the ...

) 2006–2020 * Long Beach Bulldogs – (Lakewood, California) 2006–2007 * Tucson Tilt – (

Tucson, Arizona , "(at the) base of the black ill , nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town" , image_map = , mapsize = 260px , map_caption = Interactive map ...

) 2006–2007 *

Tulsa Rampage The Cheyenne Stampede were a United Hockey Union-sanctioned junior ice hockey team in the Western States Hockey League (WSHL). The Stampede played their home games at the Cheyenne Ice and Events Center. The team announced it would not participat ...

– (Tulsa, Oklahoma) 2006–2011 → Cheyenne Stampede * Colorado Outlaws – (

Westminster, Colorado The City of Westminster is a home rule municipality located in Adams and Jefferson counties, Colorado, United States. The city population was 116,317 at the 2020 United States Census with 71,240 residing in Adams County and 45,077 residing in ...

) 2007–2009 → Boulder Jr. Bison *

San Diego Gulls The San Diego Gulls are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) that began play in the 2015–16 season. Based in San Diego, California, and affiliated with the National Hockey League's Anaheim Ducks, the Gulls play th ...

– (

Escondido, California Escondido is a city in San Diego County, California, United States. Located in the North County region, it was incorporated in 1888, and is one of the oldest cities in San Diego County. It has a population of 151,038 as of the 2020 census. Ety ...

) 2008–2015 → San Diego Sabers * Texas Renegades – (Dallas, Texas) 2008–2009 → New Mexico Renegades *

Arizona RedHawks The Arizona Hawks were an Amateur Athletic Union-sanctioned Tier II junior ice hockey team based out of Peoria, Arizona. Their host facility was AZ Ice Peoria located next to the Peoria Sports Complex, the spring training home of the Seattle ...

– (Peoria, Arizona) 2009–2015 → Arizona Hawks * Bakersfield Junior Condors – (

Bakersfield, California Bakersfield is a city in Kern County, California, United States. It is the county seat and largest city of Kern County. The city covers about near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley and the Central Valley region. Bakersfield's populat ...

) 2009–2011 → Ogden Mustangs *

Boulder Junior Bison The Superior RoughRiders were a junior ice hockey organization based in Superior, Boulder County, Colorado. The team played in the Western States Hockey League at the Sport Stable in Superior. The Superior RoughRiders are owned by the RoughRider ...

– (

Superior, Colorado Superior is a statutory town in Boulder County, Colorado, United States, with a small, uninhabited segment of land area extending into Jefferson County. According to the 2020 census, the population of the city was 13,094. History Superior's ...

) 2009–2014 → Colorado RoughRiders *

– (

Fresno, California Fresno () is a major city in the San Joaquin Valley of California, United States. It is the county seat of Fresno County and the largest city in the greater Central Valley region. It covers about and had a population of 542,107 in 2020, maki ...

) 2009–2020 (joined USPHL) * Idaho Junior Steelheads – (Boise/McCall, Idaho) 2009–2017 → Idaho IceCats *

New Mexico Renegades The New Mexico Renegades were a Tier III Junior A ice hockey team, based in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. The team played in the Mountain Division of the Western States Hockey League (WSHL). Their home games were played at the Blades Multiplex Arena. I ...

– (

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 ...

) 2009–2014 → Springfield Express *

– (Lakewood, California) 2010–2019 → Barrhead Bombers * Texas Junior Brahmas – (

North Richland Hills, Texas North Richland Hills, commonly known as NRH, is a city inside Tarrant County, Texas, United States, and a mid-to-high end suburb of Fort Worth. The population was 69,917 at the 2020 census, making it the third largest city in Tarrant County. ...

) 2010–2014 *

Cheyenne Stampede The Cheyenne Stampede were a United Hockey Union-sanctioned junior ice hockey team in the Western States Hockey League (WSHL). The Stampede played their home games at the Cheyenne Ice and Events Center. The team announced it would not participa ...

