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47-743: The franchise was originally known as the Wenatchee Wild in Wenatchee, Washington , before relocating to Hidalgo, Texas , to become the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees . On June 1, 2015, NAHL insiders began reporting the Killer Bees franchise was going to relocate to Philadelphia suburb of Aston, Pennsylvania , and the IceWorks Skating Complex . The Killer Bees would subsequently announce that

94-926: A buyer for the franchise. Aston Rebels relocated and renamed as the Philadelphia Rebels. 2018–19 season: The NAHL added another team to its East Division with an expansion franchise granted to the Maryland Black Bears . The Coulee Region Chill were sold and relocated as the Chippewa Steel in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin , and the Philadelphia Rebels became the Jamestown Rebels in Jamestown, New York . The Topeka RoadRunners were sold and rebranded as

141-762: A new team in the East Division to be located in Rochester, New York that will be known as the "Rochester Junior Americans" ("Jr. Amerks"), a nod to Rochester's American Hockey League (AHL) team, the Rochester Americans ("Amerks"), a minor league affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres . The team is co-owned by Wegmans CEO Coleen Wegman and Chris O'Donnell. Former Amerks, AHL and NHL players and coaches, including Brian Gionta , Nathan Paetsch , Stephen Gionta , David Leggio , will be affiliated with

188-737: A one-season pandemic-related hiatus. The league added a third team in Alaska called the Anchorage Wolverines . 2022-23 Season: The Minnesota Magicians were purchased and relocated to Eagle River, Wisconsin as the Wisconsin Windigo . The NAHL approved the relocation of the Wichita Falls Warriors to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to become the Oklahoma Warriors . 2023-24 Season: NAHL approved

235-1057: A team in Greeley, Colorado called the Colorado Grit . The Grit will play in the Greely Ice Haus . 2024-25 Season: NAHL has approved a 7th team in the Central Division, located in Watertown, South Dakota , going by the name of the Watertown Shamrocks . The Shamrocks will be the 33rd team in the NAHL. They will play their home games at the Prairie Lakes Ice Arena . The Shamrocks will be owned by Codington County Hockey Club LLC , including Mark Gullbrandson, Donald Sisson, KC Finnegan, and Vince Foley at... NAHL Approved an expansion team in

282-627: Is the only Tier II junior league sanctioned by USA Hockey , and acts as an alternative for those who would not or did not make the roster of a team in the Major Junior Canadian Hockey League (CHL) nor Tier I United States Hockey League (USHL). The NAHL is one of the oldest junior hockey leagues in the United States and is headquartered in Addison, Texas . The teams span the United States from Maine in

329-651: The Brookings Blizzard . Traverse City North Stars franchise purchased by the Soo Eagles and joined the league from Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League . The Dawson Creek Rage, New Mexico Mustangs, and St. Louis Bandits takes leaves of absence. The Chicago Hitmen fold. 2013–14 season: The dormant New Mexico Mustangs relocated to Richfield, Minnesota, and became Minnesota Magicians . The Texas Tornado relocated back to North Richland Hills, Texas, and became Lone Star Brahmas . The Minnesota Wilderness joined

376-646: The Class of 1923 Arena at the University of Pennsylvania in nearby Philadelphia and became the Philadelphia Rebels. The Philadelphia Rebels again finished at the top of their division in the regular season before losing to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights in the division finals of the playoffs. After one season, the Rebels faced poor attendance numbers and scheduling issues. In June 2018,

423-852: The Keystone Ice Miners , remaining in the North Division, and the Wenatchee Wild moved from the Midwest Division to the South Division. 2015–16 season: On May 1, 2015, the NAHL announced that the dormant Dawson Creek Rage franchise was purchased by the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights organization to be an expansion team for the 2015–16 season. The Keystone Ice Miners ceased operations. The Michigan Warriors ceased operations due to

470-797: The North American Hockey League as an expansion club for the 2008–09 season, and in that time they were well known for their rivalry with the Fairbanks Ice Dogs . The Wild moved to the British Columbia Hockey League for 2015–16, after seeking approval from both Hockey Canada and USA Hockey for three years. In 2023, the ownership of the Wild purchased and relocated the Winnipeg Ice , a major junior Western Hockey League franchise, under

517-842: The Topeka Pilots . 2019–20 season: The NAHL approved of two expansion teams: the Maine Nordiques in Lewiston, Maine , and the New Mexico Ice Wolves in Albuquerque, New Mexico . The Brookings Blizzard relocated and became the St. Cloud Blizzard . 2020–21 season: The NAHL added the Wichita Falls Warriors as an expansion team while the Topeka Pilots were relocated as the Kansas City Scouts and

