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American ice hockey league From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL) is an American ice hockey league. Founded in 2012, the USPHL has grown to over 60 organizations from across the United States/Canada fielding teams in the National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC), Premier, Elite, EHF, 18U, 16U, 15U, and High Performance youth divisions.
| |
| Sport | Ice Hockey |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2012 |
| Commissioner | Bob Turow[1] |
| Country | United States Canada |
| Most recent champion(s) | P.A.L. Jr. Islanders (NCDC) Connecticut Jr.Rangers (Premier) Northern Cyclones (Elite) (2024) |
| TV partner(s) | FloSports |
| Official website | USPHL.com |
From 2013 to 2017, USA Hockey sanctioned the Premier, Elite, Empire, Midwest, and USP3 Divisions as Tier III junior leagues. In 2017, the USPHL added a higher level junior league named the National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC) for the 2017–18 season. The NCDC was seeking free-to-play Tier II junior league sanctioning, but was denied by USA Hockey. In response, the USPHL junior level leagues withdrew from USA Hockey sanctioning altogether.[2] The 18U, 16U and 15U divisions are still considered Tier I youth hockey divisions by USA Hockey.[3]
Beginning in the 2024–25 season, the league plans to expand into Canada’s Quebec/Ontario provinces, effectively creating an entire new division.[4]
During the 2012–13 season, several organizations within the Eastern Junior Hockey League (EJHL) decided to form their own league and created the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL). Those organizations also added their youth programs under the USPHL name as the 18U and 16U divisions. The original Tier III junior teams were categorized in the Premier Division when the USPHL absorbed the Empire Junior Hockey League (becoming the Empire Division) and the newly formed Eastern Elite Hockey League (becoming the Elite Division). With the additions, the USPHL added 16 more organizations to the original 15 before the inaugural 2013–14 season. The formation of the USPHL also led the remaining EJHL teams to join the Atlantic Junior Hockey League and create the Eastern Hockey League (EHL).
For the league's second season in 2014–15, the USPHL added the 16U Futures (16UF) Division[5] for players who aspire to play midget hockey, but are not yet ready for the 16U Division. Eight organizations fielded teams in the 16UF Division for its first season. During the 2014 off-season the USPHL lost the New York Applecore (Empire), but added the Providence Capitals (Elite & 16U), Jersey Shore Whalers (Empire), and the Richmond Generals (Elite, Empire) organizations to increase the total number of organizations to 35 headed into the 2014–15 season.
During the 2014–15 season, the USPHL announce the creation of a Midwest Division to begin in the 2015–16 season by adding several teams from the Minnesota Junior Hockey League (MnJHL).[6] By the end of the season, the Midwest Division would add all but one active MnJHL team causing the MnJHL to disband for the following season. On March 10, 2015, the USPHL also added the entire Midwest Junior Hockey League to its new Midwest Division for the 2015–16 season.[7] USPHL Midwest became the fourth Tier III division under the USPHL umbrella.
The changes for the 2015–16 continued into April when the New York Aviators announced their decision to leave the USPHL and join the North American 3 Eastern Hockey League (NA3EHL). The USPHL promptly reassigned the Aviator franchise to Rye, New York, and was renamed to the New York Dragons.[8] In early April 2015, the Empire Division would expand to Daytona, Florida with the Daytona Racers. Also in April, it was announced the Empire Division would be renamed as the USP3 Division. In late April 2015, the Charlotte Rush was announced as an expansion franchise by adding two teams, one in the Elite Division and one in the USP3. The Wooster Oilers from the former MnJHL decided against fielding two Tier III teams and dropped their membership in the USPHL Midwest and would only play in the North American 3 Hockey League. Initially announced with 22 member teams, the new Midwest Division saw a number of teams cease operations prior to the 2015–16 season including the Indiana Attack, Ironwood Fighting Yoopers, Minnesota Owls, Soo Firehawks, and St. Louis Storm due to lack of players. The Midwest Division did not have its own championship playoffs, but instead the top two teams in each conference from the Midwest and USP3 Divisions played for a single championship.
