The Central Hockey League (CHL) was a North American mid-level minor professional ice hockey league which operated from 1992 until 2014. It was founded by Ray Miron and Bill Levins and later sold to Global Entertainment Corporation, which operated the league from 2000 to 2013, at which point it was purchased by the individual franchise owners. As of the end of its final season in 2014, three of the 30 National Hockey League teams had affiliations with the CHL: the Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, and Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Cincinnati Mighty Ducks were a professional ice hockey team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They were members of the American Hockey League, and played their home games at the Cincinnati Gardens. Throughout their existence they were the primary minor league affiliate of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim of the National Hockey League, with a three-year shared affiliation with the Detroit Red Wings.
The Pensacola Ice Pilots were a professional ice hockey team located in Pensacola, Florida. The team was previously affiliated with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Islanders (2006–07), and the Chicago Blackhawks. They have also had a working agreement with the Houston Aeros of the AHL for the 04–05 season. On June 23, 2008, the ECHL announced that it had terminated the Ice Pilots' membership, effective immediately.
The Columbus Cottonmouths were a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Georgia. The team is nicknamed the Snakes and played their home games at the Columbus Civic Center. In 2017, the team suspended operations after failing to find a new owner.
The Knoxville Ice Bears are a professional ice hockey team. The team competes in the Southern Professional Hockey League. They play their home games at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum in Knoxville, Tennessee. The Ice Bears have made the playoffs in every season of their existence. In 2006, the Ice Bears defeated the Florida Seals to take their first President's Cup. The Ice Bears won back to back President's Cup Championships in the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons. On April 18, 2015, the Ice Bears defeated the Mississippi RiverKings 4-2 to sweep the 2015 SPHL Finals and win their 4th President's Cup.
Michael Henrich is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. An NHL first-round draft pick of the Edmonton Oilers in 1998, Henrich played several years of professional hockey in North America before moving to professional hockey in Europe. Henrich is the first Jewish player to be selected in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft, and the only player taken in the first round of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft who did not play a regular season game in the National Hockey League.
The Huntsville Channel Cats was a professional ice hockey team based in Huntsville, Alabama. The franchise was a member of several different leagues, the Southern Hockey League (1995–1996), the Central Hockey League (1996–2001) and the South East Hockey League (2003–2004). They played their home games at Von Braun Center Arena in downtown Huntsville.
John Garrison Marks is a retired professional ice hockey player. He most recently served as the head coach of the Fargo Force of the United States Hockey League (USHL).
The Columbus Chill were a professional ice hockey team that played in the East Coast Hockey League from October 1991 through the 1998–99 season. They played at the Ohio Expo Center Coliseum in Columbus, Ohio. The Chill left Columbus in 1999 and relocated to Reading, Pennsylvania, with the impending arrival of the Columbus Blue Jackets in the National Hockey League. The Columbus Chill are now known as the Reading Royals.
Philip Ross Crowe is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey winger who played in the National Hockey League for the Los Angeles Kings, Philadelphia Flyers, Ottawa Senators, and the Nashville Predators between 1994 and 2000.
The Fayetteville Force was a professional ice hockey team. based in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The franchise was a member of the Central Hockey League (1997–2001). They played their home games at the Crown Coliseum.
Stephen Paul Martinson is an American former professional ice hockey player and current coach of the Allen Americans in the ECHL.
Cory Cyrenne is a former professional ice hockey player. He was named the Canadian Junior A Hockey Player of the Year in 1995 and received a hockey scholarship to Colorado College. He was also named the CHL's Sportsmanlike player of the year in 1998.
Darcy Anderson is a Canadian professional inline hockey player, currently playing for the South Carolina Pirates in the PIHA. Anderson has played most of his career in ice hockey however.
Erin Whitten is an American hockey coach and former goaltender who has played professionally with various men's teams. She is the head coach of the Merrimack Warriors women's ice hockey team, which plays in the Hockey East conference, at Division I of the NCAA. She became head coach in 2013.
Trevor Jobe is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey centre. He last played for the Winston-Salem Polar Twins of the Southern Professional Hockey League in 2005. He is known for being a well-traveled, high scoring forward who has played for 35 different teams across North America and Europe.
Nick Boucher is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Fort Wayne Komets of the CHL.
Sean Blanchard is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Brantford Blast in Allan Cup Hockey. He was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the fourth round of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, and spent most of his professional career in Europe.
Kārlis Zirnis is a Latvian retired ice hockey player and current assistant coach for the Alaska Nanooks men's ice hockey team.
Aaron Boh is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman, who played in the minor leagues and in Europe.
