Valencia Flyers

Last updated
Valencia Flyers
ValFlyers logo.png
City Santa Clarita, California
League Western States Hockey League
DivisionWestern
Founded2001
Home arenaIce Station Valencia
ColorsNavy blue, golden yellow, white
   
Owner(s)Roger Perez
Head coachShane McColgan [1]
Franchise history
2001–2003Valencia Flyers
2004–2007Valencia Vipers
2007–2020Valencia Flyers

The Valencia Flyers were an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU)-sanctioned junior ice hockey team based in Valencia, Santa Clarita, California. The team played in the Western Division of the Western States Hockey League at the Ice Station Valencia. [2] [3]

Contents

History

The franchise was founded in 2001 as the Valencia Flyers in the Western States Hockey League (WSHL) with three other expansion franchises. [4] The team played as the Flyers from 2001 to 2003 until suspending operations for the 2003–04 season before returning for the 2004–05 season as the Valencia Vipers. In 2007, the team reverted to its original name.

From 2001 to 2007, the Flyers were a USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier III Junior B team. In 2007, the WSHL was promoted to Tier III Junior A. Before the 2011–12 season, the WSHL and all its team members, including the Flyers, became AAU-sanctioned and dropped its USA Hockey sanctioning, the first Junior A hockey league to make that transition.

At the end of the 2019–20 regular season, the Flyers' home rink was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ice Station Valencia, which was also owned by the Flyers' owner Roger Perez. The closure was made permanent due to the financial losses incurred by the shutdown, [5] forcing the franchise to cease operations indefinitely. [6]

Season-by-season records

SeasonGPWLOTWOTLPtsGFGAPIMFinishPlayoffs
2010–11461825—339133174—5th of 8, Western
9th of 13, WSHL		did not qualify
2011–12462317—65218116310533rd of 6, Western
8th of 16, WSHL		Won Div. Semifinals, 2–1 vs. San Diego Gulls
Lost Div. Finals, 1–2 vs. Fresno Monsters
2012–13462417—55319015711403rd of 6, Western
8th of 22, WSHL		Lost Div. Semifinals, 1–2 vs. Bay Area Seals
2013–14462715—4581711757503rd of 6, Pacific
10th of 24, WSHL		Lost Div. Semifinals, 1–2 vs. Ontario Avalanche
2014–1546359—2722241169802nd of 8, Western
5th of 28, WSHL		Div. Quarterfinals, Bye
Won Div. Semifinals, 2–1 vs. Ontario Avalanche
Lost Div. Finals, 1–2 vs. Fresno Monsters
2015–1652457—090257947421st of 8, Western
1st of 29, WSHL		Div. Quarterfinals, Bye
Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Ontario Avalanche
Lost Div. Finals, 0–2 vs. Long Beach Bombers
2016–1752409—3832621278072nd of 8, Western
4th of 27, WSHL		Div. Quarterfinals, Bye
Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Ontario Avalanche
Lost Div. Finals, 0–2 vs. Long Beach Bombers
1–1–1, 3rd of 6, Thorne Cup round-robin (as wild card)
(W, 3–1 vs. Jr. Eagles; L, 1–3 vs. Jr. Steelheads; OTL, 2–3 vs. Bombers)
Lost Thorne Cup Semifinal game, 1–3 vs. Idaho Jr. Steelheads
2017–18512522—4542422157314th of 6, Western
13th of 23, WSHL		Lost Div. Quarterfinals, 0–2 vs. Phoenix Knights
2018–195113302649 [a] 1942598625th of 5, Western
17th of 23, WSHL		Lost Play-in series, 0–2 vs. Ontario Avalanche
2019–205134422151173596615th of 5, Western
20th of 20, WSHL		did not qualify
  1. ↑ Beginning with the 2018–19 season, the WSHL began awarding 3pts for a win, 2pts for an overtime win, and 1pt for an overtime loss.