On January 14, 2016, the league announced the formation of a High Performance Youth Division for the upcoming 2016–17 season. The new division added 14 and under (Bantams), 12 and under (Peewees), along with 10 and under (Squirts) to the USPHL umbrella. Charter members of the High Performance Youth Division were to include the New Jersey Rockets, Hartford Junior Wolfpack, Jersey Hitmen, and P.A.L. Jr. Islanders. In late April, the USPHL announced that the Elite and USP3 Divisions were expanding by splitting the teams from the one-year-old Midwest Division into the Elite and USP3 platforms.[9] More changes came on May 20, 2016, when the USPHL added the four remaining teams from the former Northern Pacific Hockey League to the USP3 as a Pacific Division.[10] Before the start of the season, the loss of the Illiana Blackbirds (Elite), Michigan Wild (USP3), and Marquette Royales (USP3) was offset by the additions of Team Beijing (Elite), another team from the New York Aviators organization (Elite), and the return of the Ironwood Fighting Yoopers (USP3).
In October 2016, the USPHL announced it had applied to USA Hockey for approval to start a Tier II junior league for the 2017–18 season. The proposed Tier II USPHL division was announced to consist of 11 teams, seven from organizations in the USPHL Premier, the newly added Rochester Monarchs, and the Boston Bandits, New Jersey Rockets, and Northern Cyclones from the Eastern Hockey League.[11] At the time, the only USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier II league is the North American Hockey League. However, in December 2016, USA Hockey denied their application for a Tier II league.[12] The USPHL launched its tuition-free league as the National Collegiate Development Conference.[13] In response, the USPHL dropped USA Hockey sanctioning from their junior level leagues and operates unsanctioned beginning with the 2017–18 season.[2]
In December 2016, the USPHL also announced the addition of six organizations from the Eastern Hockey League for the 2017–18 season: the previously mentioned Bandits, Rockets, and Cyclones would be joined by the Connecticut Nighthawks, Hartford Jr. Wolfpack, and New Hampshire Junior Monarchs. The New Hampshire Monarchs previously fielded USPHL teams in the youth levels. While the Bandits, Rockets and Cyclones have free-to-play teams in the new NCDC, all six organizations were announced to have Tier III teams in the Premier Division and five teams in the Elite Division.[14] The Jr. Monarchs would also add a NCDC team in 2018.
The league also announced the retirement of the USP3 Division, with the Premier Division remaining the top pay-to-play division and the Elite Division the only Tier III feeder division.[15] The Jersey Shore Whalers and the Florida Jr. Blades, both members of the former USP3 Division, were granted teams in the Premier Division, as well as the Jr. Blades adding their USP3 team to the Elite Division.[16][17] The Skipjacks Hockey Club also added a Premier team to augment their teams in the youth divisions. The Wisconsin Muskies also announced they would field an expansion team in the Premier Division. As part of the many changes, three of the four isolated former USP3 Pacific Division teams left the league with only the Eugene Generals remaining. The Generals would have a modified schedule for the season in the Elite Division playing most of their games against local youth and academy teams while only playing other USPHL teams in showcases.[18]
For 2018–19, the league merged with the Eastern Hockey Federation (EHF) youth leagues. The EHF organization already had many of the USPHL's junior organization's youth clubs.[19] The league also rebranded its 16U Futures as 15U. On March 8, 2019, the USPHL and EHF announced plans to integrate the USPHL's High Performance Youth Division into the EHF to create the EHF South Division, expanding the youth league's footprint into the Mid-Atlantic region, beginning with the 2019–20 season.[20]
In 2020, the USPHL Premier added the Anaheim Avalanche, Fresno Monsters, Las Vegas Thunderbirds, Northern Colorado Eagles, Ogden Mustangs, Pueblo Bulls, San Diego Sabers, Southern Oregon Spartans, and the Utah Outliers from the Western States Hockey League, another independent junior hockey organization.[21][22] Complimentary additions to the USPHL Premier included Elmira Jr. Enforcers (renamed in 2023 to the Elmira Impact), Provo Riverblades, and the return of the Wooster Oilers after a one-year absence.
