Missoula Maulers | |
---|---|
City | Missoula, Montana |
League | Northern Pacific Hockey League American West Hockey League Western States Hockey League |
Founded | 2007 |
Home arena | Glacier Ice Rink |
Colors | Dark Blue, black, white, and gray |
Owner(s) | Michael Burks |
General manager | Marcus Baxter |
Head coach | Marcus Baxter |
Franchise history | |
2007–2016 | Missoula Maulers |
The Missoula Maulers were a junior ice hockey team from Missoula, Montana. The team played in the Northern Pacific Hockey League, the American West Hockey League, and the Western States Hockey League, [1] out of Missoula's Glacier Ice Rink. [2]
Michael Burks is the club's principal owner and president of operations. In 2016, Burks and the nonprofit Missoula Area Youth Association (MAYHA), the operator of Glacier Ice Rink, had a lease dispute and Burks decided to shut down the team rather than continue to fight the operators for a better contract. [3] The Maulers were quickly replaced at the Glacier Ice Rink by a North American 3 Hockey League expansion team, named the Missoula Jr. Bruins, owned by Jason and Liz DiMatteo. [4]
The Maulers were founded as an expansion team for the 2007–08 season in the Northern Pacific Hockey League (NorPac). [5] They played in the NorPac until 2011 when many of the eastern NorPac teams formed the new American West Hockey League (AWHL) including the Maulers. [6] [7] After two seasons, the Maulers announced that were leaving the AWHL for the Amateur Athletic Union-sanctioned Western States Hockey League(WSHL). [1]
The players, ages 16–20, carried amateur status under Tier III/Tier II/Junior A guidelines with hopes to earn a spot on a collegiate or minor professional team.
Season | GP | W | L | OTL | PTS | GF | GA | PIM | Finish | Playoffs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2013–14 | 46 | 20 | 22 | 4 | 44 | 152 | 151 | 981 | 4th of 6, Northwest 16th of 24, WSHL | Lost Div. Semifinals, 1-2 vs. Idaho Jr. Steelheads |
2014–15 | 46 | 36 | 9 | 1 | 73 | 249 | 113 | 802 | 2nd of 7, Northwest 4th of 28, WSHL | Div. Quarterfinals, Bye Won Div. Semifinals, 2-1 vs. Southern Oregon Spartans Lost Div. Finals, 1-2 vs. Idaho Jr. Steelheads |
2015–16 | 52 | 38 | 12 | 2 | 78 | 257 | 143 | 715 | 2nd of 8, Northwest 7th of 29, WSHL | Div. Quarterfinals, Bye Won Div. Semifinals, 2-0 vs. Southern Oregon Spartans Lost Div. Finals, 0-2 vs. Idaho Jr. Steelheads |
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