– (

Cheyenne, Wyoming Cheyenne ( or ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Wyoming, as well as the county seat of Laramie County, with 65,132 residents, per the 2020 US Census. It is the principal city of the Cheyenne metropolitan statistic ...

) 2011–2019 * Dallas Ice Jets – (

Grapevine, Texas Grapevine is a city and suburb of Dallas and Fort Worth located in northeast Tarrant County, Texas, United States, with minor portions extending into Dallas County and Denton County. The city is located in the Mid-Cities suburban region betwee ...

) 2011–2014 * Dallas Snipers – (

Euless, Texas Euless ( ) is a city in Tarrant County, Texas, United States, and a suburb of Dallas and Fort Worth. Euless is part of the Mid-Cities region between Dallas and Fort Worth. In 2020 Census, the population of Euless was 61,032. The population of t ...

) 2011–2020 * Park City Moose – ( Park City, Utah) 2011–2012 → Salt Lake City Moose *

Phoenix Knights AHU Knights were an Amateur Athletic Union-sanctioned Tier II junior ice hockey team based out of Gilbert, Arizona. The Knights were a part of the Western States Hockey League and played in the Western Division. Their home games were played at ...

– (

Gilbert, Arizona Gilbert is a town in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, located southeast of Phoenix within the city's metropolitan area. Incorporated on July 6, 1920, Gilbert was once known as the "Hay Shipping Capital of the World". It is the fifth-lar ...

) 2011–2018 *

– (

Ogden, Utah Ogden is a city in and the county seat of Weber County, Utah, United States, approximately east of the Great Salt Lake and north of Salt Lake City. The population was 87,321 in 2020, according to the US Census Bureau, making it Utah's eighth ...

) 2011–2020 (joined USPHL) * Bay Area Seals – (

Daly City, California Daly City () is the second most populous city in San Mateo County, California, United States, with population of 104,901 according to the 2020 census. Located in the San Francisco Bay Area, and immediately south of San Francisco (sharing ...

) 2012–2013 → Lake Tahoe Blue * Ontario Avalanche – (

Ontario, California Ontario is a city in southwestern San Bernardino County in the U.S. state of California, east of downtown Los Angeles and west of downtown San Bernardino, the county seat. Located in the western part of the Inland Empire metropolitan area, i ...

) 2012–2020 (joined USPHL as Anaheim Avalanche) * Salt Lake City Moose – (Salt Lake City/ West Valley City, Utah) 2012–2016 → Utah Outliers *

Seattle Totems The Seattle Totems were a professional ice hockey franchise in Seattle, Washington. Under several names prior to 1958, the franchise was a member of the Pacific Coast Hockey League (renamed the Western Hockey League (1952–1974), Western Hocke ...

– (

Mountlake Terrace, Washington Mountlake Terrace is a suburban city in Snohomish County, Washington Snohomish County () is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. With a population of 827,957 as of the 2020 census, it is the third-most populous county in Wash ...

) 2012–2021 (joined USPHL) *

– (

Medford, Oregon Medford is a city in and the county seat of Jackson County, Oregon, in the United States. As of the 2020 United States Census on April 1, 2020, the city had a total population of 85,824 and a metropolitan area population of 223,259, making the Me ...

) 2012–2020 (joined USPHL) * Tulsa Junior Oilers – (Tulsa, Oklahoma) 2012–2017 *

Wichita Junior Thunder The Wichita Jr. Thunder were an Amateur Athletic Union-sanctioned junior ice hockey team based in Wichita, Kansas, and played home games at the Wichita Ice Center. The team was a member of the Western States Hockey League (WSHL). The league and t ...

– (

Wichita, Kansas Wichita ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Sedgwick County. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 397,532. The Wichita metro area had a population of 647,610 in 2020. It is located in ...

