United Hockey League


"International Hockey League (2007–2010)" redirects here. For other uses, see International Hockey League (disambiguation).

"UHL" redirects here. For other uses, see Uhl (disambiguation).

"Colonial Hockey League" redirects here. For the NCAA Division III collegiate hockey conference, see Colonial Hockey Conference.
















United Hockey League

United Hockey League.svg
Logo of the UHL from 1997–2006

SportIce hockey
Founded1991
Ceased2010
Replaced by
Central Hockey League (partial)
Countries
 United States
 Canada
Last
champion(s)		Fort Wayne Komets
Most titles
Fort Wayne Komets & Muskegon Fury (4)

The United Hockey League (UHL), originally known as the Colonial Hockey League from 1991 to 1997 and last known as the International Hockey League from 2007 to 2010, was a low-level minor professional ice hockey league,[1][2][3] with teams in the United States and Canada. The league was headquartered in Rochester, Michigan, and, in its last year, consisted of seven teams.[4] It folded in 2010, with most of its teams joining the Central Hockey League. The Central Hockey League teams still operating in 2014 were then added to ECHL. The only former CoHL/UHL/IHL teams still active as of 2018 are the Fort Wayne Komets and Kalamazoo Wings.




Contents





  • 1 History


  • 2 Governance


  • 3 Colonial/Turner Cup champions


  • 4 Teams

    • 4.1 Expansion


    • 4.2 Timeline


    • 4.3 History of teams



  • 5 Awards


  • 6 See also


  • 7 References


  • 8 External links




History


The UHL was originally formed in 1991 as the Colonial Hockey League and had teams in Brantford, Ontario; Detroit, Michigan; Flint, Michigan; St. Thomas, Ontario; and Thunder Bay, Ontario; the avowed goal of the league organizers was to fill the low-level niche in the Great Lakes area abandoned by the original International Hockey League as the latter league engaged in upmarket expansion. As time passed, the CoHL moved eastward, into places like Glens Falls, NY; Danbury, CT; Utica, NY; Binghamton, NY; and Richmond, VA. During that expansion, the league was renamed "United Hockey League" (UHL) and the headquarters was moved to Lake St. Louis, Missouri in 1997.


The 2006–07 season was the last season of play for the league under the UHL name. Following the 2006–07 season, the league lost half of its ten teams. The franchises in Moline and Rockford, Illinois moved to the American Hockey League, the team in Elmira, New York, went to the ECHL, and the franchises in Chicago, Illinois and Port Huron, Michigan ceased operations. In June 2007 at the league’s annual meeting, the UHL announced that it was changing its name to the "International Hockey League" (IHL). Paul L. Pickard was named the first president and CEO of the new IHL. During that summer, the UHL headquarters moved from Lake St. Louis, Missouri to Rochester, Michigan. The UHL's rebranding was intended to evoke the original IHL, which had ceased operations in 2001 and covered much of the new IHL's footprint. The Fort Wayne Komets were a longtime member of the original league while the Kalamazoo Wings and Flint Generals franchises were revived names of the original Kalamazoo and Flint IHL teams.[5][6]


On July 13, 2010, the league announced an agreement with the Central Hockey League, the effects of which saw five IHL teams – the Bloomington PrairieThunder, Dayton Gems, Evansville IceMen, Fort Wayne Komets and Quad City Mallards – absorbed into the CHL. The remaining two franchises from the league's last season that were not absorbed into the CHL, the Flint Generals and the Port Huron Icehawks, folded.



Governance




UHL's IHL logo from 2007 until 2010


Dennis Hextall was named as the president and commissioner of the International Hockey League on September 2, 2009.[7] Hextall was preceded by Paul Pickard, who served as commissioner for the first two years of the renamed league (2007–2009).


Several UHL teams had affiliations with the National Hockey League, American Hockey League, and the All American Hockey League.



Colonial/Turner Cup champions


The Colonial Cup was the league's championship trophy. The name was changed to the Turner Cup in 2007 to reflect the original IHL's championship trophy, also named the Turner Cup.


  • 1992 – Thunder Bay Thunder Hawks

  • 1993 – Brantford Smoke

  • 1994 – Thunder Bay Senators

  • 1995 – Thunder Bay Senators

  • 1996 – Flint Generals

  • 1997 – Quad City Mallards

  • 1998 – Quad City Mallards

  • 1999 – Muskegon Fury

  • 2000 – Flint Generals

  • 2001 – Quad City Mallards

  • 2002 – Muskegon Fury

  • 2003 – Fort Wayne Komets

  • 2004 – Muskegon Fury

  • 2005 – Muskegon Fury

  • 2006 – Kalamazoo Wings

  • 2007 – Rockford IceHogs

  • 2008 – Fort Wayne Komets

  • 2009 – Fort Wayne Komets

  • 2010 – Fort Wayne Komets


Teams



Expansion










































































































































































Season
Teams
Expansion
Defunct
Suspended
Return from hiatus
Relocated
Name changes