During the 2019–20 season the Boston Bandits NCDC membership was purchased by the Philadelphia Hockey Club, to replace the Bandits in 2020–21.[23] Rochester Monarchs were removed and replaced by Boston Advantage for the 2020–21 season.[24]
For the 2022–23 season, several new teams joined the USPHL. The Mercer Chiefs joined the NCDC.[26] The Bakersfield Roughnecks joined the Pacific Division in the USPHL Premier.[27] The Idaho Falls Spud Kings joined the Mountain Division in the USPHL Premier.[28] The Minnesota Squatch joined the Midwest West Division in the USPHL Premier.[29] Finally, several former teams from the WSHL—the Bellingham Blazers, Rock Springs Prospectors, Rogue Valley Royals, Seattle Totems, and Vernal Oilers—created a new North West Division in the USPHL Premier.[30]
| Division | Team | Location | Arena | Joined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic | Connecticut Jr. Rangers | Stamford, Connecticut | Chelsea Piers Connecticut | 2017 |
| Jersey Hitmen | Wayne, New Jersey | Ice Vault Arena | 2017 | |
| Mercer Chiefs | Hamilton, New Jersey | Ice Land | 2022 | |
| Rockets Hockey Club | Bridgewater, New Jersey | Bridgewater Sports Arena | 2017 | |
| P.A.L. Jr. Islanders | Hauppauge, New York | Northwell Health Ice Center | 2017 | |
| West Chester Wolves | West Chester, Pennsylvania | PNY Sports Arena | 2024 | |
| Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights | Pittston, Pennsylvania | Revolution Ice Center | 2022 | |
| Mountain | Casper Warbirds | Casper, Wyoming | Acord Ice Center | 2023 |
| Idaho Falls Spud Kings | Idaho Falls, Idaho | Mountain America Center | 2023 | |
| Ogden Mustangs | Ogden, Utah | The Ice Sheet | 2023 | |
| Pueblo Bulls | Pueblo, Colorado | Pueblo Ice Arena | 2023 | |
| Rock Springs Grizzlies | Rock Springs, Wyoming | Rock Springs Ice Arena | 2023 | |
| Utah Outliers | West Valley City, Utah | West Valley Acord Ice Center | 2023 | |
| New England | Boston Jr. Rangers | Tewksbury, Massachusetts | Breakaway Ice Center | 2024 |
| Islanders Hockey Club | Tyngsborough, Massachusetts | Skate 3 Ice Arena | 2017 | |
| Northern Cyclones | Hudson, New Hampshire | Cyclones Arena | 2017 | |
| Seacoast Spartans | Exeter, New Hampshire | The Rinks At Exeter, | 2024 | |
| South Shore Kings | Foxboro, Massachusetts | Foxboro Sports Center | 2017 | |
| Thunder Hockey Club | Exeter, New Hampshire | The Rinks At Exete | 2019 a | |
| Utica Jr. Comets | Utica, New York | Adirondack Bank Center[31] | 2017 | |
| Worcester Jr. Railers HC | Worcester, Massachusetts | Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center | 2024 |
a - Twin City Thunder relocate 2024
The USPHL consists of Premier and Elite junior levels, as well as EHF Selects, EHF South, 18U, 16U, 15U, and High Performance youth divisions with organizations located across the United States and Canada.
