North American 3 Hockey League

Updated on Dec 28, 2023

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Sport Ice hockey No. of teams 48 Official website www.na3hl.com		Founded 1970s Country United States

Most recent champion(s) North Iowa Bulls (2015–16)

The North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) is an American Tier III junior ice hockey league that consists of 48 teams from Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Sanctioned by USA Hockey, the winner of the NA3HL playoffs advance to play for the Tier III National Championship.

History

Originally formed in the early 1970s as a Junior B-level league known as the Central States Hockey League (CSHL), the league evolved into the Metro Detroit Junior Hockey League in the early 1980s. The CSHL name was used again from 1994 until 2010. The league was reclassified from Tier III Junior B to Tier III Junior A in the summer of 2007 by USA Hockey.

During the 2008–09 season, it was announced that the Pittsburgh Jr. Penguins would join the CSHL for the 2009–10 season, bringing the number of teams to 13. The league returned to 12 teams for 2010–11, as the Dubuque Thunderbirds franchise folded to make way for the return of the Dubuque Fighting Saints in the United States Hockey League.

On November 1, 2010, it was announced that the North American Hockey League would take control of the CSHL. The NAHL-CSHL affiliation allows for a more structured Junior hockey system to provide athletes with more opportunities to advance to college and pro hockey. At the time of the take over the league was renamed to the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL).

In May 2011, it was announced that the Granite City Lumberjacks, Minnesota Flying Aces, North Iowa Bulls and the Twin City Steel would join the league beginning with the 2011–12 season bringing the total number of teams in the NA3HL to 16.

In March 2013, the NA3HL announced that its Board of Governors has accepted the membership application for the Chicago Jr. Bulldogs, which began play in the NA3HL during the 2013–14 season. Owned by Ken Kestas, the Bulldogs played home games out of Canlan Ice Sports in Romeoville, Illinois.

Quad City Jr. Flames (Davenport, Iowa) relocated to Madison, Wisconsin in May 2013 and were renamed the Wisconsin Whalers.

In May 2014, the Flint Jr. Generals were purchased and relocated to La Crosse, Wisconsin and renamed the La Crosse Freeze. The NA3HL announced that the Texas Jr. Brahmas would transfer from the Western States Hockey League and join the South Division. The expansion Nashville Jr. Predators and Point Mallard Ducks (Decatur, AL) also joined the South Division bringing its total up to six teams. The American West Hockey League moved to the NA3HL to form new Frontier Division. The Battle Creek Revolution announced it was re-branding as the West Michigan Wolves. The Michigan Mountain Cats were sold and relocated to Jamestown, NY, and called the Southern Tier Xpress.

In April 2015, the NA3HL announced an expansion team in Evansville, Indiana, called the Thunderbolts, to play in the South Division beginning in the 2015–16 season. On May 21–22 of 2015, two additional expansion teams were announced: Rochester Ice Hawks, a member of the former Minnesota Junior Hockey League, was added the West Division, and the Louisiana Drillers playing out of Lafayette, Louisiana was added to the South Division.

On March 4, 2016, it was formally announced that the North American Hockey League's other Tier III league, the North American 3 Eastern Hockey League (NA3EHL), would be added to the NA3HL beginning with the 2016–17 season. The former NA3EHL teams are set to become two new divisions within the NA3HL. On May 21, 2016, the Missoula Bruins youth hockey organization from Missoula, Montana announced it had been approved as an expansion team in the Frontier Division of the NA3HL. The Missoula Junior Bruins replaced the Missoula Maulers of the Western States Hockey League after arena negotiations with the Maulers' owner fell through.

Alumni

Many prominent college and pro hockey players have played in the CSHL at one point in their careers, including 2007 Hobey Baker finalist Eric Ehn (Metro Jets), St. Louis Blues forward and 2010 and 2014 U.S. Olympian Paul Stastny (St. Louis Jr. Blues) and Chris Butler (St. Louis Jr. Blues), now in the St. Louis Blues' organization.

Current teams

Note: An asterisk (*) donates a franchise move. See respective team articles for more information.

Champions

The league championship trophy (previously named Hurster Cup) was renamed the Silver Cup in Spring of 2012. The winner of the Silver Cup receives a bid to compete in the USA Hockey Tier III junior hockey National Championship Tournament.

Former teams

Battle Creek Jr. Revolution (Battle Creek, Michigan; 2010–14). Joined as an expansion team in 2010 after initially planning on joining the Northern Junior Hockey League. Renamed West Michigan Wolves in 2014.

Chicago Force (Rolling Meadows, Illinois; 2004–10). Organization obtained a Tier II North American Hockey League franchise and named it the Chicago Hitmen. The organization would also rename its Tier III CSHL franchise to match.