Alumni

The Flyers have had a number of alumni move on to NCAA Division III, and higher levels of junior ice hockey, and professional ice hockey. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western States Hockey League</span> Amateur ice hockey league

The Western States Hockey League (WSHL) was a junior ice hockey league established in 1993. It was sanctioned by the United Hockey Union, the junior hockey branch of the Amateur Athletic Union. Previously, it was sanctioned by USA Hockey from 1994 to 2011. Teams played approximately 50 games in the regular season schedule, mimicking what players would experience at the collegiate level. As of January 2022, there are no active teams in the league following the creation of the Can-Am Junior Hockey League by former WSHL teams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phoenix Polar Bears</span> Ice hockey team in Chandler, Arizona

The Phoenix Polar Bears were a USA Hockey-sanctioned Junior A Tier III ice hockey team based out of Phoenix, Arizona. Their host facility was the Desert Schools Coyotes Center in Chandler, Arizona. The Polar Bears were a member of the Western States Hockey League but vacated their membership in the league when the WSHL moved away from USA Hockey sanctioning in 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">El Paso Rhinos</span> Ice hockey team in El Paso, Texas

The El Paso Rhinos are a junior ice hockey organization based in El Paso, Texas. Their home games are played at the County Events Center located within the El Paso County Coliseum complex. The Rhinos are members of the Tier II junior North American Hockey League (NAHL) after adding the team as an expansion franchise in 2021. The organization also has a Tier III team that was originally a member of the Amateur Athletic Union-sanctioned Western States Hockey League from 2006 to 2020 before joining the North American 3 Hockey League for the 2020–21 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Pacific Hockey League</span>

The Northern Pacific Hockey League (NPHL) was an American Tier III junior ice hockey league sanctioned by USA Hockey. Its championship trophy was the Cascade Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seattle Totems (junior hockey)</span> Ice hockey team in Mountlake Terrace, Washington

The Seattle Jr. Totems are a junior ice hockey team in Seattle, Washington. They are a member of the United States Premier Hockey League and play their home games at Olympic View Arena in Mountlake Terrace, Washington.

The Rogue Valley Royals were a junior ice hockey team that played their home games at the RRRink in Medford, Oregon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superior RoughRiders</span> Ice hockey team in Boulder Valley, Colorado

The Superior RoughRiders were a junior ice hockey organization based in Superior, Boulder County, Colorado. The team played in the Western States Hockey League at the Sport Stable in Superior. The Superior RoughRiders are owned by the RoughRiders Hockey Club.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fresno Monsters</span> Ice hockey team in Fresno, California

The Fresno Monsters are a junior ice hockey team based in Fresno, California. The team is a member of the United States Premier Hockey League and plays in the Premier Division. The Monsters' home venue is Gateway Ice Center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Sound Warriors</span> Ice hockey team in Bremerton, Washington

The West Sound Warriors were a junior ice hockey that played at the Bremerton Ice Center in Bremerton, Washington. Formerly, the team was a USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier III ice hockey team that played in the Northern Pacific Hockey League (NorPac/NPHL) and the United States Premier Hockey League-USP3 (USPHL-USP3). In the 2017–18 season, the team was an AAU-sanctioned junior team in the Western States Hockey League. The WSHL franchise was sold to a new ownership group in Bremerton after the one season and became the West Sound Admirals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheyenne Stampede</span> Ice hockey team in Cheyenne, Wyoming

The Cheyenne Stampede were a United Hockey Union-sanctioned junior ice hockey team in the Western States Hockey League (WSHL). The Stampede played their home games at the Cheyenne Ice and Events Center. The team announced it would not participate in the 2019–20 season due to a lease dispute.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Long Beach Bombers</span> Ice hockey team in Lakewood, California

The Long Beach Bombers are a Tier II junior ice hockey team in Pacific group of the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL) Premier Division. The team plans to play their home games at The Rinks – Lakewood Ice in Lakewood, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Diego Sabers</span> Ice hockey team in Carlsbad, California

The San Diego Sabers are a junior ice hockey team based in Carlsbad, California, that competes in the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL). The team plays its home games at IceTown Carlsbad. The team was the fourth to be known as the San Diego Gulls, using the name from 2008 to 2015, when it was given to the American Hockey League (AHL) San Diego Gulls before the 2015–16 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bellingham Blazers (2012)</span> Ice hockey team in Bellingham, Washington

The Bellingham Blazers are an Amateur Athletic Union-sanctioned Tier II junior ice hockey team in the United States Premier Hockey League. The Blazers are based in Bellingham, Washington and play home games at the Bellingham Sportsplex. The team also has the local youth hockey association named after them, going by the Jr. Blazers.