) 2012–2020 * Colorado Junior Eagles – (

Fort Collins, Colorado Fort Collins is a home rule municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Larimer County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 169,810 at the 2020 census, an increase of 17.94% since 2010. Fort Collin ...

) 2013–2018 → Northern Colorado Eagles *

Lake Tahoe Blue The Tahoe Icemen were an Amateur Athletic Union-sanctioned junior ice hockey#AAU, junior ice hockey team in the Western States Hockey League and based in South Lake Tahoe, California. Home games were at South Lake Tahoe Ice Arena. The team was fo ...

– (

South Lake Tahoe, California South Lake Tahoe is the most populous city in El Dorado County, California, United States, in the Sierra Nevada. The city's population was 21,330 at the 2020 census, down from 21,403 at the 2010 census. The city, along the southern edge of Lake ...

) 2013–2015 → Tahoe Icemen *

Missoula Maulers The Missoula Maulers were a junior ice hockey team from Missoula, Montana. The team played in the Northern Pacific Hockey League, the American West Hockey League, and the Western States Hockey League. out of Missoula's Glacier Ice Rink. M ...

– (

Missoula, Montana Missoula ( ; fla, label= Séliš, Nłʔay, lit=Place of the Small Bull Trout, script=Latn; kut, Tuhuⱡnana, script=Latn) is a city in the U.S. state of Montana; it is the county seat of Missoula County. It is located along the Clark Fork ...

) 2013–2016 * Butte Cobras – (

Butte, Montana Butte ( ) is a consolidated city-county and the county seat of Silver Bow County, Montana, United States. In 1977, the city and county governments consolidated to form the sole entity of Butte-Silver Bow. The city covers , and, according to t ...

) 2014–2017 * Casper Coyotes – (

Casper, Wyoming Casper is a city in, and the county seat of, Natrona County, Wyoming, United States. Casper is the second-largest city in the state, with the population at 59,038 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Only Cheyenne, Wyoming, Cheyenne ...

) 2014–2018 → Casper Bobcats * Colorado Evolution – (Denver, Colorado) 2014–2016 *

Colorado RoughRiders The Superior RoughRiders were a junior ice hockey, junior ice hockey organization based in Superior, Colorado, Superior, Boulder County, Colorado, Boulder County, Colorado. The team played in the Western States Hockey League at the Sport Stable in ...

– (Superior, Colorado) 2014–2015 → Superior RoughRiders * Las Vegas Storm – (Las Vegas, Nevada) 2014–2017 *

– (

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 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, and ...

) 2014–2020 (joined NA3HL) *

Springfield Express The Springfield Express was an AAU-sanctioned junior ice hockey team based in Springfield, Missouri and plays home games at the Mediacom Ice Park. The team is a member of the Western States Hockey League (WSHL). History The franchise was found ...

– (

Springfield, Missouri Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. The city's population was 169,176 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Springfield metropolitan area, which had an esti ...

) 2014–2018 * Whitefish Wolverines – (

Whitefish, Montana Whitefish ( Salish: epɫx̣ʷy̓u, "has whitefish") is a town in Flathead County, Montana, United States. According to the 2020 United States Census, there were 7,751 people in the town. History Long before the first Europeans came to Whitefish ...

) 2014–2016 *

Arizona Hawks The Arizona Hawks is a United States Australian Football League team, based in Arizona, United States. It was founded in 1998 by Jess Keller and then fully functional by Andrew Ashworth in 1999, becoming the first Australian rules football club ...

– (Peoria, Arizona) 2015–2017 *

– (Escondido, California) 2015–2020 (joined USPHL) *

Superior RoughRiders The Superior RoughRiders were a junior ice hockey organization based in Superior, Boulder County, Colorado. The team played in the Western States Hockey League at the Sport Stable in Superior. The Superior RoughRiders are owned by the RoughRiders ...

