The America West Hockey League (AWHL ) was a junior ice hockey league. The AWHL was formed in 1992 to offer junior ice hockey to the Rocky Mountain region of USA Hockey . It originally was called the American Frontier Hockey League (AFHL ), and the name change to AWHL came in 1998. The AWHL merged with the NAHL in 2003 and after the merger, the NAHL name was kept.
Franchise Time Line [ ]
Team
Location
Arena
Tenure
Notes
Billings Bulls Billings, Montana Rimrock Auto Arena at MetraPark 1993-2003
join North American Hockey League
Bismarck Bullets Bismarck, North Dakota V.F.W. Sports Center 1993-1994
fold
Casper Wranglers Casper, Wyoming Casper Events Center 1993-1995
renamed Central Wyoming Outlaws
Jackson Hole Grizzlies Jackson, Wyoming Snow King Sports & Events Center 1993-1997
fold
Ogden Blades Ogden, Utah Ogden Ice Sheet 1993-1994
fold
Pikes Peak Miners Colorado Springs, Colorado Sertich Ice Arena 1993-1994
fold
Pueblo Flames Pueblo, Colorado Pueblo Ice Arena 1993-1994
renamed Pueblo Venom
Vail Avalanche Vail, Colorado Dobson Ice Arena 1993-1996
relocated to Butte, Montana and renamed Butte Irish
Helena Ice Pirates Helena, Montana Helena Ice Arena 1994-1999
renamed Helena Gold Rush
Kings Americans Great Falls, Montana Four Seasons Arena 1994-1995
renamed Great Falls Americans
Pueblo Venom Pueblo, Colorado Pueblo Ice Arena 1994-1995
fold
Central Wyoming Outlaws Casper, Wyoming Casper Events Center 1995-1998
fold
Great Falls Americans (AWHL) Great Falls, Montana Four Seasons Arena 1995-2003
fold
Butte Irish Butte, Montana Butte Civic Center 1996-2002
relocated to Wichita Falls, Texas ; renamed Wichita Falls Rustlers
Bozeman IceDogs Bozeman, Montana Haynes Pavilion 1996-2003
join North American Hockey League
Bismarck Bobcats Bismarck, North Dakota V.F.W. Sports Center 1997-2003
join North American Hockey League
Fernie Ghostriders Fernie, British Columbia Fernie Memorial Arena 1999-2003
join North American Hockey League
Kimberley Dynamiters Kimberley, British Columbia Kimberley Civic Centre 1999-2001
return to Kootenay International Junior Hockey League
Helena Gold Rush Helena, Montana Helena Ice Arena 1999-2000
fold
Minot Muskies Minot, North Dakota All Seasons Arena (North Dakota) 2000-2001
fold
Fairbanks Ice Dogs Fairbanks, Alaska Big Dipper Ice Arena 2000-2003
join North American Hockey League
Helena Bighorns Helena, Montana Helena Ice Arena 2001-2003
join North American Hockey League
Tupelo T-Rex Tupelo, Mississippi BancorpSouth Center 2001-2003
fold
Central Texas Blackhawks Belton, Texas Bell County Expo Center 2002-2003
join North American Hockey League
Phoenix Polar Bears Chandler, Arizona Polar Ice Center 2002-2003
already had team in Western States Hockey League
Wichita Falls Rustlers Wichita Falls, Texas MPEC Coliseum 2002-2003
join North American Hockey League
Borne Cup Playoff Champions [ ] See Also [ ] List of American Junior Seasons
External links [ ]
