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

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...

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; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...

teams had affiliations with the CHL: the

Dallas Stars The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas. The Stars compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The Stars ...

Minnesota Wild The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Confer ...

, and

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

. 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) was a 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 six te ...

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 minor professional ice hockey league based in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, with teams across the United States and Canada. Competitively, it is a tier below the American Hockey League (AHL). The ...

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 t ...

, 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 The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Division. Th ...

(now the

New Jersey Devils The New Jersey Devils are a 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 Conference. The club w ...

), 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 Tulsa ...

, 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 * Memph ...

, the

Dallas Freeze 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 ...

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 th ...

. 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, i ...

, 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 United Hockey League, International Hockey League, Central Hockey League and ECHL. They were named aft ...

, 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 The Arizona Coyotes are an inactive professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. They competed in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division (1996–1998, 2021–2024) and ...

. 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. The Penguins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), E ...

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

Brampton, Ontario Brampton is a city in the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Ontario, and the regional seat of the Regional Municipality of Peel. It is part of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and is a List of municipalities in Ontario#L ...

. 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 ...

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 Allen Event Center, Credit Union of Texas Event Center in Allen, Texas, which currently plays in the ECHL. The team was founded in 2009–10 CHL season, 2009 in the Centr ...

, 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, Tulsa, Wichita, Allen, Colorado, Fort Wayne, Missouri (now Kansas City), and Rapid City are still active as of 2023. Of the CHL's six original teams from the 1992-1993 inaugural season, only the Tulsa Oilers and Wichita Thunder remain and are still active as of 2023.

Teams

(

Allen, Texas Allen is a city in Collin County, Texas, Collin County in the U.S. state of Texas, and a northern suburb in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The population was 104,627 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, and was estimated to be 111 ...

; 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 t ...

(

Amarillo, Texas Amarillo ( ; Spanish language, Spanish for "yellow") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Potter County, Texas, Potter County, though most of the southern half of the city extends into Randall County, Texas, 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 The North American Hockey League (NAHL) is one of the top junior hockey leagues in the United States and is in its 50th season of operation in 2024–25. It is the only Tier II junior league sanctioned by USA Hockey, and acts as an alternati ...

(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, ...

(

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

; 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. They were originally members of the Western Professional Hockey League (WPHL) and later the Central Hockey League (CHL). The team was ...

(

Austin, Texas Austin ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat and most populous city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and W ...

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

Bloomington Blaze Bloomington commonly refers to: *Bloomington, Illinois, a city in McLean County, United States *Bloomington, Indiana, a city in Monroe County, United States *Bloomington, Minnesota, a city in Hennepin County, United States Bloomington may also refe ...

(

Bloomington, Illinois Bloomington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States, and its county seat. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census showed the city had a population of 78,680, making it the List of municipalities in Illinois, 13th-most populous ci ...

; 2011–2013 CHL. Joined the

Southern Professional Hockey League The SPHL (formerly the Southern Professional Hockey League) 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 Indian ...

(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 (late ...

(

; 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 ...

(

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 cities, twin city with neighboring Texarkana, Arkansas. The Texas city's population was 36,193 at the 2 ...

; 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, Louisiana, Bossier City-Shreveport, Louisiana, Shreveport metropolitan area of Louisiana. From 1997 to 2001, the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs were ...

(

Bossier City Bossier City ( ) is a city in Bossier Parish in the northwestern region of the 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 total ...

–

Shreveport, Louisiana Shreveport ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is the List of municipalities in Louisiana, third-most populous city in Louisiana after New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Baton Rouge. The bulk of Shreveport is in Caddo Parish, Lo ...

; 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 Junior ice hockey#Tier II, 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 fr ...

.) *

(

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

Colorado Eagles The Colorado Eagles are a professional 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 Hockey League and ...

(

Loveland, Colorado Loveland is a List of cities and towns in Colorado#Home rule municipality, home rule municipality and the List of cities and towns in Colorado, second most populous municipality in Larimer County, Colorado, United States. Loveland is situated n ...