| Team | Location | Premier | Elite | NCDC affiliate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Mad Hatters | Marietta, Georgia | Florida | Florida | — |
| Bakersfield Roughnecks | Bakersfield, California | Pacific | — | — |
| Battle Creek Kernels | Battle Creek, Michigan | Great Lakes | — | — |
| Bellingham Blazers | Bellingham, Washington | Northwest | — | — |
| Bold City Battalion | Jacksonville, Florida | Florida | Florida | — |
| Boston Junior Rangers | Tewksbury, Massachusetts | New England | – | Boston Jr. Rangers |
| Bremerton Sockeyes | Bremerton, Washington | Northwest | — | — |
| Brooklyn Aviators | Brooklyn, New York | Atlantic | — | — |
| Carolina Jr. Hurricanes | Morrisville, North Carolina | Southeast | Southeast | — |
| Charlotte Rush | Pineville, North Carolina | Southeast | Southeast | Northern Cyclones |
| Chicago Cougars | Bensenville, Illinois | Midwest | Midwest | — |
| Chicago Crush | Addison, Illinois | Midwest | Midwest | — |
| Cincinnati Jr. Cyclones | Evendale, Ohio | Great Lakes | — | — |
| College Universel Sherbrooke | Sherbrooke, Quebec | Canada | — | — |
| Colorado Fighting Elk | Craig, Colorado | Northwest | — | — |
| Columbus Mavericks | Lewis Center, Ohio | Great Lakes | — | — |
| Connecticut Jr. Rangers | Stamford, Connecticut | Atlantic | Mid-Atlantic | Connecticut Jr. Rangers |
| Decatur Blaze | Decatur, Illinois | Midwest | Midwest | P.A.L. Jr. Islanders |
| Dells Ducks | Lake Delton, Wisconsin | North | — | New Jersey Rockets |
| Elmira Impact | Elmira, New York | Atlantic | Mid-Atlantic | — |
| Florida Eels | Fort Myers, Florida | Florida | Florida | Islanders Hockey Club |
| Florida Jr. Blades | Estero, Florida | Florida | Florida | P.A.L. Jr. Islanders |
| Fort Wayne Spacemen | Fort Wayne, Indiana | Midwest | Midwest | — |
| Fresh Coast Freeze | Holland, Michigan | Great Lakes | — | — |
| Fresno Monsters | Fresno, California | Pacific | — | — |
| Gatineau Universel | Gatineau, Quebec | Canada | — | — |
| Hampton Roads Whalers | Yorktown, Virginia | Southeast | Southeast | New Jersey Rockets |
| Hawkesbury Knights | Hawkesbury, Ontario | Canada | — | — |
| Henderson Force | Henderson, Nevada | Pacific | — | — |
| Hershey Cubs | Hershey, Pennsylvania | Atlantic | Atlantic | — |
| Hudson Havoc | Hudson, Wisconsin | North | — | — |
| Iron County Yeti | Enoch, Utah | Northwest | — | — |
| Isanti Outlaws | Isanti, Minnesota | North | — | Utica Jr. Comets |
| Islanders Hockey Club | North Andover, Massachusetts | New England | New England | Islanders Hockey Club |
| Jersey Hitmen | Wayne, New Jersey | Atlantic | Atlantic | Jersey Hitmen |
| Kingston Wranglers | Kingston, Ontario | Canada | — | — |
| Lake Tahoe Lakers | South Lake Tahoe, California | Pacific | — | — |
| Long Beach Bombers | Lakewood, California | Pacific | — | — |
| Mercer Chiefs | Hamilton, New Jersey | Atlantic | — | Mercer Chiefs |
| Metro Jets | Mount Clemens, Michigan | Great Lakes | Midwest | Boston Junior Bruins |
| Metro Jets Development Program | Mount Clemens, Michigan | Midwest | — | — |
| Minnesota Blue Ox | Coon Rapids, Minnesota | North | — | New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs |
| Minnesota Mullets | Minneapolis, Minnesota | North | — | Jersey Hitmen |
| Minnesota Squatch | Elk River, Minnesota | North | — | — |
| Montreal BlackVees | Montreal, Quebec | Canada | — | — |
| Motor City Gamblers | Fraser, Michigan | Midwest | Midwest | South Shore Kings |
| Nashville Spartans | Nolensville, Tennessee | Great Lakes | — | Provo Predators |
| Northern Cyclones | Hudson, New Hampshire | New England | New England | Northern Cyclones |
| Northwest Express | Spooner, Wisconsin | North | - | - |
| Ontario Jr. Reign | Ontario, California | Pacific | — | — |
| Palm Beach Typhoon | Palm Beach, Florida | Florida | Florida | — |
