Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Mid-term Crash Course into the USHL

Yesterday, I started to delve into the United States Hockey League and their outdoor game.  Today, we will get to learn more about the league, as their season winds down and is heading into the playoffs.  The league has been around since 1947, when it was called the American Amateur Hockey League name.  The USHL name came to be in 1961, and has been that way since.  Currently, there are 16 teams in the league, and became an all-junior league league in 1979.  Like its Canadian junior league counterparts, the USHL has an age limit of 20 and players can jump to either college or the NHL once they're drafted by an NHL team.

Eastern Conference

  • Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
  • Chicago Steel (play in Bensenville, IL)
  • Dubuque Fighting Saints
  • Green Bay Gamblers
  • Indiana Ice
  • Muskegon Lumberjacks
  • US Hockey NTDP (play in Ann Arbor, MI)
  • Youngstown Phantoms
Western Conference

  • Des Moines Buccaneers
  • Fargo Force
  • Lincoln Stars
  • Omaha Lancers
  • Sioux City Musketeers
  • Sioux Falls Stampede
  • Tri-City Storm (play in Kearney, NE)
  • Waterloo Black Hawks
The Anderson Cup recognizes the best team in the regular season while the Clark Cup recognizes the best in the playoffs.  Notable alumni of the USHL include David Backes, John Carlson, Thomas Vanek, Joe Pavelski, Paul Stastny, and Max Pacioretty.

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