International Hockey League (IHL) (2007)

 

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International Hockey League (IHL) (2007) History

The new IHL began its first season of play in the fall of 2007 and consisted of six teams: the Bloomington PrairieThunder, the Flint Generals, the Fort Wayne Komets, the Kalamazoo Wings, the Muskegon Fury, and the Port Huron Icehawks. One of the key focuses of the IHL Board of Governors and the League Office was to make on- and off-ice changes for the 2007-08 season to create a better experience for the fans. At the top of the list was and will continue to be an emphasis on strong ownership so that the fans can count on our member clubs being a long-term part of the IHL and on making the on-ice product much more physical and exciting. The league recreated the Turner Cup as a tribute to the old IHL, awarding the cup to the league champion. Also revived with a new look was the Huber Trophy, awarded to the team with the best regular-season record.

The IHL was originally formed in 1991 as the Colonial Hockey League. It had teams in Brantford, Ontario; Detroit, Michigan; Flint, Michigan; St. Thomas, Ontario; and Thunder Bay, Ontario. As the ECHL moved westward (into Toledo, Dayton, and Peoria), the CoHL moved eastward, into places like the Adirondacks, Danbury, CT, Binghamton, NY, and Richmond, VA. During that expansion, the league was renamed the United Hockey League in 1997, before renaming itself the International Hockey League in 2007.

The name change was intended to evoke the original IHL (1945–2001), which had long-standing franchises in the Great Lakes region. The Fort Wayne Komets were a longstanding member of the original league. In addition, the Kalamazoo Wings and Flint Generals revived the names of the original Kalamazoo and Flint IHL teams.

On June 27, 2007, a dispersal draft was held among the six IHL teams, selecting players from the four 2006-2007 UHL franchises that are no longer part of the newly named league. For the 2010/11 season the IHL merged with the CHL under the CHL banner.

Colonial Hockey League (1991-1997) Seasons

1991     1992     1993     1994     1995     1996    

United Hockey League (1997-2006) Seasons

1997     1998     1999     2000     2001     2002     2003     2004     2005     2006    

International Hockey League (2007- 2009) Seasons

2007     2008     2009