| P.A.L. Jr. Islanders | Hauppauge, New York | Atlantic | Atlantic | P.A.L. Jr. Islanders |
| Potomac Patriots | Woodbridge, Virginia | Southeast | Southeast | Utica Jr. Comets |
| Railers Junior HC | Worcester, Massachusetts | New England | – | Junior Railers HC |
| Red Bank Generals | Red Bank, New Jersey | Atlantic | — | MUSKEGON LUMBERJACKS (USHL) |
| Rockets Hockey Club | Bridgewater, New Jersey | Atlantic | Mid-Atlantic | Rockets Hockey Club |
| Somang Hockey Club | Montreal, Quebec | Canada | — | — |
| Rogue Valley Royals | Medford, Oregon | Northwest | — | — |
| San Diego Sabers | Carlsbad, California | Pacific | — | — |
| Seattle Totems | Mountlake Terrace, Washington | Northwest | — | — |
| Sherbrooke Universel | Sherbrooke, Quebec | Canada | — | — |
| South Shore Kings | Foxboro, Massachusetts | New England | New England | South Shore Kings |
| Springfield Pics | West Springfield, Massachusetts | New England | New England | Northern Cyclones |
| Steele County Blades | Owatonna, Minnesota | North | — | New Jersey Rockets |
| Tampa Bay Juniors | Wesley Chapel, Florida | Florida | Florida | South Shore Kings |
| Toledo Cherokee | Toledo, Ohio | Great Lakes | — | — |
| Thunder Hockey Club | Exeter, New Hampshire | New England | — | Thunder HC |
| Utica Jr. Comets | Utica, New York | New England | — | Utica Jr. Comets |
| Vernal Oilers | Vernal, Utah | Northwest | — | — |
| Ventura Vikings | Simi Valley, California | Pacific | — | — |
| West Chester Wolves | West Chester, Pennsylvania | Atlantic | — | West Chester Wolves |
| Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights | Pittston, Pennsylvania | Atlantic | Mid-Atlantic | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights |
| Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings | Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin | North | — | Islanders Hockey Club |
| Year | Premier Division | Elite Division | USP3[a] | 18U Division | 16U Division | 16U Futures Division |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013–14 | Boston Jr. Bruins | Springfield Jr. Pics | Florida Jr. Blades | Selects Academy | Selects Academy | — |
| 2014–15 | Jersey Hitmen | Boston Jr. Bruins | New York Aviators | Jersey Hitmen | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights | Carolina Eagles |
| 2015–16 | Jersey Hitmen | Hampton Roads Whalers | Dells Ducks[b] | Selects Academy | Selects Academy | Potomac Patriots[32] |
| 2016–17 | Islanders Hockey Club | Charlotte Rush | Florida Jr. Blades | P.A.L. Jr. Islanders | Selects Academy | Jersey Hitmen[33] |
| Year | NCDC | Premier Division | Elite Division | 18U Division | 16U Division | 15U[c] |
| 2017–18 | Islanders Hockey Club | Hampton Roads Whalers | Hampton Roads Whalers | Selects Academy | Selects Academy | Jersey Hitmen |
| 2018–19 | Boston Junior Bruins | Hampton Roads Whalers | Richmond Generals | Selects Academy[34] | Islanders Hockey Club[d] Pittsburgh Vengeance[e] | Philadelphia Hockey Club[37] |
| 2019–20 | Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Jersey Hitmen[38] | Rockets Hockey Club[f][39] Springfield Pics[g][40] | Palmyra Black Knights[41] | ||
| 2020–21 | Jersey Hitmen | Charlotte Rush[42] | Charlotte Rush[43] | Boston Junior Bruins[h][44] Maine Moose[i][44] | Islanders Hockey Club[f][44] Springfield Pics[g][44] | Jersey Hitmen[44] |
| 2021–22 | Jersey Hitmen | Rockets Hockey Club | Richmond Generals | Skipjacks Hockey Club[h][45] Connecticut Jr. Rangers[i][45] | P.A.L. Jr. Islanders[f][45] Rockets Hockey Club[g][45] | P.A.L. Jr. Islanders[45] |
| 2022-23 | P.A.L. Jr. Islanders | Northern Cyclones | Carolina Jr. Hurricanes | |||
| 2023-24 | South Shore Kings | Connecticut Jr. Rangers | Northern Cyclones | |||
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