America West Hockey League
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.
In the Summer of 2011, a new league, the American West Hockey League, was formed in the same region as the former AWHL. The new AWHL features 6 teams, including Billings, Bozeman, Great Falls, Glacier Nationals, and Helena.
Teams
Billings Bulls (Billings, MT) – 1993–2003, to NAHL
Bismarck Bullets (Bismarck, ND) – 1993–94
Bismarck Bobcats (Bismarck, ND) – 1997–2003, to NAHL
Bozeman ICEDOGS (Bozeman, MT) – 1996–2003, to NAHL
Butte Irish (Butte, MT) – 1996–2002, moved to Wichita Falls
Central Texas Blackhawks (Belton, TX) – 2002–03, to NAHL
Central Wyoming Outlaws (Casper, WY) – 1993–98, known as Casper Outlaws 1993–95
Fairbanks Ice Dogs (Fairbanks, AK) – 2000–03, from NorPac, to NAHL
Fernie Ghostriders (Fernie, BC) – 1999–2003 from KIJHL, to NAHL
Great Falls Americans (Great Falls, MT) – 1994–2003, known as Kings Americans 1994–95
Helena Bighorns (Helena, MT) – 2001–03, to NAHL
Helena Gold Rush (Helena, MT) – 1995–2001, known as Helena Ice Pirates 1995–2000
Jackson Hole Grizzlies (Jackson, WY) – 1993–1997
Kimberley Dynamiters (Kimberley, BC) – 1999–2001, left and returned to KIJHL
Minot Muskies (Minot, ND) – 2000–01
Pikes Peak Miners (Colorado Springs, CO) – 1993–1994
Pueblo Venom (Pueblo, CO) – 1993–95, known as Pubelo Flames 1993–94
Tupelo T-Rex (Tupelo, MS) – 2001–03
Vail Avalanche (Vail, CO) – 1993–96, moved to Butte
Wichita Falls Rustlers (Wichita Falls, TX) – 2002–03, to NAHL
Expansion
| Year | Teams | Expansion | Defunct | Relocated | Name Changes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993–94 | Billings Bulls Bismarck Bullets Casper Wranglers Jackson Hole Grizzlies Ogden Blades Pikes Peak Miners Pueblo Flames Vail Avalanche |
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| 1994–95 | Billings Bulls Casper Wranglers Helena Ice Pirates Jackson Hole Grizzlies Kings Americans Pueblo Venom Vail Avalanche |
Helena Ice Pirates Kings Americans |
Bismarck Bullets Ogden Blades Pikes Peak Miners |
Pueblo Flames → Pueblo Venom | |
| 1995–96 | Billings Bulls Central Wyoming Outlaws Great Falls Americans Helena Ice Pirates Jackson Hole Grizzlies Vail Avalanche |
Pueblo Venom | Casper Wranglers → Central Wyoming Outlaws Kings Americans → Great Falls Americans | ||
| 1996–97 | Billings Bulls Bozeman IceDogs Butte Irish Central Wyoming Outlaws Great Falls Americans Helena Ice Pirates Jackson Hole Grizzlies |
Bozeman IceDogs | Vail Avalanche → Butte Irish |
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| 1997–98 | Billings Bulls Bismarck Bobcats Bozeman IceDogs Butte Irish Central Wyoming Outlaws Great Falls Americans Helena Ice Pirates |
Bismarck Bobcats | Jackson Hole Grizzlies | ||
| 1998–99 | Billings Bulls Bismarck Bobcats Bozeman IceDogs Butte Irish Great Falls Americans Helena Ice Pirates |
Central Wyoming Outlaws | |||
| 1999–2000 | Billings Bulls Bismarck Bobcats Bozeman IceDogs Butte Irish Fernie Ghostriders Great Falls Americans Helena Gold Rush Kimberley Dynamiters |
Fernie Ghostriders Kimberley Dynamiters |
Helena Ice Pirates → Helena Gold Rush | ||
| 2000–2001 | Billings Bulls Bismarck Bobcats Bozeman IceDogs Butte Irish Fairbanks Ice Dogs Fernie Ghostriders Great Falls Americans Kimberley Dynamiters Minot Muskies |
Fairbanks Ice Dogs Minot Muskies |
Helena Gold Rush | ||
| 2001–2002 | Billings Bulls Bismarck Bobcats Bozeman IceDogs Butte Irish Fairbanks Ice Dogs Fernie Ghostriders Great Falls Americans Helena Bighorns Tupelo T-Rex |
Helena Bighorns Tupelo T-Rex |
Kimberley Dynamiters to KIJHL Minot Muskies |
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| 2002–2003 | North Billings Bulls Bismarck Bobcats Bozeman IceDogs Fairbanks Ice Dogs Fernie Ghostriders Great Falls Americans Helena Bighorns South Central Texas Blackhawks Phoenix Polar Bears Tupelo T-Rex Wichita Falls Rustlers |
Central Texas Blackhawks Phoenix Polar Bears |
Butte Irish → Wichita Falls Rustlers |