Colonial Hockey League
1991–92
5
Brantford Smoke
Flint Bulldogs
Michigan Falcons
Thunder Bay Thunder Hawks
St. Thomas Wildcats






1992–93
7
Chatham Wheels
Muskegon Fury




Detroit Falcons (Michigan)

1993–94
8
Flint Generals



Flint → Utica Bulldogs
Thunder Bay Senators (Thunder Hawks)

1994–95
8




Chatham → Saginaw Wheels
St. Thomas → London Wildcats
Utica Blizzard (Bulldogs)

1995–96
9
Quad City Mallards
Madison Monsters

London Wildcats




1996–97
10



London Wildcats
Detroit → Port Huron Border Cats
London → Dayton Ice Bandits
Saginaw Lumber Kings (Wheels)
Thunder Bay Thunder Cats (Senators)

United Hockey League
1997–98
10
B.C. Icemen
Winston-Salem IceHawks
Utica Blizzard
Dayton Ice Bandits




1998–99
11



Dayton Ice Bandits
Brantford → Asheville Smoke
Dayton → Mohawk Valley Prowlers
Saginaw Gears (Lumber Kings)

1999–2000
14
Fort Wayne Komets
Madison Kodiaks
Missouri River Otters



Madison → Knoxville Speed
Thunder Bay → Rockford Icehogs
Winston-Salem → Adirondack IceHawks
Saginaw → Ohio Gears (mid-season)


2000–01
15
Elmira Jackals
New Haven Knights
Ohio Gears
Mohawk Valley Prowlers (mid-season)


Madison → Kalamazoo Wings


2001–02
14







2002–03
10
Port Huron Beacons
Asheville Smoke
B.C. Icemen
Knoxville Speed
New Haven Knights
Port Huron Border Cats





2003–04
12
Columbus Stars
Richmond RiverDogs
Columbus Stars (mid-season)





2004–05
14
Danbury Trashers
Kansas City Outlaws
Motor City Mechanics




Adirondack Frostbite (IceHawks)

2005–06
14
Port Huron Flags
Kansas City Outlaws


Port Huron Beacons → Roanoke Valley Vipers


2006–07
10
Bloomington PrairieThunder
Adirondack Frostbite
Danbury Trashers
Missouri River Otters
Motor City Mechanics
Roanoke Valley Vipers


Richmond → Chicago Hounds


International Hockey
League
2007–08
6
Port Huron Icehawks
Chicago Hounds
Elmira Jackals (moved to ECHL)
Port Huron Flags
Quad City Mallards
Rockford IceHogs (Replaced by an AHL team)





2008–09
6





Muskegon Lumberjacks (Fury)

2009–10
7
Dayton Gems
Quad City Mallards
Kalamazoo Wings (moved to ECHL)




After 09–10 season
0
(League folded
July 13, 2010)

Port Huron Icehawks (Folded June 10, 2010)
Flint Generals (Folded June 10, 2010)[8]
Franchises merged into CHL:
Bloomington PrairieThunder
Dayton Gems
Evansville IceMen
Fort Wayne Komets
Quad City Mallards


Muskegon Lumberjacks → Evansville IceMen (June 23, 2010)


Timeline



Quad City MallardsDayton Gems (2009–)Port Huron IcehawksBloomington PrairieThunderPort Huron Flags (UHL)Motor City MechanicsKansas City OutlawsDanbury TrashersChicago HoundsRichmond RiverDogsColumbus StarsRoanoke Valley VipersPort Huron BeaconsNew Haven KnightsElmira JackalsMissouri River OttersKalamazoo WingsMadison KodiaksFort Wayne KometsAdirondack FrostbiteWinston-Salem IceHawksB.C. IcemenKnoxville SpeedMadison MonstersQuad City Mallards (1995-2007)Flint GeneralsMuskegon Lumberjacks (1992–2010)Ohio GearsSaginaw Gears (UHL)Chatham WheelsMohawk Valley ProwlersDayton Ice BanditsLondon WildcatsSt. Thomas WildcatsRockford IceHogs (UHL)Thunder Bay Thunder CatsPort Huron Border CatsDetroit Falcons (CoHL)Utica BlizzardFlint BulldogsAsheville SmokeAsheville Smoke


History of teams




  • Adirondack Frostbite 2004–06


  • Adirondack IceHawks 1999–2004, later Adirondack Frostbite


  • Asheville Smoke 1998–2002


  • Arctic Xpress 2000–01 (did not play), later Canton Xpress


  • B.C. Icemen 1997–2002


  • Bloomington PrairieThunder (2006–10), merged into Central Hockey League


  • Brantford Smoke 1991–98, 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 1992–94, later Saginaw Wheels


