Anatomy of change

TEMPE, Ariz. – Tuesday’s announcement that the International and Central Hockey Leagues would combine forces to create a AA “super league” came as no surprise for those monitoring the IHL’s off-season trials and tribulations.
 

The league, revived in 2007 from the ashes of the former United Hockey League, had based itself essentially as a seven team Midwest bus league, organized to keep operational and travel costs down. But the economic downturn, which has hit IHL markets particularly hard, took a toll on several teams, particular those in Michigan.
 
In February, the Muskegon Lumberjacks announced that they would fold at the end of the regular season, to be replaced by a Junior A team playing in the United States Hockey League. The Flint Generals ran into financial problems for the second straight year and needed financial help from other IHL clubs to make it through the season. A third team, the Port Huron Icehawks, has struggled to fill seats. They’ve averaged less than 1,500 tickets sold per game over the past three seasons and are currently considering whether or not to go on.
 
Looking forward, it appeared that the IHL would not be able to continue on its own and would have to find another league for its remaining teams to play.
 
Although the possibility of integrating at least some of the remaining IHL teams into the ECHL was looked at, an affiliation with the Central Hockey League became more and more of a likely option, an option that made the most sense.
 
The CHL – no stranger to struggling teams – had just lost two clubs in Texas. The Amarillo Gorillas went dark after years of low attendance and financial difficulties. The Corpus Christi IceRays then announced that it was leaving the CHL for the North American Hockey League, a Tier I Junior A circuit that develops players ages 17-21 for college and the pros.
 
The integration of IHL teams into a new, expanded CHL would offer new life for some teams, while providing more stability and a stronger league for all teams, all the while expanding their collective presence and influence on minor league hockey in North America. But don’t call it a merger – think of it as a close affiliation. There will still be two operations involved. The details of how everything will work will be explained in further detail after each league has had the chance to gather for its summer meetings.
 
As a result of Tuesday’s announcement, the Fort Wayne Komets, Dayton Gems, Bloomington Prairie Thunder and Quad City Mallards have committed to join the 13 current CHL teams to form a new league (using the Central Hockey League moniker) whose footprint extends from Rapid City, South Dakota to Prescott Valley, Arizona and from Hidalgo, Texas to Dayton, Ohio. This footprint covers the heartland of America and fills the void of markets mostly ignored by the bi-coastal ECHL.
 
There’s been no word on the Port Huron Icehawks ( the most isolated geographically) or the Flint Generals (still seeking new owners), but IHL Commissioner Dennis Hextall has said that there could be “further announcements” indicating that one or both teams may still join the new CHL – or not. Port Huron is doubtful, but efforts to put a new ownership group in place in Flint have been feverish. An IHL expansion team in Evansville, Indiana, was set to begin play in 2011-12 once a new arena was built, but there is a possibility they may play in an existing venue this season.
 
Regardless of the final number of teams involved, the question of how to integrate two leagues will provide the collective ownerships and CHL officials with plenty to do this summer. Beginning at the CHL’s league meetings currently taking place in Chandler, Arizona and continuing at the IHL meetings in Las Vegas, Nevada on June 21-23, the question of divisional alignments, scheduling, vet rules, on-ice rules and playoff formats will need to be worked out.
 
The end result will be the source of much speculation in the coming weeks. At least some information could be forthcoming by next week, but it’s likely that some issues, such as a proposal for a new collective bargaining agreement with the Professional Hockey Players Association, will be ongoing.
In the meantime, fans of both leagues have time to get used to the idea of the “new” league. Hopefully, all the talk and publicity will translate into something many of the teams need – more butts in the seats.
Contact the a uthor at robert.keith@prohockeynews.com