Roller Hockey International

Rules

The rules in the RHI were similar to but not identical to those of ice hockey. Besides the obvious difference of playing on a floor instead of ice, the RHI had four players and a goalie at a time on the playing surface opposed to ice hockey's five and a goalie. Minor penalties were only a minute and a half as opposed to two minutes and major penalties were four minutes instead of five.

There were no blue lines therefore no icing; however, there was still illegal clearing (icing) and a different version of offside—a player could skate over the red line before the puck; however, the player couldn't receive a pass over the line. The puck itself was lighter, at 3 ¹⁄₂ oz. and made of red plastic as opposed to a 5 ¹⁄₂ oz. black rubber ice hockey puck. There were four 12-minute quarters opposed to the NHL's three 20-minute periods. A tied score at the end of regulation time in the regular season would go straight to a shootout instead of overtime.

The playoffs followed a best-of-three series format; however, the third game was not a full 48 minute game. Instead it was just a regular 12-minute quarter called "the mini game". If the teams were tied at the end of the quarter a sudden-death overtime period would follow.

Teams

Note: RHI 1993-97, revived RHI 1999

Anaheim Bullfrogs (1993–1997; 1999)

Calgary Rad'z (1993–1994)

Connecticut Coasters (1993) / Sacramento River Rats (1994–1997)

Florida Hammerheads (1993–1994)

Los Angeles Blades (1993–1997; 1999)

Oakland Skates (1993–1996)

Portland Rage (1993–1994)

San Diego Barracudas (1993–1996) / Ontario Barracudas (1998–99)

St. Louis Vipers (1993–1997; 1999)

Toronto Planets (1993)

Utah Rollerbees (1993) / Las Vegas Flash (1994)

Vancouver Voodoo (1993–1996)

Atlanta Fire Ants (1994) / Oklahoma Coyotes (1995–1996) / Las Vegas Coyotes (1999)

Buffalo Stampede (1994–1995)

Chicago Cheetahs (1994–1995)

Edmonton Sled Dogs (1994) / Orlando Rollergators (1995, renamed Orlando Jackals 1996–1997)

Minnesota Arctic Blast (1994; 1996)

Montreal Roadrunners (1994–1997)

New England Stingers (1994) / Ottawa Loggers (1995–1996, renamed Ottawa Wheels in 1997)

New Jersey Rockin' Rollers (1994–1997)

Philadelphia Bulldogs (1994–1996)

Phoenix Cobras (1994–1995) / Empire State Cobras (1996) / Buffalo Wings (1997; 1999)

Pittsburgh Phantoms (1994)

San Jose Rhinos (1994–1997; 1999)

Tampa Bay Tritons (1994)

Minnesota Blue Ox (1995; 1999)

Detroit Motor City Mustangs (1995)

Denver Daredevils (1996–1997)

Long Island Jawz (1996–1997)

Chicago Bluesmen (1999)

Dallas Stallions (1999)

Note: The Palm Desert Silver-Cats (1995) of Palm Springs, California and later in Ontario, California (1997) were a semi-pro team that played exhibition games with the Blades and Bullfrogs of the RHI league.

Conferences

The Eastern Conference and Western Conference were created when RHI doubled in size to 24 teams in 1994 after its first series of expansion and realigned its teams into two conferences and four divisions. Prior to the 1994 realignment, Roller Hockey International divided its teams into only three divisions and no conferences.

From 1994 through 1996, the Eastern Conference was divided into the Atlantic Division and the Central Division, which were both successors to the Murphy Division. Starting in 1997, the conferences had no divisions.

From 1994 through 1996, the Western Conference comprised teams divided into two divisions: Northwest Division and Pacific Division. Starting in 1997 the conferences had no divisions.

Eastern Conference champions

1994 - Buffalo Stampede (won Cup)

1995 - Montreal Roadrunners

1996 - Orlando Jackals (won Cup)

1997 - New Jersey Rockin' Rollers

1998 - No Season

1999 - St. Louis Vipers (won Cup)

Western Conference champions

1994 - Portland Rage

1995 - San Jose Rhinos (won Cup)

1996 - Anaheim Bullfrogs

1997 - Anaheim Bullfrogs (won Cup)

1998 - No Season

1999 - Anaheim Bullfrogs

Murphy Cup championship winners

1993 - Anaheim Bullfrogs def. Oakland Skates

1994 - Buffalo Stampede def. Portland Rage

1995 - San Jose Rhinos def. Montreal Roadrunners

1996 - Orlando Jackals def. Anaheim Bullfrogs

1997 - Anaheim Bullfrogs def. New Jersey Rockin' Rollers

1998 - No season (MLRH Champion: Anaheim Bullfrogs)

1999 - St. Louis Vipers def. Anaheim Bullfrogs

Licensing

The league inspired at least one video game, Super Nintendo's RHI Roller Hockey '95, although the game was never released.

There was also a call-in style stats, scores and interview hotline where fans could call in following games. The phone number was 1-800-741-4RHI. This line was updated nightly following each game.

Media coverage

In the 1994 and '95 seasons, there was a regular schedule of games on ESPN2. In addition, several teams had their own radio or TV contracts. For example, a number of Blades home games were seen on Prime Sports and the Bullfrogs had radio broadcasts from 1994 to '96.