United States Hockey League

Current season or competition: 2012–13 USHL Season
Sport	Ice Hockey
Founded	1947
Commissioner	Ellis T. "Skip" Prince
No. of teams	16
Country(ies)	USA
Most recent champion(s)	Dubuque Fighting Saints
Most titles	(overall) Waterloo Black Hawks (9) (Clark Cup era) Omaha Lancers (7)
Official website	www.ushl.com

The United States Hockey League (USHL) is the top junior ice hockey league in the United States. The USHL has 16 member teams located in the Midwestern United States, consisting of players who are 20 years of age and younger. The USHL is strictly amateur, allowing former USHL players to compete in NCAA college hockey.

The Dubuque Fighting Saints won the 2012–2013 Clark Cup Championship, defeating the Western Conference Champion Fargo Force 3 games to 0 in overtime at the Scheel's Arena in Fargo, North Dakota. The Dubuque Fighting Saints also won the Anderson Cup as the 2012-2013 regular season champions.

Operations [edit]

The United States Hockey League (USHL) is the country's top junior hockey league, classified as Tier I. Like comparable entities such as the Canadian Hockey League (CHL)'s three member leagues, the USHL offers a schedule of high-level, competitive games for top players aged 16 to 20. Unlike the CHL it does not pay a stipend to its players, who thus retain amateur status and are eligible to play in the NCAA.^[1]

USHL teams, which are typically located in mid-sized cities (see map of team locations), pay for all uniforms and equipment. Players live with local families, who receive a small stipend for food expenses, and either continue school or work part-time jobs. Due to their schedules more than 90% of games are on weekends, which many NHL and college scouts attend. As of 2007^[update] average attendance for games was about 3,000.^[1]

One hockey analyst stated that the USHL's first line players are as good as their counterparts in the CHL—historically an important producer of NHL players—but that the Canadian league has better third and fourth lines. In 2006, 155 USHL players committed to NCAA Division I hockey teams, while Trevor Lewis, the 17th pick in the NHL Entry Draft, was the first USHL player to sign an NHL contract immediately after playing in the league.^[1]

Teams [edit]

Current USHL team locations (Eastern Conference teams in red; Western Conference teams in blue)

History [edit]

Precursors to this league were:

• American Amateur Hockey League (1947–52)
• Central Hockey League (1952–53)
• Minnesota Hockey League (1953–55)
• Central Hockey League (1955–60)

American Amateur Hockey League [edit]

The United States Hockey League was established as the American Amateur Hockey League in 1947 and began play for the 1947-48 season. When the league began operations it had five teams in and around the twin cities arena along with a team in Rochester. The league was made up three clubs from St. Paul which were 7-Up, Koppy's and Tally's. Two from Minneapolis Jersey's and Bermans. Along with a team from Rochester called the Rochester Mustangs. After the 1947-48 season the St. Paul Tally's dropped out of the league and left the five remaining members to make up the league for the 1948-49 and 1949-50 seasons. For the 1950-51 season the St. Paul 7-Up and St. Paul Koppy's merged and became St. Paul 7-Up/Koppy's. The Minneapoils Bermans dropped out of the league and new team called the Twin City Fords were added to give the American Amateur Hockey League four teams for 1950-51 season. The Rochester Mustangs were the only club to returned for the fifth and final season of the American Amateur Hockey League in 1951-52. Gone were the St. Paul 7-Up/Koppy's, Twin City Fords and the Minneapolis Jerseys. Replaced by the St. Paul Saints, Hibbing Flyers, Minneapolis Millers, Eveleth Rangers and the first club based outside of the state of Minnesota the Sioux City Iowa Sunhawks. Which gave the league six clubs for 1951-52.

Central Hockey League [edit]

The American Amateur Hockey League was renamed the Central Hockey League for the 1952-53 season. Only five of the clubs who had made up the American Amateur Hockey League for 1951-52 season returned. Those clubs were the Rochester Mustangs, St. Paul Saints, Minneapolis Millers, Hibbing Flyers and the now called Eveleth-Virginia Rangers. Gone were the Sioux City Sunhawks.

