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.
United Hockey League (1998-Present)
The United Hockey League (1998-Present) was originally the Colonial Hockey League. The league expanded throughout the late 1990's as other leagues such as the International Hockey League suffered. Today it is still an active professional AA-level minor league.
United Hockey League (1998-Present) Franchises
Brantford Smoke (1997-1998)
Flint Generals (1997-Present)
Thunder
Bay Thunder Cats (1997-1999)
Madison
Monsters (1997-1999)
Quad
City Mallards (1997-Present)
Port
Huron Border Cats (1997-2002)
Port Huron Beacons (2002-Present)
Saginaw
Lumber Kings (1997-1999)
Saginaw Gears (1999-2000)
Ohio Gears (1999-2000)
Winston-Salem Icehawks (1997-1999)
Muskegon Fury (1997-2001)
Binghamton Icemen (1997-1998)
Asheville Smoke (1998-2002)
B C Icemen (1998-2002)
Mohawk Valley Prowlers (1998-2001)
Adirondack Icehawks (1999-2004)
Knoxville Speed (1999-2002)
Fort Wayne Komets (1999-Present)
Madison Kodiaks (1999-2000)
Missouri River Otters (1999-Present)
Rockford IceHogs (1999-Present)
Kalamazoo Wings (2000-Present)
New Haven Knights (2000-2002)
Elmira Jackals (2000-Present)
Columbus Stars (2003-2004)
Richmond RiverDogs (2003-Present)
Kansas City Outlaws (2004-Present)
Motor City Mechanics (2004-Present)
Adirondack Frostbite (2004-Present)
Danbury Trashers (2004-Present)
United Hockey League (1998-Present) Champions
 |
The playoff champions are awarded the Colonial Cup. |  |
The regular season champions are awarded the Tarry Cup. |
| Year
|
Regular Season Champions |
Playoff Champion
|
1998 |
Quad City Mallards |
Quad City Mallards |
1999 |
Muskegon Fury |
Muskegon Fury |
2000 |
Flint Generals |
Flint Generals |
2001 |
Quad City Mallards |
Quad City Mallards |
2002 |
Quad City Mallards |
Muskegon Fury |
2003 |
Fort Wayne Komets |
Fort Wayne Komets |
2004 |
Fort Wayne Komets |
Muskegon Fury |
United Hockey League (1998-Present) Season
| 1998 Season | GP |
W |
L |
T |
OTL |
Pts |
GF |
GA |
| East Division | ||||||||
| Flint Generals | 74 |
46 |
22 |
0 |
6 |
98 |
371 |
278 |
| Brantford Smoke | 74 |
33 |
27 |
0 |
14 |
80 |
312 |
307 |
| Port Huron Border Cats | 74 |
31 |
33 |
0 |
10 |
72 |
256 |
303 |
| Winston-Salem Icehawks | 74 |
33 |
38 |
0 |
3 |
69 |
228 |
305 |
| B.C. Icemen | 74 |
25 |
40 |
0 |
9 |
59 |
237 |
339 |
| Saginaw Lumber Kings | 74 |
23 |
46 |
0 |
5 |
51 |
231 |
342 |
| West Division | ||||||||
| Quad-City Mallards | 74 |
55 |
18 |
0 |
1 |
111 |
360 |
257 |
| Muskegon Fury | 74 |
43 |
23 |
0 |
8 |
94 |
341 |
244 |
| Thunder-Bay Thunder Cats | 74 |
42 |
26 |
0 |
6 |
90 |
337 |
304 |
| Madison Monsters | 74 |
39 |
24 |
0 |
11 |
89 |
271 |
265 |
| 1999 Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | GF | GA |
| Central Division | ||||||||