– (Superior, Colorado) 2015–2018 *

Tahoe Icemen The Tahoe Icemen were an Amateur Athletic Union-sanctioned junior ice hockey team in the Western States Hockey League and based in South Lake Tahoe, California. Home games were at South Lake Tahoe Ice Arena. The team was founded by Chris Collins ...

– (South Lake Tahoe, California) 2015–2018 * Vancouver Rangers – (

Vancouver, Washington Vancouver is a city on the north bank of the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington, located in Clark County. Incorporated in 1857, Vancouver has a population of 190,915 as of the 2020 census, making it the fourth-largest city in Was ...

) 2015–2017 →

West Sound Warriors The West Sound Warriors were a junior ice hockey that played at the Bremerton Ice Center in Bremerton, Washington. Formerly, the team was a USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier III ice hockey team that played in the Northern Pacific Hockey League (NorP ...

* Bellingham Blazers – (

Bellingham, Washington Bellingham ( ) is the most populous city in, and county seat of Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington. It lies south of the U.S.–Canada border in between two major cities of the Pacific Northwest: Vancouver, British Columbia (loc ...

) 2016–2021 (joined USPHL) * Utah Outliers – (West Valley City, Utah) 2016–2020 (joined USPHL) * Vail Powder Hounds – (

Vail, Colorado Vail is a home rule municipality in Eagle County, Colorado, United States. The population of the town was 4,835 in 2020. Home to Vail Ski Resort, the largest ski mountain in Colorado, the town is known for its hotels, dining, and for the num ...

) 2016 (Originally joined as the Breckenridge Bucks from the

RMJHL The Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League was a Canadian Junior "A" ice hockey league in British Columbia. :Peace Junior B Hockey League 19xx–1975 :Peace-Cariboo Junior Hockey League 1975–1991 :Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League 1991–1999 ...

but had to relocate to Vail and then folded midseason.) *

Idaho IceCats The Idaho Jr. Steelheads, also called the Idaho IceCats, were a junior ice hockey team based in McCall, Idaho. The team played in the Western States Hockey League (WSHL) and home games were held at Manchester Ice & Event Centre in McCall. The t ...

– (

McCall, Idaho McCall is a resort town on the western edge of Valley County, Idaho, United States. Named after its founder, Tom McCall, it is situated on the southern shore of Payette Lake, near the center of the Payette National Forest. The population was 2,991 ...

) 2017–2018 *

– (

Bremerton, Washington Bremerton is a city in Kitsap County, Washington. The population was 37,729 at the 2010 census and an estimated 41,405 in 2019, making it the largest city on the Kitsap Peninsula. Bremerton is home to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and the Bremer ...

) 2017–2018 → West Sound Admirals * Casper Bobcats – (Casper, Wyoming) 2018–2019 * Cold Lake Wings – (

Cold Lake, Alberta Cold Lake is a city in northeastern Alberta, Canada and is named after the lake nearby. Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake (CFB Cold Lake) is situated within the city's outer limits. History Cold Lake was first recorded on a 1790 map, by the nam ...

) 2018–2019 (Western Provinces Hockey Association) * Edson Aeros – (

Edson, Alberta Edson is a town in west-central Alberta, Canada. It is located in Yellowhead County, west of Edmonton along the Yellowhead Highway and east of the intersection with Highway 47. History The town was founded as Heatherwood, but the name w ...

) 2018–2021(from Western Provinces Hockey Association) → Cold Lake Aeros * Hinton Wildcats – (

Hinton, Alberta Hinton is a town in west-central Alberta, Canada. It is located in Yellowhead County, northeast of Jasper and about west of Alberta's capital city, Edmonton, at the intersection of Yellowhead and Bighorn Highway, in the Athabasca River val ...

) 2018–2019 (Western Provinces Hockey Association) * Meadow Lake Mustangs – (

Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan Meadow Lake is a city in the boreal forest of northwestern Saskatchewan, Canada. Its location is about northeast of Lloydminster and north of North Battleford. Founded as a trading post in 1799, it became a village in 1931 and a town in 1 ...

