From humble beginnings
2004-05
Entering its 14th season, the UHL has attracted more than 16 million fans over the course of the past 13 seasons. The 2004-05 season welcomes 14 Member Clubs in seven states, including the expansion Danbury Trashers (Connecticut), Motor City Mechanics (Michigan) and Kansas City Outlaws (Missouri). Each team will host an all-time league-high 40 home games and play a total of 80 games during the regular season.
The league is divided into three divisions; Western, Central and Eastern with the top two teams in each division (based on points) qualifying for playoffs. The two teams with the next highest point total, will clinch the remaining two playoff berths (7, 8).
The UHL continues its partnership with the National Hockey League (NHL). The UHL’s official site, theuhl.com is an affiliate of the NHL.com network. The Adirondack Frostbite will host the 2005 UHL All-Star Classic at the Glens Falls Civic Center on Monday, January 24, 2005.
2003-04
The UHL embarked on its 13th consecutive season with 12 member clubs in seven states, including the expansion Richmond RiverDogs (Virginia) and Columbus Stars (Ohio). The League is divided into two, six team conferences with the top four teams in each conference (based on points) qualifying for the playoffs. If the fifth place team in one conference achieves a greater point total than the fourth place team in the other conference, then the fifth place team with the higher point total shall qualify for the playoffs and compete in the other conference. This “crossover” team shall not be seeded any higher than fourth, regardless of point total, in the other conference.
Each Member Club hosted 38 home games and played a total of 76-games during the regular season.
The 2003-04 season was highlighted by many accomplishments. The Muskegon Fury captured their third Colonial Cup in five seasons, registering a perfect 11-0 record. Netminder Sylvain Daigle, the 2004 Colonial Cup MVP, posted a flawless playoff record of 11-0 with a1.26 goals against average and a phenomenal .959 save percentage.
In addition to the Fury’s success, the Elmira Jackals made it to the finals for a second time in their brief history and the expansion Richmond RiverDogs hosted over 10,000 fans on two separate occasions.
Individually, Fort Wayne Komets netminder Kevin St. Pierre was named Sher-Wood MVP and Goaltender of the Year, while Muskegon forward Robin Bouchard tallied a goal in 17-straight games, setting an all-time professional hockey record.
2002-03
The UHL entered its 12th consecutive season with 10 Member Clubs in five states, including the expansion Port Huron Beacons. The League is divided into two, five team conferences with the top four teams in each conference (based on points) qualifying for the playoffs.
Each Member Club hosted all-time league-high 38 home games and played a total of 76 games during the regular season.
The Fort Wayne Komets earned the franchise’s first ever Tarry Cup and went on to defeat the Quad City Mallards in five games of the Colonial Cup Finals to capture their first Colonial Cup Championship. The Komets, in Game 5 of the Colonial Cup Finals, hosted the largest crowd (10,593) to ever attend a UHL game.
The UHL completed the 2002-03 season eclipsing the 14.5 million-mark in total attendance.
2001-02
The UHL entered its 11th consecutive season with 14 Member Clubs participating in eight states. The League was divided into two, seven team conferences with the top four teams in each conference qualifying for postseason action.
The Muskegon Fury captured their second Colonial Cup in four years after defeating the Elmira Jackals in overtime of game six of the Colonial Cup Finals. The Quad City Mallards continued their record-breaking success by completing their sixth consecutive 50+ win season, notching a league-best 56 wins.
This season also marked the third consecutive year of the NHL-UHL branding initiative, a collaborative marketing effort to promote the great sport of hockey.
2000-01
The UHL celebrated its 10th Anniversary season with a record 15 teams with the addition of the expansion Elmira (NY) Jackals and New Haven (CT) Knights. The Madison Kodiaks relocated to Kalamazoo and revived the Wings’ colors as well as their old rivalries with Flint, Muskegon, Fort Wayne, and Port Huron. The League also realigned into a two conference format with each conference consisting of two divisions.
The mid-season All-Star break, hosted by the B.C. Icemen, saw the Eastern Conference defeat their Western counterparts in the Skills Competition. The Western Conference exacted revenge the following night by overcoming a five goal deficit to defeat the East All-Stars by a score of 11-10.
The Quad City Mallards rewrote the hockey history books with their fifth consecutive 50+ win season. The Mallards then went on to capture the Tarry Cup (for best overall regular season record) and won the Colonial Cup in a thrilling five game Championship Series over the Asheville Smoke. The League also broke the 11 million mark in all time fan attendance.
1999-00
The United Hockey League entered the new millennium on a successful note. The Rockford IceHogs and Knoxville Speed made successful transitions from their old homes in Thunder Bay, ON and Madison, WI. The Madison Kodiaks, Missouri River Otters and Fort Wayne Komets all had successful first seasons that included setting many League expansion records. The Saginaw Gears relocated to Canton, OH in December to finish the season before going dormant for the 2000-01 season. When the team returns for the 2001-02 season, it will be known as the Arctic Xpress and will play in a newly constructed building.
