Minor professional hockey leagues are the backbone of the NHL. These leagues over the years have served as training grounds for the NHL teams. Entertaining hockey in their own right and offering non NHL players a chance to earn a living.
Colonial Hockey League (1991-1997)
The Colonial Hockey League (1991-1997) was originally based out of Copetown, Ontario, Canada and later Detroit, Michigan, USA. While professional hockey was rapidly growing in the United States, the senior leagues in Canada were unable to attract players interested in playing amateur hockey. Ontario senior league towns such as Brantford and Thunder Bay and a few US centers that had been abandoned by the International Hockey League formed the initial franchises of the leagueThe Colonial Hockey League had five teams in 1991-92 but doubled that number by 1996-97 with two divisions of five teams.
The league changed its name to the United Hockey League for the 1997-98 season.
Colonial Hockey League (1991-1997) Franchises
Brantford Smoke (1991-1997)
Flint
Bulldogs (1991-1992)
Michigan
Falcons (1991-1992)
St
Thomas Wildcats (1991-1994)
Thunder
Bay Thunder Hawks (1991-1994)
Chatham
Wheels (1992-1994)
Detroit
Falcons (1992-1996)
Flint
Generals (1992-1997)
Muskegon
Fury (1992-1997)
Utica
Bulldogs (1993-1994)
London
Wildcats (1994-1995)
Utica
Blizzard (1994-1997)
Saginaw
Wheels (1994-1996)
Thunder
Bay Senators (1994-1997)
Madison
Monsters (1995-1997)
Quad
City Mallards (1995-1997)
Port
Huron Border Cats (1996-1997)
Saginaw
Lumber Kings (1996-1997)
Dayton
Ice Bandits (1996-1997)
Saginaw
Lumber Kings (1996-1997)
Colonial Hockey League (1991-1997) Champions
The playoff champions were awarded the Colonial Cup. From the 1995-1996 season the regular season champions were awarded the Tarry Cup.
| Year
|
Regular Season Champions |
Playoff Champion
|
1992 |
Michigan Falcons |
Thunder Bay Thunder Hawks |
1993 |
Brantford Smoke |
Brantford Smoke |
1994 |
Thunder Bay Senators |
Thunder Bay Senators |
1995 |
Thunder Bay Senators |
Thunder Bay Senators |
1996 |
Flint Generals |
Flint Generals |
1997 |
Flint Generals |
Quad City Mallards |
Colonial Hockey League (1991-1997) Season
| 1992 Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | GF | GA |
| Michigan Falcons | 60 | 34 | 22 | 4 | 0 | 75 | 296 | 257 |
| Brantford Smoke | 60 | 34 | 22 | 4 | 0 | 72 | 327 | 265 |
| Thunder-Bay Thunder Hawks | 60 | 26 | 28 | 6 | 0 | 62 | 309 | 289 |
| St.-Thomas Wildcats | 60 | 24 | 29 | 7 | 0 | 57 | 263 | 288 |
| Flint Bulldogs | 60 | 20 | 37 | 3 | 0 | 45 | 272 | 368 |
| 1993 Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | GF | GA |
| Brantford Smoke | 60 | 39 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 81 | 308 | 264 |
| Detroit Falcons | 60 | 36 | 20 | 4 | 0 | 76 | 303 | 239 |
| Thunder-Bay Thunder Hawks | 60 | 32 | 24 | 4 | 0 | 68 | 288 | 271 |
| Muskegon Fury | 60 | 28 | 27 | 5 | 0 | 61 | 293 | 278 |