; 2003–2011. Joined the ECHL on May 29, 2011. Joined American Hockey League on October 10, 2017 for 2018-2019 season.) *

Columbus Cottonmouths The Columbus Cottonmouths were three separate professional ice hockey teams based in Columbus, Georgia. The team is nicknamed the Snakes and played their home games at the Columbus Civic Center. In 2017, the third franchise suspended operations af ...

(

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

; 1996–2001. Joined the ECHL from 2001 to 2004. Joined the SPHL in 2004.) * Corpus Christi IceRays (

Corpus Christi, Texas Corpus Christi ( ; ) is a Gulf Coast of the United States, coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat and largest city of Nueces County, Texas, Nueces County with portions extending into Aransas County, T ...

; 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 a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...

; 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. The Gems were an expansion team assembled from various cast-offs and young players loo ...

(

Dayton, Ohio Dayton () is a city in Montgomery County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of cities in Ohio, sixth-most populous city in Ohio, with a population of 137,644 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Dayton metro ...

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

Denver, Colorado Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...

; 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, United States, 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 w ...

(

El Paso, Texas El Paso (; ; or ) is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States. The 2020 United States census, 2020 population of the city from the United States Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau was 678,815, making it the List of ...

; 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 won four post-s ...

(

Evansville, Indiana Evansville is a city in Vanderburgh County, Indiana, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 118,414 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is Indiana's List of cities in Indiana, third-most populous city after India ...

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

Fayetteville, North Carolina Fayetteville ( , ) is a city in and the county seat of Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. It is best known as the home of Fort Bragg, a major U.S. Army installation northwest of the city. Fayetteville has received the All-Ameri ...

; 1997–2001.) *

Fort Wayne Komets The Fort Wayne Komets are a minor league ice hockey team, which currently plays in the ECHL. They play their home games at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana. In all of North American professional hockey, only the Orig ...

(

Fort Wayne, Indiana Fort Wayne is a city in Allen County, Indiana, United States, and its county seat. 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 at the 2020 census ...

; 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 a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Tarrant County, Texas, Tarrant County, covering nearly into Denton County, Texas, Denton, Johnson County, Texas, Johnson, Parker County, Texas, Parker, and Wise County, Te ...

; 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 Junior ice hockey#Tier II, Tier II junior ice hockey team in the North American Hockey League (NAHL) based in North Richland Hills, Texas (a suburb of Fort Worth, Texas, Fort Worth). The Brahmas play their home games a ...

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), Southern Hockey League (1995–1996), the Central Hoc ...

(

Huntsville, Alabama Huntsville is the List of municipalities in Alabama, most populous city in the U.S. state of Alabama. The population of the city is estimated to be 241,114 in 2024, making it the List of United States cities by population, 100th-most populous ...

; 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 Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indian ...

(

Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indiana, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana, Marion ...

; 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 the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Webb County, Texas, Webb County, on the north bank of the Rio Grande in South Texas, across from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Founded in 1755, Laredo grew from a villag ...

; 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 70,493 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making St. Charles the List of cities in ...

. 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 Lubb ...

(

Lubbock, Texas Lubbock ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Lubbock County. With a population of 272,086 in 2024, Lubbock is the 10th-most populous city in Texas and the 84th-most populous in the United States. The city is in the ...

; 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 Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, United States. Situated near the Atlantic Seaboard fall line, fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is southeast of Atlanta and near the ...

; 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 Hoc ...

(

Southaven, Mississippi Southaven is a city in DeSoto County, Mississippi, United States. It is a principal city in Memphis metropolitan area, Greater Memphis. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census reported a population of 54,648, making it the List of municipal ...

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

2011 The year marked the start of a Arab Spring, series of protests and revolutions throughout the Arab world advocating for democracy, reform, and economic recovery, later leading to the depositions of world leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen ...

.) *

Missouri Mavericks Missouri (''see pronunciation'') is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it borders Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas to the south and Oklahoma, Kansas, a ...

(

Independence, Missouri Independence is a city in and one of two county seats of Jackson County, Missouri, United States. It 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 Unite ...

; 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 game ...

(

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...

; 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 (colloquially referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Predators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Divisio ...

.) *

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, 2 ...

(

Rio Rancho, New Mexico Rio Rancho () is the largest and most populous 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 is the thi ...