The League surpassed the two million mark in overall attendance for the first time in history and also had its first player promoted directly from the UHL to the National Hockey League as B.C. goaltender Dieter Kochan joined the Tampa Bay Lightning in March. The first intra-league All-Star Game was held in Muskegon, MI with the UHL West All-Stars defeating the UHL East All-Stars, 7-3. The Quad City Mallards and Flint Generals both tied a League record with 111 points. The Mallards won the Tarry Cup as the regular season champion based on number of victories. The Generals won their second Colonial Cup Championship defeating Quad City in the first ever sweep of the Colonial Cup Finals.
1998-99
With the 1998-99 season came more changes. The League added the Mohawk Valley Prowlers (Utica, NY) to increase membership to 11 teams. The Brantford Smoke relocated to Asheville, North Carolina.
With 11 teams the UHL changed to a three division alignment for the first time in League history. The second annual UHL All-Star Classic was held in Quad City as the UHL All-Stars got their revenge on the Canadian National Team, winning the game 6-5 in a shootout.
The UHL set an all-time regular season attendance record and overall attendance record as nearly 1.3 million fans attended regular season games and 1.44 million fans attended all games (regular season and playoffs). The League set its new overall attendance mark on the first night of the 1999 Colonial Cup Playoffs. The Muskegon Fury captured their first Colonial Cup Championship defeating the two-time defending Champion Quad City Mallards in a six game Final.
1997-98
During the summer of 1997 the League underwent many changes. Richard Brosal was named Commissioner in March and the League Office moved to Lake Saint Louis, Missouri. Dayton and Utica suspended operations; the B.C. Icemen and Winston-Salem IceHawks joined the League. The name of the League was changed to the United Hockey League to better show the direction of the League. The League's regular season attendance grew again, well over the one million mark with the Quad City Mallards increasing their regular season per game average to 8,600 fans.
The Inaugural All-Star Classic was held in Port Huron, Michigan where the best of the UHL competed against the Canadian National Team. The Mallards defended their Colonial Cup Title defeating the Flint Generals for the second consecutive season.
1996-97
The dormant London Wildcats franchise was purchased and moved to Dayton, Ohio. With the addition of the Dayton Ice Bandits, the League was up to ten teams. The contract of Commissioner Michael Forbes was not renewed and the League operated under Interim Commissioner, Tony Lisman, owner of the Muskegon Fury.
The Quad City Mallards shattered League attendance records averaging over 7,600 fans per game while the League surpassed the one million mark for the first time in regular season attendance. The League saw over 140,000 fans pass through the turnstiles during the playoffs. The Flint Generals took home their second consecutive Tarry Cup, but it was the Quad City Mallards, in only their second year of operation who took home the Colonial Cup after defeating the defending champions in six games.
1995-96
The League's fifth season was marked by the first two expansion franchises outside of Michigan and Ontario being granted. The CoHL moved into Wisconsin and Illinois/Iowa border with the addition of the Madison Monsters and the Quad City Mallards. The League now reached four states and two countries. The London Wildcats suspended operations and the League had nine participating teams.
The Flint Generals dominated the standings during the 74 game season, bringing the Tarry Cup (regular season title) and Colonial Cup to a U.S. based team for the first time. The Generals defeated three-time Colonial Cup Champion, Thunder Bay, in a six game final.
1994-95
As the League entered into its fourth season of operation, two organizations moved into larger markets. The St. Thomas Wildcats relocated to London, Ontario and the Chatham Wheels moved across the border into Saginaw, Michigan. The League infrastructure also changed as Robert Myers passed the torch to Michael Forbes and the League office moved to a more central location in metro-Detroit from Copetown, Ontario.
On the ice, the League expanded its regular season schedule to 74 games. The Thunder Bay Senators became the first team in CoHL history to win back-to-back Colonial Cup Championships.
1993-94
The summer of 1993 brought more changes to the young League, including the relocation of the Flint Bulldogs to Utica, NY and the addition of the Flint Generals as an expansion franchise. This brought League membership to eight teams.
Thunder Bay changed their name to the Senators and established a new League record for most victories (45) and most points (94) in one season. The Senators won their first regular season title and second Colonial Cup in three seasons.
1992-93
The League expanded to seven teams for the 1992-93 season with the addition of the Muskegon Fury (Michigan) and Chatham Wheels (Ontario). Attendance around the League grew during the second year as well with the CoHL average over 1,800 fans per game during the regular season, 600 more on average than the inaugural season.
The Brantford Smoke set the pace winning the regular season championship as well as the Colonial Cup. For the second time in as many years, the St. Thomas Wildcats fell in the Colonial Cup Finals, this time in five games.
1991-92
The Colonial Hockey League was founded in the summer of 1991 when Don Robertson, Dr. Mostafa Afr, Leslie Probst, Doug Tarry and Andy Morrow joined together to form a new professional hockey league. The original five member clubs were the Brantford Smoke (Ontario), Flint Bulldogs (Michigan), Michigan Falcons (Fraser, Michigan), St. Thomas Wildcats (Ontario) and Thunder Bay Thunder Hawks (Ontario).
Robert Myers, a former National Hockey League referee, became the League's first Commissioner. The five teams played a 60 game regular season schedule before entering the Colonial Cup Playoffs. The Michigan Falcons captured the first regular season championship and the Thunder Bay Thunder Hawks captured the coveted Colonial Cup when they defeated St. Thomas in seven game final.