| St.-Thomas Wildcats | 60 | 27 | 27 | 6 | 0 | 60 | 306 | 322 |
| Flint Bulldogs | 60 | 27 | 29 | 4 | 0 | 58 | 256 | 296 |
| Chatham Wheels | 60 | 21 | 35 | 4 | 0 | 46 | 260 | 344 |
| 1994 Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | GF | GA |
| East Division | ||||||||
| Thunder-Bay Senators | 64 | 45 | 15 | 4 | 0 | 94 | 331 | 236 |
| Brantford Smoke | 64 | 28 | 26 | 10 | 0 | 66 | 308 | 348 |
| St.-Thomas Wildcats | 64 | 22 | 34 | 8 | 0 | 52 | 284 | 343 |
| Utica Bulldogs | 64 | 21 | 39 | 4 | 0 | 46 | 226 | 330 |
| West Division | ||||||||
| Chatham Wheels | 64 | 39 | 18 | 7 | 0 | 85 | 336 | 281 |
| Muskegon Fury | 64 | 35 | 24 | 5 | 0 | 75 | 319 | 301 |
| Detroit Falcons | 64 | 34 | 25 | 5 | 0 | 73 | 296 | 275 |
| Flint Generals | 64 | 32 | 23 | 9 | 0 | 73 | 328 | 314 |
| 1995 Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | GF | GA |
| East Division | ||||||||
| Thunder-Bay Senators | 74 | 48 | 22 | 4 | 0 | 100 | 341 | 279 |
| London Wildcats | 74 | 34 | 38 | 2 | 0 | 70 | 341 | 380 |
| Utica Blizzard | 74 | 31 | 38 | 5 | 0 | 67 | 299 | 349 |
| Brantford Smoke | 74 | 26 | 36 | 12 | 0 | 64 | 299 | 357 |
| West Division | ||||||||
| Detroit Falcons | 74 | 45 | 27 | 2 | 0 | 92 | 329 | 273 |
| Muskegon Fury | 74 | 42 | 27 | 5 | 0 | 89 | 333 | 286 |
| Saginaw Wheels | 74 | 36 | 31 | 7 | 0 | 79 | 306 | 321 |
| Flint Generals | 74 | 34 | 34 | 6 | 0 | 74 | 350 | 353 |
| 1996 Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | GF | GA |
| East Division | ||||||||
| Flint Generals | 74 | 51 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 107 | 347 | 248 |
| Brantford Smoke | 74 | 45 | 24 | 5 | 0 | 95 | 336 | 283 |
| Detroit Falcons | 74 | 33 | 32 | 9 | 0 | 75 | 275 | 310 |
| Saginaw Wheels | 74 | 32 | 35 | 7 | 0 | 71 | 299 | 341 |
| Utica Blizzard | 74 | 29 | 39 | 6 | 0 | 64 | 285 | 339 |
| West Division | ||||||||
| Muskegon Fury | 74 | 40 | 27 | 7 | 0 | 87 | 273 | 248 |
| Thunder-Bay Senators | 74 | 36 | 26 | 12 | 0 | 84 | 302 | 289 |
| Madison Monsters | 74 | 37 | 30 | 7 | 0 | 81 | 267 | 284 |
| Quad-City Mallards | 74 | 30 | 39 | 5 | 0 | 65 | 269 | 311 |
| 1997 Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | GF | GA |
| East Division | ||||||||
| Flint Generals | 74 | 55 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 111 | 371 | 232 |
| Brantford Smoke | 74 | 42 | 25 | 7 | 0 | 91 | 321 | 286 |
| Port Huron Border Cats | 74 | 38 | 31 | 5 | 0 | 81 | 280 | 288 |
| Utica Blizzard | 74 | 22 | 42 | 10 | 0 | 54 | 278 | 385 |
| Saginaw Lumber Kings | 74 | 21 | 48 | 5 | 0 | 47 | 263 | 399 |
| West Division | ||||||||
| Quad-City Mallards | 74 | 51 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 105 | 384 | 245 |
| Madison Monsters | 74 | 46 | 21 | 7 | 0 | 99 | 315 | 259 |
| Thunder-Bay Thunder Cats | 74 | 43 | 23 | 8 | 0 | 94 | 333 | 266 |
| Muskegon Fury | 74 | 39 | 29 | 6 | 0 | 84 | 268 | 257 |
| Dayton Ice Bandits | 74 | 13 | 53 | 8 | 0 | 34 | 216 | 412 |