United States Hockey League

For the defunct league by the same name, see United States Hockey League (1945–1951).

United States Hockey League

Current season or competition: 2010–11 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 Sioux Falls Stampede won the 2006–07 USHL championship in an expanded, 12-team playoff format. The league reverted to an 8-team divisional playoff format for the 2007–08 season.

The Indiana Ice won the 2008–09 Clark Cup championship, defeating the Fargo Force 3 games to 1 in the finals. The Ice defeated the Anderson Cup champion Green Bay Gamblers in the semi-finals.

The Green Bay Gamblers won the 2009–10 Clark Cup championship, defeating the Fargo Force 3 games to 2 in the finals. The Gamblers also won the Anderson Cup that season.

The Dubuque Fighting Saints took the 2010–2011 Clark Cup Championship in their inaugural season, defeating the defending champions Green Bay Gamblers 3 games to 1. The final game was played in front of a crowd of 3,480, the largest crowd ever to watch a hockey game in the city of Dubuque. The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders won the Anderson Cup that season before losing to Green Bay in the Clark Cup semifinals.

Teams

Eastern Conference
Team	Founded	City
Cedar Rapids RoughRiders	1999	Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Chicago Steel	2000	Bensenville, Illinois
Green Bay Gamblers	1994	Green Bay, Wisconsin
Indiana Ice	2004	Indianapolis, Indiana
Muskegon Lumberjacks	2010	Muskegon, Michigan
USA Hockey National Team Development Program	1996	Ann Arbor, Michigan
Waterloo Black Hawks	1962	Waterloo, Iowa
Youngstown Phantoms	2003	Youngstown, Ohio
Western Conference
Team	Founded	City
Des Moines Buccaneers	1980	Urbandale, Iowa
Dubuque Fighting Saints	2010	Dubuque, Iowa
Fargo Force	2008	Fargo, North Dakota
Lincoln Stars	1996	Lincoln, Nebraska
Omaha Lancers	1986	Omaha, Nebraska
Sioux City Musketeers	1972	Sioux City, Iowa
Sioux Falls Stampede	1999	Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Tri-City Storm	2000	Kearney, Nebraska

History

Current USHL team locations.

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)

The American Amateur Hockey League was established in 1947 as the Minnesota-based American Amateur Hockey League with teams in Minneapolis, Rochester and St. Paul.^[1] Since its debut, the league has progressed and changed its name several times: In 1952, it became the Central Hockey League; then the next season it became the Minnesota Hockey League; and in 1956 the name was changed again to the Central Hockey League. In 1961, it adopted its present name, the United States Hockey League (USHL),^[2] but operated as a minor professional league until 1979.

1961–1979

The United States Hockey League (USHL) operated as a senior ice hockey league 1961 to 1979.^[3]

The USHL welcomed the first female professional hockey player in 1969–70, when the Marquette Iron Rangers signed Karen Koch.^[4]

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.^[5]

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".^{[6][7][8][9][10][11][12]} 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.^[13]

Teams

Team	City	Years
Anoka Nordiques	Anoka, Minnesota	1978–1979
Austin Mavericks	Austin, Minnesota	1977–1979
Bloomington Junior Stars	Bloomington, Minnesota	1977–1979
Calumet-Houghton Chiefs	Calumet Township, Michigan	1972–1973
Central Wisconsin Flyers	Stevens Point, Wisconsin	1974–1976
Chicago Warriors	Chicago, Illinois	1972–1975
Copper-Country Chiefs	Calumet, Michigan	1974–1976
Copper-Country Islanders	Calumet, Michigan	1973–1974
Des Moines Oak Leafs	Urbandale, Iowa	1968–1969
Duluth Port Stars	Duluth, Minnesota	1968–1969 (Duluth dropped out of league on December 30, 1968)[14]
Fox Valley Astros	Dundee, Illinois[15]	1965–1966
Grand-Rapids Blades	Grand Rapids, Michigan	1976–1977
Grand-Rapids Bruins	Grand Rapids, Minnesota	1968–1969
Green Bay Bobcats	Green Bay, Wisconsin	1961–1979
Madison Blues	Madison, Wisconsin	1973–1974 (transferred to CHL)
Marquette Iron Rangers	Marquette, Michigan	1964–1976
Milwaukee Admirals	Milwaukee, Wisconsin	1973–1977 (transferred to IHL)
Milwaukee Metros	Milwaukee, Wisconsin	1961–1962 (Milwaukee folded Jan 16, 1962 due to financial trouble)[16]
Minneapolis Rebels	Minneapolis, Minnesota	1961–1962
Minnesota Nationals	Saint Paul, Minnesota	1967–1968 (U.S. 1968 Olympic team[17])
Rochester Mustangs	Rochester, Minnesota	1961–1970
Sault Ste. Marie Canadians	Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario	1968–1972
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds	Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario	1972–1973
Sioux City Musketeers	Sioux City, Iowa	1972–1979
St. Paul Steers	Saint Paul, Minnesota	1962–1966
Thunder Bay Twins	Thunder Bay, Ontario	1970–1975 (transferred to OHA)
Traverse City Bays	Traverse City, Michigan	1975–1977
U.S. Nationals	Saint Paul, Minnesota	1966–1967
Waterloo Black Hawks	Waterloo, Iowa	1962–1969, 1970–79