) 2018–2020 (from Western Provinces Hockey Association) * Northern Colorado Eagles – (

Greeley, Colorado Greeley is the home rule municipality city that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Weld County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 108,795 at the 2020 United States Census, an increase of 17.12% since the 201 ...

) 2018–2020 (joined USPHL) * Steamboat Wranglers – (

Steamboat Springs, Colorado The City of Steamboat Springs is a home rule municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Routt County, Colorado, United States. Steamboat Springs is the principal city of the Steamboat Springs, CO Micropolitan St ...

) 2018–2019 * West Sound Admirals – (Bremerton, Washington) 2018–2019 * Barrhead Bombers – (

Barrhead, Alberta Barrhead is a town in central Alberta, Canada that is surrounded by the County of Barrhead No. 11. It is located along the Paddle River and at the intersection of Highway 33 (Grizzly Trail) and Highway 18, approximately northwest of the Cit ...

) First franchise: 2019–2021 → Rogue Valley Royals; Second franchise: 2021–2022 (joined CAJHL) * Cold Lake Hornets – (Cold Lake, Alberta) 2019–2020 * Hinton Timberwolves – (Hinton, Alberta) 2019–2022 (joined CAJHL) *

– (Las Vegas, Nevada) 2019–2020 (joined USPHL) *

– (

Pueblo, Colorado Pueblo () is a home rule municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Pueblo County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 111,876 at the 2020 United States Census, making Pueblo the ninth most popu ...

) 2019–2020 (joined USPHL) * Cold Lake Aeros – (Cold Lake, Alberta) 2021–2022 (joined CAJHL) * Edmonton Eagles – Enoch, Alberta) 2021–2022 (joined CAJHL) * Rogue Valley Royals – (Medford, Oregon) (Never played in the WSHL; joined USPHL in 2022) * Utah Altitude – (

Kearns, Utah Kearns ( ) is a metro township in Salt Lake County, Utah, United States. Named after Utah's U.S. Senator Thomas Kearns, it had a population of 36,723 at the 2020 Census. This was a 2.8 percent increase over the 2010 figure of 35,731. Kearns is ho ...

) 2021 * Vegreville Vipers – (

Vegreville, Alberta Vegreville ( uk, Веґревіль) is a town in central Alberta, Canada. It is on Highway 16A approximately east of Edmonton, Alberta's capital city. It was incorporated as a town in 1906, and that year also saw the founding of the ''Vegre ...

) 2021–2022 (joined CAJHL) * Vernal Oilers – (

Vernal, Utah Vernal, the county seat and largest city in Uintah County is in northeastern Utah, approximately east of Salt Lake City and west of the Colorado border. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 9,089. The population has since grown t ...

) 2021–2022 (joined CAJHL)

Western Prospects League

As part of the approval of the WSHL to Tier II status in 2015, the WSHL Board of Governors also announced the formation of the Western Prospects League (WPL), a United Hockey Union approved Tier III development league for the WSHL. In its only season (2015–16), the WPL played with four Tier III prospect teams under Tier II organizations (the Casper Coyotes, Cheyenne Stampede, El Paso Rhinos, and Ogden Mustangs) with occasional games against non-WSHL affiliated teams. In 2016, the UHU approved of two other Tier III leagues, the Canadian Premier Junior Hockey League (CPJHL) and the

National College Prospects Hockey League The National College Prospects Hockey League was a junior ice hockey league based in Northeast United States and Ontario. During its first season, the NCPHL was sanctioned as a Tier III league by the United Hockey Union, the junior hockey branch o ...

(NCPHL). Several of the WSHL organizations then announced affiliations with some of the NCPHL teams to act as a developmental team and the WPL appears to have been disbanded.

Western Prospects League Champions

References

External links

WSHL.org

United Hockey Union
{{Junior Hockey Junior ice hockey leagues in the United States 1993 establishments in the United States Sports leagues established in 1993