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 SPHL is a professional ice hockey independent minor league based in Huntersville, North Carolina, with teams located primarily in the southeastern United States as well as Illinois and Indiana in the midwestern United States.
The San Antonio Dragons were a minor league professional ice hockey team in the International Hockey League (IHL) for two seasons in 1996–97 and 1997–98. The Dragons were based in San Antonio, Texas, and played at the Freeman Coliseum and occasionally the Alamodome.
The Fayetteville Marksmen are a professional minor league ice hockey team based in Fayetteville, North Carolina. They currently play in the SPHL and play their home games in the Crown Coliseum.
The Knoxville Ice Bears are a professional ice hockey team. The team competes in the SPHL. 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.
The Bloomington PrairieThunder were a minor professional ice hockey team based in Bloomington, Illinois. They were a member of the Central Hockey League in the Turner Conference. The team was originally a member of the United Hockey League prior to its merger into the CHL in 2010. They played their home games at the U.S. Cellular Coliseum.
Jean-Guy Andre Trudel is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger. He played five games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Phoenix Coyotes and the Minnesota Wild. Trudel is currently the head coach of the Peoria Rivermen in the SPHL. He is also in charge of the Peoria Youth Hockey Association.
The Evansville IceMen were a minor league ice hockey team in the ECHL in Evansville, Indiana. The franchise was originally a member of the United Hockey League before it merged into the Central Hockey League in 2010. The franchise has won four post-season championship titles in the UHL in 1999, 2002, 2004 and 2005. The franchise played one season at Swonder Ice Arena before moving to the Ford Center beginning in the 2011–12 season.
The Midwest Junior Hockey League (MWJHL) was an American junior ice hockey league. The MWJHL were members of the United Hockey Union and sanctioned by the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU). On March 10, 2015, the league announced it would be joining the United States Premier Hockey League as part of a new Midwest Division beginning in the 2015–16 season.
The Peoria Rivermen are a professional ice hockey team in the SPHL. They play in Peoria, Illinois, United States at the Carver Arena. The team replaced an American Hockey League franchise of the same name that was purchased by the Vancouver Canucks and moved out of Peoria to Utica, New York.
The 2013–14 Southern Professional Hockey League season is the 10th season of the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL). The Pensacola Ice Flyers defeated the Columbus Cottonmouths in the President's Cup final 2 games to none to repeat as winners of the President's Cup.
The 2013–14 CHL season was the 22nd season of the Central Hockey League (CHL). It was the last season of the CHL, as the league ceased operations in October 2014 after only seven teams remained. Allen, Brampton, Missouri, Quad City, Rapid City, Tulsa, and Wichita were accepted as expansion teams into the ECHL.
The Macon Mayhem is an SPHL team based in Macon, Georgia that plays in the Macon Coliseum. The team was formerly the Augusta RiverHawks, which suspended operations for the 2013–14 season due to an ice-system failure at James Brown Arena.
The Central Illinois Flying Aces were a Tier I junior hockey team that played as a member of the United States Hockey League. Based in Bloomington, Illinois, the Flying Aces played their home games at the Grossinger Motors Arena, located in downtown Bloomington.
The 2014–15 SPHL season was the 11th season of the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL). The Knoxville Ice Bears defeated the Mississippi RiverKings in the President's Cup final 2 games to none to win their 4th SPHL title.
The Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs are a professional ice hockey team and a member of the SPHL. Based in Roanoke, Virginia, the Rail Yard Dawgs play their home games at Berglund Center.
Ryan Finnerty is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He is currently General Manager and co-owner of Manchester Storm in the EIHL.
The 2019–20 SPHL season was the 16th season of the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL). Like most other events at the time, the season was cancelled before its conclusion in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Vermilion County Bobcats were a professional ice hockey team in Danville, Illinois, that began play in the 2021–22 season as a member of the Southern Professional Hockey League. They ceased operations effective February 9, 2023.
The 2021–22 SPHL season was the 18th season of the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL). The playoffs concluded on May 3, 2022 with the Peoria Rivermen defeating the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs in 4 games in the President's Cup Finals, claiming their first President's Cup.