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564-509: The Wenatchee Wild . The Fargo-Moorhead Jets were approved for dormancy. 2009–10 season: The Janesville Jets were awarded an expansion franchise. The Mahoning Valley Phantoms and the USNTDP left the league for the USHL. The Texas Tornado returned to the league after taking a year off while their home arena was undergoing renovations. The Motor City franchise's new ownership changed

611-586: The Western Hockey League announced that the Wild owners David and Lisa White had purchased the franchise playing as the Winnipeg Ice and the league approved relocation to Wenatchee starting in the 2023–24 WHL season. The Wenatchee Wild name and branding carried forward to the WHL team, while the junior A team ceased operations. The Wenatchee Wild hosted the 2010 NAHL Pepsi Robertson Cup . The National Junior A Championship , formerly known as

658-489: The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights sold their franchise to the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks . The St. Cloud Blizzard rebranded as the St. Cloud Norsemen . The Corpus Christi IceRays , Jamestown Rebels , Kansas City Scouts, and Springfield Jr. Blues went dormant for the season due to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic . The Fairbanks Ice Dogs and Kenai River Brown Bears both temporarily relocated to Minnesota and closer to

705-546: The "Wild." The name was chosen by a "name-the-team contest" held at local schools in Wenatchee and East Wenatchee . Other potential names for the team were the Wranglers, Bombers, Wonders, Hockeyes, Winning Walruses and Ice Busters. The Wild played their first game on September 17, 2008, losing to the Motor City Metal Jackets 2–1 in overtime. The Wild made a championship run in that first season, winning

752-607: The 2012–13 season and returned to the NOJHL for the season 2015–16 season. The Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees were relocated to Aston, Pennsylvania and became the Aston Rebels . A new East Division was formed composed of Aston, Johnstown, New Jersey, and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The Wenatchee Wild organization left the NAHL and joined the Canadian Junior A British Columbia Hockey League . 2016–17 season: The league announced

799-609: The Central Division, located in Forest Lake, Minnesota, with the name of the Minnesota Mallards. They will be the 34th team in the NAHL. They will play home games at Forest Lake Sports Center. (Midwest and Central) Top 4 teams qualify, and in the 1st round(Division Semi-Finals), the 1st seed (seeding based on placement in division) plays the 4th seed and the 2nd seed plays the 3rd seed in a 2H-2A-1H best of 5 Series. The winners of those two series will play each other in

846-778: The Division Finals with the same 2H-2A-1H Best of 5 format. The winner of the Division Finals will be crowned the Division Champions and will represent the Division in the Final Four, hosted at the Fogerty Ice Arena in Blaine, Minnesota . (South and East) The top 6 teams qualify, with the 1st seed and 2nd seed (seeding based on placement in division) getting byes. Seeds 3, 4, 5, and 6 will all play in

893-806: The East to Alaska in the Northwest and to Texas in the South. The teams play a 59-game regular season, usually starting on the 2nd weekend in September and ending near mid-April (2020-21 season is exception, the season started in late 2020-early 2021 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic ). The Champions of each division(not regular season) will play in Blaine, MN at the Fogarty Arena and will compete for

940-676: The Motor City Machine. However, the Express' home city of Owatonna was granted another NAHL team for 2008–09, named the Owatonna Express. The Express were joined by another new Minnesota NAHL franchise, the Albert Lea Thunder. The Texas Tornado franchise went on a one-year hiatus as they awaited renovations on their arena. Wenatchee, Washington , was awarded an expansion franchise for the 2008–09 season as

987-409: The NAHL on overage players, which allows for the older players to gain extra NCAA exposure as well as teams to retain a veteran core. Teams are still bound to USA Hockey rules regarding import players, and presently each team is allowed to have four non-American players on their roster. Import players may also apply for an exemption from being counted as an import, but only if they have played hockey in

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1034-677: The North Division and played at West Meadows Ice Arena in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. The Marquette Rangers moved to Flint, Michigan, and changed their name to Michigan Warriors. Port Huron joined the North Division and played at McMorran Place in Port Huron, Michigan. The North Iowa Outlaws relocated to become the Coulee Region Chill in Onalaska, Wisconsin. The Aberdeen Wings joined the Central Division and played at

1081-1055: The Odde Ice Center in Aberdeen, South Dakota. The Austin Bruins joined the Central Division and played at the Riverside Arena in Austin, Minnesota. The Dawson Creek Rage joined the West Division and played at EnCana Events Centre in Dawson Creek, British Columbia. The Albert Lea Thunder relocate to become the Amarillo Bulls at joined the South Division out of the Amarillo Civic Center in Amarillo, Texas. The New Mexico Mustangs joined

1128-559: The Robertson Cup Champion. Under USA Hockey Tier II sanctioning, NAHL teams do not charge players to play and also provide players with uniforms, team clothing and select equipment such as sticks, gloves and helmets. Players without local family live with billet families in their area and pay a monthly stipend that covers food and other costs. Unlike the Tier I United States Hockey League , there are no roster restrictions in