| Muskegon Fury | 74 | 50 | 18 | 0 | 6 | 106 | 304 | 208 |
| Port Huron Border Cats | 74 | 41 | 26 | 0 | 7 | 89 | 261 | 239 |
| Flint Generals | 74 | 37 | 32 | 0 | 5 | 79 | 318 | 299 |
| Saginaw Gears | 74 | 20 | 46 | 0 | 8 | 48 | 212 | 332 |
| East Division | ||||||||
| B.C. Icemen | 74 | 39 | 30 | 0 | 5 | 83 | 280 | 238 |
| Asheville Smoke | 74 | 36 | 35 | 0 | 3 | 75 | 292 | 331 |
| Winston-Salem Icehawks | 74 | 31 | 40 | 0 | 3 | 65 | 245 | 311 |
| Mohawk-Valley Prowlers | 74 | 27 | 39 | 0 | 8 | 62 | 214 | 300 |
| West Division | ||||||||
| Quad-City Mallards | 74 | 50 | 19 | 0 | 5 | 105 | 364 | 253 |
| Thunder-Bay Thunder Cats | 74 | 47 | 20 | 0 | 7 | 101 | 325 | 247 |
| Madison Monsters | 74 | 29 | 40 | 0 | 5 | 63 | 237 | 294 |
| 2000 Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | GF | GA |
| Central Division | ||||||||
| Flint Generals | 74 | 51 | 14 | 0 | 9 | 111 | 379 | 250 |
| Port Huron Border Cats | 74 | 47 | 21 | 0 | 6 | 100 | 269 | 202 |
| Muskegon Fury | 74 | 43 | 26 | 0 | 5 | 91 | 266 | 250 |
| Fort Wayne Komets | 74 | 40 | 27 | 0 | 7 | 87 | 281 | 251 |
| Saginaw/Ohio Gears | 74 | 12 | 57 | 0 | 5 | 29 | 198 | 370 |
| East Division | ||||||||
| B.C. Icemen | 74 | 47 | 20 | 0 | 7 | 101 | 279 | 222 |
| Mohawk-Valley Prowlers | 74 | 28 | 31 | 0 | 15 | 71 | 254 | 295 |
| Asheville Smoke | 74 | 34 | 38 | 0 | 2 | 70 | 279 | 315 |
| Adirondack IceHawks | 74 | 28 | 34 | 0 | 12 | 68 | 260 | 308 |
| Knoxville Speed | 74 | 29 | 41 | 0 | 4 | 62 | 236 | 314 |
| West Division | ||||||||
| Quad-City Mallards | 74 | 53 | 16 | 0 | 5 | 111 | 369 | 264 |
| Missouri River Otters | 74 | 39 | 29 | 0 | 6 | 84 | 275 | 252 |
| Madison Kodiaks | 74 | 35 | 33 | 0 | 6 | 76 | 254 | 276 |
| Rockford IceHogs | 74 | 32 | 34 | 0 | 8 | 72 | 238 | 268 |
| 2001 Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | GF | GA |
| North East Division | ||||||||
| Adirondack IceHawks | 74 | 40 | 28 | 0 | 6 | 86 | 259 | 235 |
| Elmira Jackals | 74 | 32 | 33 | 0 | 9 | 73 | 260 | 289 |
| B.C. Icemen | 74 | 31 | 34 | 0 | 9 | 71 | 263 | 290 |
| Mohawk-Valley Prowlers | 54 | 15 | 33 | 0 | 6 | 36 | 153 | 253 |
| North West Division | ||||||||
| Fort Wayne Komets | 74 | 42 | 26 | 0 | 6 | 90 | 261 | 253 |
| Muskegon Fury | 74 | 37 | 28 | 0 | 9 | 83 | 242 | 240 |
| Port Huron Border Cats | 74 | 30 | 34 | 0 | 10 | 70 | 234 | 260 |
| Flint Generals | 74 | 30 | 34 | 0 | 10 | 70 | 253 | 303 |
| South East Division | ||||||||
| Asheville Smoke | 74 | 45 | 22 | 0 | 7 | 97 | 297 | 240 |
| New-Haven Knights | 74 | 41 | 26 | 0 | 7 | 89 | 268 | 217 |
| Knoxville Speed | 74 | 39 | 31 | 0 | 4 | 82 | 238 | 233 |
| South West Division | ||||||||
| Quad-City Mallards | 74 | 55 | 12 | 0 | 7 | 117 | 341 | 216 |
| Missouri River Otters | 74 | 41 | 24 | 0 | 9 | 91 | 268 | 259 |