1979 – present

Defunct Junior Teams

Team	City	Years
Austin Mavericks	Austin, Minnesota	1977–1985
Danville Wings	Danville, Illinois	2003–2004
Dubuque Fighting Saints	Dubuque, Iowa	1980–2001
Fargo-Moorhead Bears	Fargo, North Dakota	1995–1996
Fargo-Moorhead Ice Sharks	Fargo, North Dakota	1996–2000
Green Bay Bobcats	Green Bay, Wisconsin	1958–1981
Hennepin Nordiques	Minneapolis, Minnesota	1979–1980
Minneapolis Stars	Minneapolis/Bloomington, Minnesota	1977–1985
North Iowa Huskies	Mason City, Iowa	1983–1999
Ohio Junior Blue Jackets	Columbus, Ohio	2006–2008
Rochester Mustangs	Rochester, Minnesota	1985–2002
St. Louis Heartland Eagles	Chesterfield, Missouri	2003–2004
Twin Cities/St. Paul Vulcans[18]	St. Paul/Bloomington, Minnesota	1977–2000
Thunder Bay Flyers	Thunder Bay, Ontario	1984–2000
Topeka ScareCrows	Topeka, Kansas	2001–2003
Tulsa Crude	Tulsa, Oklahoma	2001–2002
Madison/Wisconsin Capitols	Madison, Wisconsin	1984–1995

Timeline of junior league teams

• 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 granted one-year suspension of 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 will begin operations.
• 2009–10 United States National Development Team (Team USA) will re-join 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 teams.

Awards

Main article: List of USHL award winners

Semi-Pro Season Champions Year Team 1961–62 Rochester Mustangs 1962–63 Green Bay Bobcats 1963–64 Waterloo Black Hawks 1964–65 Waterloo Black Hawks 1965–66 Waterloo Black Hawks 1966–67 Waterloo Black Hawks 1967–68 Waterloo Black Hawks 1968–69 Marquette Iron Rangers 1969–70 Marquette Iron Rangers 1970–71 Marquette Iron Rangers 1971–72 Green Bay Bobcats 1972–73 Thunder Bay Twins 1973–74 Thunder Bay Twins 1974–75 Waterloo Black Hawks 1975–76 Milwaukee Admirals 1976–77 Grand-Rapids Blades 1977–78 Waterloo Black Hawks 1978–79 Waterloo Black Hawks

Anderson Cup Champions Year Team 1979–80 Hennepin Nordiques 1980–81 Dubuque Fighting Saints 1981–82 Sioux City Musketeers 1982–83 Dubuque Fighting Saints 1983–84 St. Paul Vulcans 1984–85 Austin Mavericks 1985–86 Sioux City Musketeers 1986–87 Rochester Mustangs 1987–88 Thunder Bay Flyers 1988–89 Thunder Bay Flyers 1989–90 Omaha Lancers 1990–91 Thunder Bay Flyers 1991–92 Thunder Bay Flyers 1992–93 Omaha Lancers 1993–94 Des Moines Buccaneers 1994–95 Des Moines Buccaneers 1995–96 Green Bay Gamblers 1996–97 Green Bay Gamblers 1997–98 Des Moines Buccaneers 1998–99 Des Moines Buccaneers 1999-00 Lincoln Stars 2000–01 Lincoln Stars 2001–02 Omaha Lancers 2002–03 Lincoln Stars 2003–04 Tri-City Storm 2004–05 Cedar Rapids RoughRiders Omaha Lancers 2005–06 Sioux Falls Stampede 2006–07 Waterloo Black Hawks 2007–08 Omaha Lancers 2008–09 Green Bay Gamblers 2009–10 Green Bay Gamblers 2010–11 Cedar Rapids RoughRiders