1175-423: The Royal Bank Cup from 1996 to 2018, is the annual championship tournament for Hockey Canada 's junior A hockey leagues. Depending on the year, various regional champions, qualifiers, and hosts participate in the championship tournament. The tournament usually consists of opening in a round-robin with the top four teams then advancing to a semifinal were the winners compete a championship game. On November 24, 2010,

1222-596: The South Division and played at Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. The Alaska Avalanche relocate to Palmer, Alaska, but keep the same name. 2011–12 season: The Owatonna Express relocate to Odessa, Texas, and become Odessa Jackalopes . The Motor City Metal Jackets relocate to Jamestown, New York, and become Jamestown Ironmen . The Minot Minotauros and Kalamazoo Jr. K-Wings granted expansion. 2012–13 season: The Alaska Avalanche relocated to Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and became Johnstown Tomahawks . Alexandria Blizzard relocated to Brookings, South Dakota, and became

1269-579: The United States for four years prior. From its beginning in 1975, the NAHL was primarily a 6–12-team league based in the Midwest, known as the Great Lakes Junior Hockey League and changed the name to the North American Hockey League in 1984. The league's all-time leading scorer is Ryan Fultz who tallied 246 points in four seasons. Other notable alumni from the NAHL include Pat LaFontaine , Mike Modano , Doug Weight , Pat Peake , Brian Rolston , Brian Holzinger , Brian Rafalski , Todd Marchant , John Scott , Connor Hellebuyck , and George Parros . In 2003,

1316-420: The Wenatchee Wild brand, but ceased operations of their junior A team. On September 12, 2006, ground was broken on a new multipurpose event center that would be home to a new ice hockey team. On February 22, 2008, the North American Hockey League granted Wenatchee Junior Hockey, LLC. with conditional approval for an expansion team. On May 20, 2008, Wenatchee Junior Hockey, LLC. announced the franchise would be

1363-460: The Wenatchee Wild fired Paul Baxter , their inaugural head coach. It is unspecified exactly what led to the firing of Baxter, who led the Wenatchee Wild to back-to-back West Division titles in 2008 and 2009 and made it to the Robertson Cup Finals in the Wild's first year. Baxter was replaced in December 2010 by John Becanic. On April 27, 2012, shortly after elimination from the 2012 West Division Playoffs, Coach Becanic resigned. USHL coach Bliss Littler

1410-406: The arrival of the major junior Flint Firebirds . The Soo Eagles announced they were returning to the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League citing the lack of other local teams as they were the last remaining team in Michigan. The New Jersey Junior Titans organization bought the franchise from the Eagles and relocated to Middleton, New Jersey. The Eagles originally sought membership with the NAHL for

1457-463: The continued expansion of the East Division by adding the Northeast Generals of Attleboro, Massachusetts . The Generals organization also has a Tier III team in the North American 3 Hockey League (previously in the North American 3 Eastern Hockey League prior to the 2016 league merger). On April 8, 2016, the Shreveport Mudbugs were announced as an expansion team. 2017–18 season: The Wichita Falls Wildcats ceased operations after failing to find

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1504-452: The division title but losing the championship game 3–2 in overtime. The following season, they came back and won the West Division championship in 2009–10, but were eliminated in the round-robin championship tournament . On May 13, 2013, the Wild lost their first and only game during the 2013 Robertson Cup Championship Tournament to the Amarillo Bulls 5-0 during the Robertson Cup championship game. On January 19, 2013, USA Hockey approved

1551-455: The end of the NAHL season. The trophy is awarded annually to the USA Hockey Tier II junior national playoff champion. The Cup is the oldest junior hockey trophy in the United States and is named in honor of Chuck Robertson, a pioneer of junior hockey in the NAHL and youth hockey in the state of Michigan. Chuck Robertson was the owner of the Paddock Pool Saints when they won a record seven straight NAHL championships from 1976 to 1983. As of

1598-406: The franchise to another owner and was relocating the Rebels back to suburban Philadelphia, playing out of Hollydell Ice Arena in Washington Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey . Wenatchee Wild (junior A) The Wenatchee Wild were a Junior A ice hockey team. The team played its home games at the 4,300-seat Town Toyota Center in Wenatchee, Washington . The team joined

1645-549: The league from the Superior International Junior Hockey League by purchasing dormant St. Louis Bandits franchise. The Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees purchased the Wenatchee Wild franchise. The Fresno Monsters were relocated to become the second incarnation of the Wenatchee Wild and the Monsters returned to only fielding a team in the Western States Hockey League . The Jamestown Ironmen and Kalamazoo Jr. K-Wings ceased operations. 2014–15 season: The Port Huron Fighting Falcons were relocated to Connellsville, Pennsylvania , to become