Chicago Hitmen (Rolling Meadows, Illinois; 2010–12). Organization ceased operations of both their Tier II and Tier III franchises prior to the 2012–13 season.

Cincinnati Cobras (Cincinnati, Ohio; 1999–2006). Renamed Cincinnati Jr. Cyclones.

Cincinnati Jr. Cyclones (Cincinnati, Ohio; 2006–07). Folded and replaced by Queen City Steam.

Cincinnati Swords (Cincinnati, Ohio; 2013–15). Renamed Cincinnati Thunder in 2015.

Cleveland Jr. Lumberjacks (Strongsville, Ohio; 2004–15). Franchise purchased by the Wooster Oilers.

Columbus Crush (Columbus, Ohio; 1998–2003). Became Columbus Stars.

Columbus Jr. "B" Blue Jackets (Columbus, Ohio; 2004–07)

Columbus Stars (Columbus, Ohio; 2003–04). Became Jr. "B" Blue Jackets.

Dubuque Thunderbirds (Dubuque, Iowa; 2006–10). Joined from the Minnesota Junior Hockey League. Ceased operations after they were replaced by a Tier I United States Hockey League team, the Dubuque Fighting Saints.

Dallas Jr. Stars (Euless, Texas; 2013–15). Renamed to Euless Junior Stars in 2015 by new owners.

Flint Jr. Generals (Clayton Township, Michigan; 1998–2014). Sold and relocated to La Crosse, Wisconsin, and became the La Crosse Freeze.

Grand Rapids Owls (Byron Center, Michigan; 1993–2010). Suspended operations prior to the start of the 2010–11 season.

L/A Fighting Spirit (Lewiston, Maine; 2016–17). Franchise joined from the NA3EHL in 2016. Sold and renamed Lewiston/Auburn Nordiques after one season.

Lockport Express (Lockport, New York; 2016–17). Franchise joined from the NA3EHL in 2016. Relocated to Niagara Falls, New York, after one season in the NA3HL.

Michigan Ice Dogs (Farmington Hills, Michigan; 2003–08). Moved to the Great Lakes Junior Hockey League (2008–12), then the Midwest Junior Hockey League (2012–15), and then joined the USPHL-Midwest Division for 2015–16 as the Michigan Wild.

Michigan Mountain Cats (Farmington Hills, Michigan; 2010–14). Franchise sold and relocated to Jamestown, New York, as the Southern Tier Xpress

Minnesota Flying Aces (Little Falls, Minnesota; 2011–16). Joined from the Minnesota Junior Hockey League in 2011, franchise purchased and relocated to Willmar, Minnesota, in 2016.

Motor City Chiefs (Dearborn Heights, Michigan; 1985–2010). Franchise was sold and renamed Michigan Mountain Cats.

New York Aviators (Brooklyn/Brewster, New York). Franchise joined from the NA3EHL in 2016. Relocated to Long Beach, New York, to become the Long Beach Sharks after joining the NA3HL.

Pittsburgh Jr. Penguins (Harmarville, Pennsylvania; 2009–12). The Pittsburgh Jr. Penguins organization created a Junior A level team to compete in the CSHL in 2009. Renamed to Three Rivers Vengeance in 2012.

Quad City Express (Davenport, Iowa; 2004–07). Renamed Jr. Flames after the American Hockey League team, the Quad City Flames.

Quad City Jr. Flames (Davenport, Iowa; 2007–13). Relocated to Madison, Wisconsin, and renamed to the Wisconsin Whalers.

Queen City Steam (Cincinnati, Ohio; 2007–13) Renamed Cincinnati Swords after the merger of two youth hockey programs in the Cincinnati area.

Sugar Land Imperials (Sugar Land, Texas; 2013–16). An expansion team from 2013, the franchise was purchased and relocated to College Station, Texas, and renamed College Station Spirit in 2016.

Three Rivers Vengeance (Harmarville, Pennsylvania; 2012–13). Renamed Pittsburgh Vengeance after one season.

Topeka Capitals (Topeka, Kansas; 2013–15). Franchise relocated to Sandy Springs, Georgia, and renamed to Atlanta Capitals in 2015.

Twin City Steel (White Bear Lake, Minnesota; 2011–16). Franchise relocated to New Ulm, Minnesota, and renamed New Ulm Steel in 2016.

Wayne Wheels/Wheelers (Wayne, Michigan; 1998–2003). Renamed Michigan Ice Dogs.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Miners (Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania). Franchise joined from the NA3EHL in 2016. Relocated to Binghamton, New York, to become the Binghamton Jr. Senators. after joining the NA3HL.

References

North American 3 Hockey League Wikipedia

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