Clark Cup Champions Year Team 1979–80 Hennepin Nordiques 1980–81 Dubuque Fighting Saints 1981–82 Sioux City Musketeers 1982–83 Dubuque Fighting Saints 1983–84 St. Paul Vulcans 1984–85 Dubuque Fighting Saints 1985–86 Sioux City Musketeers 1986–87 Rochester Mustangs 1987–88 Thunder Bay Flyers 1988–89 Thunder Bay Flyers 1989–90 Omaha Lancers 1990–91 Omaha Lancers 1991–92 Des Moines Buccaneers 1992–93 Omaha Lancers 1993–94 Omaha Lancers 1994–95 Des Moines Buccaneers 1995–96 Green Bay Gamblers 1996–97 Lincoln Stars 1997–98 Omaha Lancers 1998–99 Des Moines Buccaneers 1999-00 Green Bay Gamblers 2000–01 Omaha Lancers 2001–02 Sioux City Musketeers 2002–03 Lincoln Stars 2003–04 Waterloo Black Hawks 2004–05 Cedar Rapids RoughRiders 2005–06 Des Moines Buccaneers 2006–07 Sioux Falls Stampede 2007–08 Omaha Lancers 2008–09 Indiana Ice 2009–10 Green Bay Gamblers 2010–11 Dubuque Fighting Saints

Alumni

• List of USHL alumni to play in the NHL
• List of USHL players drafted by NHL teams

League records

Team

• Most points in a season – 97 by Des Moines Buccaneers in 1998–99 season.
• Most wins in a season – 48 by Des Moines Buccaneers in 1998–99 season.
• Most losses in a season – 48 by Omaha Lancers in 1986–87 season.
• Longest winning streak – 19 by Des Moines Buccaneers between November 1, 1998 and January 6, 1999.

Individual

• Most points in a season – 135 by Tim Ferguson of Sioux City Musketeers in 1985–86 season.
• Most goals in a season – 67 by Rod Taylor of Sioux City Musketeers in 1985–86 season.
• Most assists in a season – 79 by Tim Ferguson of Sioux City Musketeers in 1985–86 season.
• Most PIMs in a season – 316 by Chad Stauffacher of Green Bay Gamblers in 1996–97 season.

See also

• List of ice hockey leagues
• Sports league attendances

References

1. ^ 1947–48 American Amateur Hockey League [AAHL] standings at. Hockeydb.com. Retrieved on October 17, 2011.
2. ^ Marquette Iron Rnagers: History. Marquetteironrangers.com (June 1, 1964). Retrieved on October 17, 2011.
3. ^ United States Hockey League [USHL] seasons at. Hockeydb.com. Retrieved on October 17, 2011.
4. ^ www.marquetteironrangers.com. www.marquetteironrangers.com. Retrieved on October 17, 2011.
5. ^ [1]^{[dead link]}
6. ^ Sioux City Musketeers hockey team of the USHL at. Hockeydb.com. Retrieved on October 17, 2011.
7. ^ Green Bay Bobcats hockey team of the USHL at. Hockeydb.com. Retrieved on October 17, 2011.
8. ^ Anoka Nordiques hockey team of the USHL at. Hockeydb.com. Retrieved on October 17, 2011.
9. ^ Waterloo Black Hawks hockey team of the USHL at. Hockeydb.com. Retrieved on October 17, 2011.
10. ^ Austin Mavericks hockey team of the USHL at. Hockeydb.com. Retrieved on October 17, 2011.
11. ^ Bloomington Junior Stars hockey team of the USHL at. Hockeydb.com. Retrieved on October 17, 2011.
12. ^ St. Paul Vulcans hockey team of the USHL at. Hockeydb.com. Retrieved on October 17, 2011.
13. ^ 1978–79 United States Hockey League [USHL] standings at. Hockeydb.com. Retrieved on October 17, 2011.
14. ^ 1968–69 United States Hockey League [USHL] standings at. Hockeydb.com. Retrieved on October 17, 2011.
15. ^ Santa's Village by Phillip L. Wenz, Published by Arcadia Publishing, 2007 ISBN 0738541494, 9780738541495
16. ^ 1961–62 United States Hockey League [USHL] standings at. Hockeydb.com (January 16, 1962). Retrieved on October 17, 2011.
17. ^ http://www.murraywilliamson.org/Pages/1968.aspx
18. ^ St Paul Vulcans Hockey History. Vintageminnesotahockey.com. Retrieved on October 17, 2011.

• USHL 2006–07 Media Guide

External links

• USHL website
• Maps to USHL arenas
• Semi-Pro season standings 1947–1960
• Semi-Pro season standings 1961–1979
• Amateur season standings 1979–2007
• USHL Team Logos 1961–1979
• History of former USHL member Green Bay Bobcats
• History of former USHL member Marquette Iron Rangers
• History of former USHL member St. Paul/Twin City Vulcans
• History of former USHL member Rochester Mustangs
• List of USHL (junior league) alumni who are playing in the NHL or currently under NHL contract