  • Chicago Hounds 2006–07


  • Columbus Stars 2003 – January 9, 2004


  • Danbury Trashers 2004–06


  • Dayton Gems 2009–10, merged into Central Hockey League


  • Dayton Ice Bandits 1996–97, later Mohawk Valley Prowlers


  • Detroit Falcons 1992–96


  • Elmira Jackals 2000–07 [9]


  • Evansville IceMen 2010, merged into Central Hockey League


  • Flint Bulldogs 1991–93, later Utica Bulldogs


  • Flint Generals 1993–2010


  • Fort Wayne Komets 1999–2010, merged into Central Hockey League


  • Kalamazoo Wings 2000–09 [10]


  • Kansas City Outlaws 2004–05


  • Knoxville Speed 1999–2002


  • Lehigh Valley Xtreme 2000(did not play)


  • London Wildcats 1994–95, later Dayton Ice Bandits


  • Madison Kodiaks 1999–2000, later Kalamazoo Wings


  • Madison Monsters 1996–99, later Knoxville Speed


  • Michigan Falcons 1991–92, later Detroit Falcons


  • Missouri River Otters 1999–2006


  • Mohawk Valley Prowlers 1998– January, 2001


  • Motor City Mechanics 2004–06


  • Muskegon Lumberjacks 1992–2010, later Evansville IceMen


  • New Haven Knights 2000–02


  • Ohio Gears December 20, 1999 – 2000, later Arctic Xpress


  • Port Huron Beacons 2002–05, later Roanoke Valley Vipers


  • Port Huron Border Cats 1996–2002


  • Port Huron Icehawks 2007–10


  • Port Huron Flags 2005–07


  • Quad City Mallards 1995–2007


  • Quad City Mallards 2009–10, merged into Central Hockey League


  • Richmond RiverDogs 2003–06, later Chicago Hounds


  • Roanoke Valley Vipers 2005–06


  • Rockford IceHogs 1999–2007 [11]


  • Saginaw Gears 1998 – December 19, 1999, later Ohio Gears


  • Saginaw LumberKings 1996–98, later Saginaw Gears


  • Saginaw Wheels 1994–96, later Saginaw LumberKings


  • St. Thomas Wildcats 1991–94, later London Wildcats


  • Thunder Bay Senators 1993–96, later Thunder Bay Thunder Cats


  • Thunder Bay Thunder Cats 1996–99, later Rockford IceHogs


  • Thunder Bay Thunder Hawks 1991–93, later Thunder Bay Senators


  • Utica Bulldogs 1993–94


  • Utica Blizzard 1994–97


  • Winston-Salem IceHawks 1997–99, later Adirondack IceHawks



Awards


  • UHL Best Goaltender


See also


  • List of developmental and minor sports leagues

  • List of ice hockey leagues

  • Minor league

  • Sports league attendances


References




  1. ^ "Report: AHL hockey team moving from Omaha to the Quad-Cities / QCTimes.com". archive.org. 26 January 2009..mw-parser-output cite.citationfont-style:inherit.mw-parser-output .citation qquotes:"""""""'""'".mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registrationcolor:#555.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration spanborder-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output code.cs1-codecolor:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-errordisplay:none;font-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-errorfont-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-maintdisplay:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-formatfont-size:95%.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-leftpadding-left:0.2em.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-rightpadding-right:0.2em


  2. ^ "Mallards call conference / QCTimes.com". archive.org. 26 January 2009.


  3. ^ "Gauntlet Sports - The improbable and fantastic journey of Drayton Valley's Eric Schneider". archive.org. 4 August 2008.


  4. ^ "Welcome to the IHL". The International Hockey League. Archived from the original on 2007-06-25. Retrieved 2007-06-20.


  5. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on October 21, 2014. Retrieved October 12, 2014.CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)


  6. ^ dhamm@pantagraph.com, Douglas Hamm. "UHL becomes IHL, adds team". pantagraph.com. Archived from the original on 2018-01-18. Retrieved 2014-10-12.


  7. ^ "IHL Honored to Announce Hextall as New Leader" – IHL-Hockey.com Archived October 27, 2009, at the Wayback Machine


  8. ^ "Flint Generals are history as Perani Arena chooses to give lease to NAHL's Michigan Warriors instead". mlive. June 10, 2010. Archived from the original on 2016-01-07. Retrieved 2015-03-30.


  9. ^ Jackals moved to ECHL – http://www.echl.com/cgi-bin/mpublic.cgi?action=show_news&cat=1&id=10749 Archived January 29, 2009, at the Wayback Machine


  10. ^ Wings moved to ECHL – http://www.echl.com/cgi-bin/mpublic.cgi?action=show_news2&id=19007[dead link]


  11. ^ Had assets bought out by Rockford IceHogs of American Hockey League – http://www.theahl.com/news/league/index.html?article_id=7559 Archived September 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine



External links


  • Official IHL website

  • UHL Yearly Standings









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