The Maine Nordiques were a Tier III Junior "A" ice hockey team from Lewiston, Maine. The team was a member of the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) since 2016 and played home games at The Colisée since 2015. The franchise relocated several times under the operation of the Fighting Spirit organization before it was sold to the Colisée owner, Jim Cain, in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Hockey Union</span> Group of ice hockey leagues in North America

The United Hockey Union (UHU), founded in 2012, is a group of ice hockey leagues in North America. The UHU is overseen and insured by the Amateur Athletic Union. Neither body is recognized by USA Hockey, Hockey Canada, or the International Ice Hockey Federation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tahoe Icemen</span> Ice hockey team in South Lake Tahoe, California

The Tahoe Icemen were an Amateur Athletic Union-sanctioned junior ice hockey team in the Western States Hockey League and based in South Lake Tahoe, California. Home games were at South Lake Tahoe Ice Arena.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wichita Jr. Thunder</span> Ice hockey team in Wichita, Kansas

The Wichita Jr. Thunder were an Amateur Athletic Union-sanctioned junior ice hockey team based in Wichita, Kansas, and played home games at the Wichita Ice Center. The team was a member of the Western States Hockey League (WSHL). The league and team were dormant for the 2020–21 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Jr. Thunder were not included as a member of the league when it restarted in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phoenix Knights</span> Ice hockey team in Gilbert, Arizona

Phoenix Knights were an Amateur Athletic Union-sanctioned Tier II junior ice hockey team based out of Gilbert, Arizona. The Knights were a part of the Western States Hockey League and played in the Western Division. Their home games were played at AZ Ice Gilbert in Gilbert, Arizona. The organization was operated by Arizona Hockey Club, Inc, which also runs a local youth hockey program.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oklahoma City Ice Hawks</span> Ice Hockey team from Edmond, Oklahoma

The Oklahoma City Ice Hawks, formerly the Oklahoma City Jr. Blazers, were a Tier III junior ice hockey team, based in Edmond, Oklahoma, in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. The Ice Hawks competed in the USA Hockey-sanctioned North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) after playing as a member of the United Hockey Union-sanctioned Western States Hockey League (WSHL) from 2014 to 2020. Their home games were played at the Arctic Edge Ice Arena.

The Las Vegas Thunderbirds are a junior ice hockey team in the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL). The Thunderbirds play their home games at City National Arena in Summerlin South, Nevada, in the Las Vegas Valley.

References

  1. ↑ "VALENCIA FLYERS BRING IN NEW HEAD COACH". WSHL. July 9, 2019. Archived from the original on July 10, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. ↑ "Valencia Flyers Junior A Hockey". Icestation.net. Retrieved 2014-01-08.
  3. ↑ "Valencia Flyers Hockey Notebook: Flyers Flying High Into League Playoffs Valencia Home Tonight For First Round. - Free Online Library". Thefreelibrary.com. 2002-03-08. Retrieved 2014-01-08.
  4. ↑ "Junior League Helps Locals Become High Flyers Valencia-Based Team Gives Pair A Chance At Big-Time Hockey. - Free Online Library". Thefreelibrary.com. 2001-10-13. Retrieved 2014-01-08.
  5. ↑ "PUBLIC CLOSURE ANNOUNCEMENT". Valencia Flyers. March 25, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Public Closure FAQs". Valencia Flyers. March 25, 2020.
  7. ↑ "WSHL League - Player Alumni". Western States Hockey League. Archived from the original on 11 August 2010. Retrieved 8 January 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.