Minnesota Hockey League [edit]

After a year as the Central Hockey League the league was renamed the Minnesota Hockey League and would be called this for the 1953-54 and 1954-55 seasons. Only two teams who had made up the Central Hockey League returned to make up the Minnesota Hockey League for the 1953-54 season. Those teams were the Rochester Mustangs and the Hibbing Flyers. Gone were the St. Paul Saints. Minneapolis Millers and the Eveleth-Virginia Rangers. The Grand Forks Red Wings were added and gave the league three teams for 1953-54 season. The Rochester Mustangs were the only team to return for the second and final season of the Minnesota Hockey League. Gone were Hibbing and Grand Forks. The league added two teams in Minneapolis called the Culbersons and Bungalows and a team in St. Paul called the Saints to give the league four teams for 1954-55.

United States Central Hockey League [edit]

After two seasons as the Minnesota Hockey League the league became the United States Central Hockey League and would be called this for five years 1956 to 1960. Only three of the four teams who had made up the Minnesota Hockey League for the 1954-55 season returned. those teams were the Rochester Mustangs along with both Minneapolis clubs the Culbersons and the Bungalows. Gone were the St. Paul Saints who replaced by a team called the St. Paul Peters. These four clubs would make up the USCHL for the 1955-56 and 1956-57 seasons. For the 1957-58 season the St Paul Peters were replaced by a team called St. Paul K.S.T.P. The Rochester Mustangs were the only team to return for the 1958-59 season. Gone were St. Paul K.S.T.P along with both Minneapolis clubs the Culbersons and the Bungalows. The league returned to four teams when it replaced these clubs with the St. Paul Capitols, Minneapolis Millers and the Des Moines Ice Hawks. Which marked the leagues return to Iowa. For the fifth and final season of the USCHL the St Paul Capitols dropped out and the league expanded to five teams and into new territory with a team in Michigan with the addition of the Marquette Sentinals and Wisconsin with the addition of the Green Bay Bobcats.

1961–79 [edit]

The United States Hockey League (USHL) operated as a senior ice hockey league 1961 to 1979.^[2]

The USHL welcomed the first female professional hockey player in 1969–70, when the Marquette Iron Rangers signed Karen Koch.^[3]

By the late 1970s, the USHL had fallen on hard times. In the summer of 1977, clubs from the recently folded Midwest Junior Hockey League contacted the USHL. A unique merger was formed, with the three junior teams (Bloomington Junior Stars, Austin Mavericks, St. Paul Vulcans) and three remaining pro teams (Sioux City Musketeers, Waterloo Black Hawks, Green Bay Bobcats) gathered under the USHL banner. League governors decided on a two-division format, with the junior-aged teams in the Midwest Division and the professionals in the U.S. Division. The teams played an interlocking schedule that was, predictably, dominated by the professionals. The USHL's split existence would last just two seasons. The minor-pro wing of the league folded following the 1978–79 season, providing junior hockey operators with the opportunity to redefine the circuit. The 1979–80 season was the league's first as an entirely junior arrangement.^[4]

The league's last season as a senior hockey league was 1978–79. During this final season the league comprised seven teams in two conferences. The U.S. Conference (with the Green Bay Bobcats, the Sioux City Musketeers and the Waterloo Black Hawks); while the Midwest Conference (with the Anoka Nordiques, the Austin Mavericks, the Bloomington Junior Stars, and the St. Paul Vulcans. All seven teams were made up with players categorized as "Senior Amateur".^{[5][6][7][8][9][10][11]} Following the 1978–79 season the senior league teams in the U.S. Conference folded and the USHL became an all-junior league the following season.^[12]

Teams [edit]

1979 – present [edit]

Defunct junior teams [edit]

Timeline of junior league teams [edit]