| Kalamazoo Wings | 74 | 37 | 31 | 0 | 6 | 80 | 220 | 220 |
| Rockford IceHogs | 74 | 30 | 38 | 0 | 6 | 66 | 207 | 256 |
| 2002 Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | GF | GA |
| East Division | ||||||||
| Elmira Jackals | 74 | 45 | 21 | 0 | 8 | 98 | 260 | 216 |
| B.C. Icemen | 74 | 39 | 27 | 0 | 8 | 86 | 233 | 237 |
| Adirondack IceHawks | 74 | 37 | 31 | 0 | 6 | 80 | 257 | 260 |
| New-Haven Knights | 74 | 34 | 29 | 0 | 11 | 79 | 259 | 263 |
| Asheville Smoke | 74 | 36 | 34 | 0 | 4 | 76 | 273 | 270 |
| Port Huron Border Cats | 74 | 27 | 35 | 0 | 12 | 66 | 207 | 261 |
| Knoxville Speed | 74 | 19 | 52 | 0 | 3 | 41 | 225 | 362 |
| West Division | ||||||||
| Quad-City Mallards | 74 | 57 | 15 | 0 | 2 | 116 | 296 | 175 |
| Muskegon Fury | 74 | 48 | 22 | 0 | 4 | 100 | 233 | 164 |
| Missouri River Otters | 74 | 41 | 24 | 0 | 9 | 91 | 262 | 250 |
| Flint Generals | 74 | 42 | 26 | 0 | 6 | 90 | 294 | 245 |
| Fort Wayne Komets | 74 | 37 | 24 | 0 | 13 | 87 | 227 | 215 |
| Kalamazoo Wings | 74 | 29 | 37 | 0 | 8 | 66 | 213 | 277 |
| Rockford IceHogs | 74 | 27 | 41 | 0 | 6 | 60 | 234 | 278 |
| 2003 Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | GF | GA |
| East Division | ||||||||
| Fort Wayne Komets | 76 | 44 | 21 | 0 | 11 | 99 | 249 | 191 |
| Adirondack IceHawks | 76 | 44 | 28 | 0 | 4 | 92 | 300 | 245 |
| Elmira Jackals | 76 | 41 | 28 | 0 | 7 | 89 | 257 | 254 |
| Port Huron Beacons | 76 | 38 | 30 | 0 | 8 | 84 | 248 | 268 |
| Flint Generals | 76 | 32 | 36 | 0 | 8 | 72 | 257 | 298 |
| West Division | ||||||||
| Quad-City Mallards | 76 | 41 | 25 | 0 | 10 | 92 | 281 | 240 |
| Missouri River Otters | 76 | 38 | 28 | 0 | 10 | 86 | 262 | 236 |
| Muskegon Fury | 76 | 38 | 29 | 0 | 9 | 85 | 245 | 257 |
| Rockford IceHogs | 76 | 35 | 34 | 0 | 7 | 77 | 233 | 271 |
| Kalamazoo Wings | 76 | 29 | 39 | 0 | 8 | 66 | 210 | 282 |
| 2004 Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | GF | GA |
| Eastern Division | ||||||||
| Richmond Riverdogs | 76 | 44 | 27 | 0 | 5 | 93 | 259 | 251 |
| Flint Generals | 76 | 39 | 27 | 0 | 10 | 88 | 253 | 244 |
| Port Huron Beacons | 76 | 38 | 31 | 0 | 7 | 83 | 269 | 269 |
| Elmira Jackals | 76 | 33 | 34 | 0 | 9 | 75 | 238 | 256 |
| Adirondack IceHawks | 76 | 22 | 44 | 0 | 10 | 54 | 210 | 303 |
| Columbus Stars | 34 | 19 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 42 | 102 | 93 |
| Western Division | ||||||||
| Fort Wayne Komets | 76 | 53 | 17 | 0 | 6 | 112 | 281 | 180 |
| Quad-City Mallards | 76 | 50 | 20 | 0 | 6 | 106 | 287 | 220 |
| Muskegon Fury | 76 | 47 | 20 | 0 | 9 | 103 | 298 | 239 |
| Kalamazoo Wings | 76 | 45 | 22 | 0 | 9 | 99 | 281 | 207 |
| Rockford IceHogs | 76 | 28 | 43 | 0 | 5 | 61 | 215 | 294 |
| Missouri River Otters | 76 | 17 | 51 | 0 | 8 | 42 | 191 | 328 |