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

Odessa Jackalopes The Odessa Jackalopes are a Junior ice hockey#Tier II, Tier II junior ice hockey team playing in the North American Hockey League (NAHL). The team is based in Odessa, Texas and plays their home games at Ector County Coliseum. History The fra ...

(

Odessa, Texas Odessa () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Ector County, Texas, Ector County with portions extending into Midland County, Texas, Midland County. Odessa's population was 114,428 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 ...

; 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 ''Same Name'' is an American reality television series in which an average person swaps lives with a celebrity of the same first and last name. It premiered on July 24, 2011 on CBS. The series received low ratings, and CBS pulled it after four-ep ...

.) * Oklahoma City Blazers (

Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Oklahoma, most populous city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat ...

; 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 AHL season, 2010–11. They played their home games at the Cox Convention Center, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. ...

of the

American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league comprises 32 teams, with 26 in the United States and 6 in Cana ...

in 2010.) *

(

Moline, Illinois Moline ( ) is a city in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. With a population of 42,985 in the 2020 census, it is the largest city in Rock Island County and the List of municipalities in Illinois, ninth-most populous in Illinois outside ...

; 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, 2 ...

(

Rapid City, South Dakota Rapid City is the county seat of Pennington County, South Dakota, United States. It is located on the eastern slope of the Black Hills in western South Dakota and was named after Rapid Creek (South Dakota), Rapid Creek, where the settlement deve ...

; 2008–2014. Joined the ECHL on October 7, 2014.) * Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees (

Hidalgo, Texas Hidalgo is a city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. Its population was 11,198 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census, and in 2020, the population had risen to 13,964. History The area that is now Hidalgo was first settled by Spanis ...

; 2003–2012. Ceased operations on June 20, 2012, and was replaced by a team of the

in the NAHL in 2013.) *

Rocky Mountain Rage The Rocky Mountain Rage were a professional ice hockey team that played in the Central Hockey League between the 2006–07 and 2008–09 seasons. They played their home games at the Broomfield Event Center in Broomfield, Colorado Broomfie ...

(

Broomfield, Colorado Broomfield is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county located in the United States, U.S. Colorado, state of Colorado. It has a consolidated government which operates under Article XX, Sect ...

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

San Angelo Saints The San Angelo Saints are a defunct professional ice hockey team that was based in San Angelo, Texas. Originally named the San Angelo Outlaws before being renamed "Saints" prior to the 2002–03 season, the team played three seasons in the Centra ...

(

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 (North America), Permian Basin to the northwest, Chihuahuan Desert ...

; 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 a ...

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 w ...

(

San Antonio, Texas San Antonio ( ; Spanish for "Anthony of Padua, Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the List of Texas metropolitan areas, third-largest metropolitan area in Texa ...

; 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 so ...

, was introduced.) * St. Charles Chill (

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

Topeka, Kansas Topeka ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, in northeastern Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2020 cen ...

; 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 and Great Plains, for players between the ages of 16 and 21. Th ...

.) *

Topeka Tarantulas The Topeka Tarantulas were a professional minor league ice hockey team based in Topeka, Kansas. They were a member of the Central Hockey League and played their home games at Landon Arena. The team was established in 2004 when the Indianapolis I ...

(

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

(

Tulsa, Oklahoma Tulsa ( ) is the List of municipalities in Oklahoma, second-most-populous city in the U.S. state, state of Oklahoma, after Oklahoma City, and the List of United States cities by population, 48th-most-populous city in the United States. The po ...

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

(

Wichita, Kansas Wichita ( ) is the List of cities in Kansas, most populous 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, ...

; 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 ...

(

Youngstown, Ohio Youngstown is a city in Mahoning County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Ohio, 11th-most populous city in Ohio with a population of 60,068 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Mahoning ...

; 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: Fayetteville Force (1997–2001) bar:13 color:tan1 from:10/01/1998 till:04/10/2001 text: Topeka ScareCrows (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:

(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: Corpus Christi IceRays (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:

(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: St. Charles Chill (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:

(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: Denver Cutthroats (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

History

Legacy

Teams

Timeline

Expansion

League champions

See also

References

Further reading