• 1979–80 The USHL becomes an all-junior league with seven teams in two divisions. North Division: Hennepin Nordiques, Bloomington Jr. Stars, Green Bay Bobcats, and St. Paul Vulcans. South Division: Austin Mavericks, Sioux City Musketeers, and Waterloo Black Hawks.
• 1980–81 Des Moines Buccaneers enter the league. Waterloo Black Hawks move to Dubuque and become the Fighting Saints. Hennepin Nordiques move to Waterloo and become the Black Hawks. North Division: Austin, Bloomington, Green Bay, and St. Paul. South Division: Des Moines, Dubuque, Sioux City, and Waterloo.
• 1981–82 Green Bay folds. The remaining seven teams merge into one division.
• 1983–84 North Iowa Huskies enter league.
• 1984–85 Madison Capitols and Thunder Bay Flyers enter league. Bloomington changes name to Minneapolis Stars.
• 1985–86 Minneapolis folds. Austin relocates to Rochester and renamed Mustangs.
• 1986–87 Omaha Lancers enter league.
• 1991–92 Madison changes name to Wisconsin Capitols.
• 1994–95 Green Bay Gamblers enter league.
• 1995–96 Wisconsin folds. Fargo-Moorhead Bears enter league. St. Paul changes name to Twin Cities Vulcans.
• 1996–97 Fargo-Moorhead Bears disband. Fargo-Moorhead Ice Sharks enter league. Lincoln Stars enter league. League returns to divisional play. North Division: Fargo-Moorhead, Green Bay, North Iowa, Rochester, Thunder Bay, Twin Cities. South Division: Des Moines, Dubuque, Lincoln, Omaha, Sioux City, Waterloo.
• 1997–98 USA Hockey National Team Development Program plays 24-game schedule in the USHL.
• 1998–99 USHL agrees to play full-season schedule with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program as part of a two-year agreement. League moves to three-division format. East Division: Dubuque, Green Bay, Team USA, and Waterloo. Central Division: Des Moines, North Iowa, Rochester, Thunder Bay, and Twin Cities. West Division: Fargo-Moorhead, Lincoln, Omaha, and Sioux City.
• 1999-00 Sioux Falls Stampede enters league. North Iowa relocates to Cedar Rapids and renamed the RoughRiders. League moves to two-division format. West Division: Des Moines, Fargo-Moorhead, Lincoln, Omaha, Sioux City, Sioux Falls, Twin Cities. East Division: Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Green Bay, Rochester, Thunder Bay, USA Development, Waterloo.
• 2000–01 Thunder Bay ceases operations. Fargo-Moorhead moves to Bensenville, IL and becomes the Chicago Steel. Twin Cities relocates to Kearney, NE and is renamed the Tri-City Storm. Team USA plays 34-game league schedule.
• 2001–02 Dubuque Fighting Saints relocate to Tulsa, Oklahoma and become the Tulsa Crude. Topeka, KS gains an expansion team called the Topeka ScareCrows.
• 2002–03 Rochester ceases operations. Tulsa ceases operations. Omaha relocates to Council Bluffs, Ia., and changes its name to the River City Lancers.
• 2003–04 Danville Wings enter the league. Topeka moves to St. Louis and becomes the Heartland Eagles.
• 2004–05 Danville moves to Indianapolis and becomes the Indiana Ice. St. Louis suspends operations.
• 2005–06 River City Lancers change name back to Omaha Lancers.
• 2006–07 Ohio Jr. Blue Jackets join the league after purchasing the membership of the former Thunder Bay Flyers.
• 2007–08 Ohio Jr. Blue Jackets cease operations at the conclusion of the season.
• 2008–09 Fargo Force join the league.
• 2009–10 United States National Development Team (Team USA) rejoins league as fully competitive member. Youngstown Phantoms expansion team added. Omaha Lancers relocate back to Omaha, Ne.
• 2010–11 Dubuque Fighting Saints rejoin league and Muskegon Lumberjacks join league as expansion team in the Eastern Division.
• 2011–12 Division realignment with Dubuque moving to East and Waterloo moving to the West.

Awards [edit]