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Billings Bulls

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City
  
Billings, Montana

Division
  
Frontier

Home arena
  
Centennial Ice Arena

League
  
NA3HL

Founded
  
1993 (In the AFHL)

Arena
  
Centennial Ice Arena

Billings Bulls httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediaen442Bil

Colors
  
Blue, Red, White, and Vegas Gold

Location
  
Billings, Montana, United States

Billings bulls home opener


The Billings Bulls are a Tier III Junior A ice hockey team currently playing in the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL). The Bulls are based in Billings, Montana and play home games at the 550-seat Centennial Ice Arena. Due to the arena's small size, the Bulls frequently sell out games and broadcast their games on internet radio. They previously played their home games in the Metrapark which had a max capacity of 9,000 for hockey games. However, a negotiating dispute with arena officials and local county commissioners resulted in the team losing its lease.

Contents

Billings bulls intro to season 2015 2016


History

The Bulls joined the American Frontier Hockey League in 1993 which became the America West Hockey League (AWHL) in 1998. The Bulls joined the Tier II Jr. A North American Hockey League in 2003 when the AWHL merged with the NAHL (keeping the NAHL name). The team played in the NAHL from 2003 to 2006 until the team and their rivals, the Bozeman Icedogs and Helena Bighorns, left to join the Northern Pacific Hockey League (NorPac), a regional league in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. When they joined the NorPac, the league was Tier III Junior B but promoted to Tier III Junior A by USA Hockey in 2007. In 2011, the Montana teams in the NorPac left the league to form the new regional American West Hockey League, made up of teams in Montana and Wyoming, including the Bulls. In March 2014, the new AWHL joined the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) as the Frontier Division.

Previous leagues

  • 1993–1998 American Frontier Hockey League
  • 1998–2003 America West Hockey League
  • 2003–2006 North American Hockey League
  • 2006–2011 Northern Pacific Hockey League
  • 2011–2014 American West Hockey League
  • 2014–present North American 3 Hockey League

    • NHL alumni

    The franchise has developed a number of collegiate and professional players, but only two have played in the NHL

  • Chris Holt, G (University of Nebraska-Omaha, last with Braehead Clan of the EIHL), formerly of the New York Rangers and St. Louis Blues.
  • Brian Lee, D retired, formerly of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators.

    • Other notable alumni with professional or major college/junior experience

  • Jon Booras, F (Lake Superior State University, currently with MAC Budapest of the MOL Liga)
  • Jake Doty, F (currently with Missouri Mavericks of the ECHL)
  • Brad Gorham, D (University of Alaska Anchorage, last with the Alaska Aces of the ECHL)
  • Trevor Hammer, D (University of North Dakota, last played for Florida Seals)
  • Jeff Hazelwood, F (last played for Las Vegas Wranglers)
  • Jordan Hines, F (University of Findlay, last played for Fort Worth Fire)
  • Dan Knapp, D (University of Nebraska-Omaha, last played for Ontario Reign)
  • Mathias Lange, G (currently with Iserlohn Roosters of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga)
  • Tom Reimann, D (University of Maine, last played for Colorado Eagles)
  • Cam Strong, F (currently with Dartmouth, NCAA Division 1)
  • Zach Tarkir, D (Northern Michigan University, last played for IF Troja/Ljungby of the HockeyAllsvenskan)
  • Kevin Ulanski, C (University of Denver, last played for the Bentley Generals)

    • References

    Billings Bulls Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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