International Hockey League

 

International Hockey League (2007-)
Sport	Ice hockey
Founded	1991
No. of teams	6
Country/ Countries	United States
Most recent champion(s)	Rockford IceHogs
Official website	www.ihl-hockey.com

The International Hockey League (IHL) is a professional ice hockey league with teams in the United States. The league is headquartered in Rochester, Michigan

Formed in 1991 as the Colonial Hockey League with the intent to fill the low minor league ^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]} Great Lakes region niche abandoned by the original International Hockey League as it went upmarket, it had teams in Brantford, Ontario; Detroit, Michigan; Flint, Michigan; St. Thomas, Ontario; and Thunder Bay, Ontario. As the ECHL moved westward (into Toledo, Dayton, and Peoria), the CoHL moved eastward, into places like the Adirondacks, Danbury, CT, and Richmond, VA to name a few. During that expansion, the league became known as the United Hockey League, before renaming itself to the International Hockey League in 2007.

The name change rekindles memories back to the days when the original IHL (1945-2001) had teams in Flint, Fort Wayne, Kalamazoo, and Muskegon, before it, as mentioned above, branched out into larger cities - sometimes trying to compete head-to-head in the same city as existing NHL franchises - spread across North America and eventually became defunct through mismanagement and escalating player salaries. Many of the current IHL players have American Hockey League as well as European pro league experience.

On June 27th, 2007, a dispersal draft was held among the six IHL teams, selecting players from the four 2006-2007 UHL franchises that are no longer part of the newly-named league.

The results of the first round:

2007 IHL dispersal draft

Round 1

Bloomington -- Don Parsons (F), Quad City

Port Huron -- Marty Magers (G), Chicago

Flint -- Steve MacIntyre (D), Quad City

Kalamazoo -- Chris Busby (D), Chicago

Muskegon -- Todd Grant (LW), Chicago

Fort Wayne -- Sergei Durdin (D), Quad City

Currently, Paul Pickard serves as President and CEO of the IHL; he is also president of Stadium Management Corporation.

2007-08 Teams

(official affiliations in brackets)

• Bloomington Prairie Thunder
• Flint Generals (Detroit Red Wings)
• Fort Wayne Komets
• Kalamazoo Wings
• Muskegon Fury (Grand Rapids Griffins)
• Port Huron IceHawks (Detroit Red Wings)

Colonial Cup Winners

The Turner Cup is awarded to annual playoff championship. The name Turner Cup has been restored as of September 24, 2007 as a tribute to the original IHL. Prior to this, the trophy given to the league playoff champions was known as the Colonial Cup. The past winners are:

• 2007 - Rockford IceHogs
• 2006 - Kalamazoo Wings
• 2005 - Muskegon Fury
• 2004 - Muskegon Fury
• 2003 - Fort Wayne Komets
• 2002 - Muskegon Fury
• 2001 - Quad City Mallards
• 2000 - Flint Generals
• 1999 - Muskegon Fury
• 1998 - Quad City Mallards
• 1997 - Quad City Mallards
• 1996 - Flint Generals
• 1995 - Thunder Bay Senators
• 1994 - Thunder Bay Senators
• 1993 - Brantford Smoke
• 1992 - Thunder Bay Thunder Hawks

Defunct teams

Adirondack Frostbite 2004-2006 Adirondack IceHawks 1997-2004, later Adirondack Frostbite Asheville Smoke 1998-2002 Arctic Xpress 2000-2001 (did not play), later Canton Xpress B.C. Icemen 1997-2002 Brantford Smoke 1991-1998, later Asheville Smoke Canton Ice Patrol 2002 (did not play) Canton Xpress 2001-January 28, 2002 (did not play), later Canton Ice Patrol Chatham Wheels 1992-1994, later Saginaw Wheels Chicago Hounds 2006-2007 Columbus Stars 2003-January 9, 2004 Danbury Trashers 2004-2006 Dayton Ice Bandits 1996-1997, later Mohawk Valley Prowlers Detroit Falcons 1992-1996 Elmira Jackals 2000-2007 [7] Flint Bulldogs 1991-1993, later Utica Bulldogs Kansas City Outlaws 2004-2005 Knoxville Speed 1999-2002 Lehigh Valley Xtreme 2000(did not play) London Wildcats 1994-1995, later Dayton Ice Bandits Madison Kodiaks 1999-2000, later Kalamazoo Wings Madison Monsters 1996-1999, later Knoxville Speed Michigan Falcons 1991-1992, later Detroit Falcons

Missouri River Otters 1999-2006 Mohawk Valley Prowlers 1998- January, 2001 Motor City Mechanics 2004-2006 New Haven Knights 2000-2002 Ohio Gears December 20, 1999-2000, later Arctic Xpress Port Huron Beacons 2002-2005, later Roanoke Valley Vipers Port Huron Border Cats 1996-2002 Port Huron Flags 2005-2007 Quad City Mallards 1995-2007 Richmond RiverDogs 2003-2006, later Chicago Hounds Roanoke Valley Vipers 2005-2006 Rockford IceHogs 1999-2007 [8] Saginaw Gears 1998-December 19, 1999, later Ohio Gears Saginaw LumberKings 1996-1998, later Saginaw Gears Saginaw Wheels 1994-1996, later Saginaw LumberKings St. Thomas Wildcats 1991-1994, later London Wildcats Thunder Bay Senators 1993-1996, later Thunder Bay Thunder Cats Thunder Bay Thunder Cats 1996-1999, later Rockford IceHogs Thunder Bay Thunder Hawks 1991-1993, later Thunder Bay Senators Utica Bulldogs 1993-1994 Utica Blizzard 1994-1997 Winston-Salem IceHawks 1997-1999, later Adirondack IceHawks

See also

• Sports league attendances

References

1. ^ http://www.pjstar.com/stories/062207/DAV_BDIQEB62.077.php
2. ^ http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2007/05/15/news/local/doc464a3e0694b79469104694.txt
3. ^ Article from the Chicago Sun-Times http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20050601/ai_n14662889
4. ^ http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2007/05/23/news/local/doc4654e4c9ad9bc691549463.txt
5. ^ http://www.chitowndailynews.org/Sports/2007/1/4/Put_theUHL_on_a_dead_pool_list
6. ^ http://gauntlet.ucalgary.ca/story/2362
7. ^ Jackals moved to ECHL - http://www.echl.com/cgi-bin/mpublic.cgi?action=show_news&cat=1&id=10749
8. ^ Had assets bought out by Rockford IceHogs of American Hockey League - http://www.theahl.com/news/league/index.html?article_id=7559

External links

• Official IHL website
• UHL Yearly Standings

International Hockey League

2007-08 teams: Bloomington Prairie Thunder | Flint Generals | Fort Wayne Komets | Kalamazoo Wings | Muskegon Fury | Port Huron IceHawks

Trophies and Awards: Colonial Cup | Tarry Cup

Related Articles: NHL | AHL | CHL | ECHL | SPHL | MAHL | World Cup

North American Professional Hockey
National Hockey League
Minor League Hockey
High Level: American Hockey League Mid Level: Central Hockey League | ECHL | International Hockey League Low Level: Mid-Atlantic Hockey League | Southern Professional Hockey League | Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey  Semi-Professional: North Eastern Hockey League

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