1692-465: The league merged with the now defunct America West Hockey League to form a 19-team league. The 2024–25 season has 35 teams playing in four divisions: Note: An asterisk (*) denotes a franchise relocation. See respective team articles from more information. 2006–07 season: Bozeman Icedogs , Billings Bulls , and Helena Bighorns left the league for the Northern Pacific Hockey League . Cleveland Jr. Barons were granted inactive status for

1739-453: The new team. The team will play at the Rochester Ice Center in the metropolitan suburb of Fairport, New York. The NAHL added another team to the East Division later in 2022-23 season, as the New Hampshire Mountain Kings were approved for their membership, making it the first time an NAHL team was located in New Hampshire . The team will be based out of the renovated Tri-Town Ice Arena in Hooksett, New Hampshire . The NAHL also introduced

1786-465: The other teams in their division until mid-April 2021 due to pandemic-related travel restrictions to Alaska. 2021–22 season: The Amarillo Bulls were relocated to Mason City, Iowa , as the North Iowa Bulls . The Kansas City Scouts were originally granted another season of dormancy, but were instead sold and relocated to Amarillo as the Amarillo Wranglers to begin play for the 2021–22 season. Corpus Christi, Jamestown, and Springfield returned after

1833-406: The play-in, which happens around early-to-mid April. The 3 seed will host the 6 seed for all 3 games*, as the 4th seed will also host the 5th seed for all 3 games*. The winner with the lowest seed will play the 1st seed, and the winner with the highest seed will play the 2nd seed. From there, the format is the same as the Midwest and Central. The Robertson Cup Championship is a playoff series held at

1880-412: The previous franchise on June 4, 2013. On June 1, 2015, the Wenatchee Wild announced that they would be joining the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) for the 2015–16 season. In their third season in the BCHL, the Wild won the 2018 Fred Page Cup as the playoff champions and was the first American team to win the cup since 1979. In 2023, the BCHL left Hockey Canada sanctioning. On June 16, 2023,

1927-484: The season. Wasilla Spirit changed names to Alaska Avalanche. Minnesota Blizzard became the Alexandria Blizzard. Texarkana Bandits moved to Chesterfield, Missouri , and became the St. Louis Bandits . Marquette Rangers were added to the league. 2007–08 season: Santa Fe Roadrunners moved to Topeka, Kansas , as the Topeka Roadrunners . The Kenai River Brown Bears started play in the league. 2008–09 season: The Southern Minnesota Express moved to Detroit and became

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1974-400: The team was ceasing operations for the 2015–16 season unless the team president, Gilbert Saenz, could find a local alternative to save the team. However, on June 9, the NAHL announced that the franchise was relocating to become the Aston Rebels. Joe Coombs remains as the head coach. The Rebels were placed in the NAHL's new East Division for their inaugural season. In 2017, the team relocated to

2021-425: The team was relocated to Northwest Arena in Jamestown, New York and became the Jamestown Rebels. The Rebels are the second NAHL team to play in Jamestown after the Jamestown Ironmen ceased operations in 2013. Due to the on-going restrictions in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic in the state of New York , the team suspended operations for the 2020–21 season. On May 17, 2022, the NAHL announced that it had sold

2068-410: The team's nickname from Machine to Metal Jackets. 2010–11 season: The NAHL Board of Governors accepted membership of several new teams in the league. The Fresno Monsters were awarded an expansion franchise. after having a team in the Tier III Junior A Western States Hockey League . The Corpus Christi IceRays were awarded a franchise formerly known as the Alpena IceDiggers. The Chicago Hitmen joined

2115-482: The transfer of the Wenatchee Wild from the NAHL to the British Columbia Hockey League for the 2013–14 season. However, on May 14, 2013, the Wild announced they would instead relocate the franchise to Hidalgo, Texas and play as the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees of the NAHL. On May 22, 2013, the Wenatchee City Council approves a deal to move the Fresno Monsters to Wenatchee and keep their name and logo. The team announced that it had retained coach Bliss Littler from

2162-431: Was announced as the new head coach and director of hockey operations on May 23, 2012. Littler currently holds the record as the winningest coach in USA Hockey history (Jr. Tier I and II). Littler had been released from his duties as the USHL's Omaha Lancers head coach mid season 2011–12. Littler stepped down from coaching during the 2019–20 BCHL season citing health reasons, but stayed on as general manager. Chris Clark

2209-402: Was named the interim head coach, but the interim tag was later removed before the eventually cancelled 2020–21 season. Littler was given a ten-year extension as general manager in 2021. Robertson Cup Championship Tournament The North American Hockey League (NAHL) is one of the top junior hockey leagues in the United States and is in its 50th season of operation in 2024–25. It

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