Continental Elite Hockey League
Encyclopedia
The Continental Elite Hockey League was a Junior A league that existed from 2001 - 2004. The league was an independent Junior ice hockey
league that did not operate under USA Hockey
. There are now plans for a new league to begin play in the 2012-2013 season as a Tier II Junior league. The new Continental Elite Hockey League plans to have five to six teams ready to play in the league's first season.
Hockey Weekly and Michigan Hockey joined newspapers around Michigan and Ohio in announcing the formation of a controversial new independent Junior A-level hockey league for the 2001-02 season.
The Continental Elite Hockey League (CEHL) played three seasons without any affiliation with USA Hockey to create opportunities for 21-year-olds. Using many Canadians on rosters allowed the CEHL to create a strong league.
The CEHL championships were won by the Detroit Lightning, Toledo Jr. Storm and New Jersey's Metro Moose.
The Traverse City Enforcers had the best attendance in the CEHL all three seasons by playing to near capacity crowds every game under the leadership of long-time minor league sports owner Barry Soskin. The Tri-City Hurricanes/Bay County Blizzard had the CEHL's second-best crowds during the first season, but no other CEHL club was ever to do well at the gate with the Junior A level game.
The first CEHL Commissioner was Kevin Shanahan and he was replaced by Gord Young. The CEHL was founded by Shanahan of Fraser, Michigan; Bob Clouston of Troy, Michigan; Barry Soskin of Chicago, Illinois; Mike Killbreath of Grand Blanc, Michigan; Carl Voelker of Fraser, Michigan; Bill Cherfoli of Fraser, Michigan; and Jamie Graves of Fraser, Michigan.
Voelker, Graves and Cherfoli were the owners of the Detroit Lightning, and also Great Lakes Sports Arena in Fraser. Clouston was a long-time owner and General Manager of hockey clubs, including the Port Huron North Americans of Major League Roller Hockey and many Junior A ice hockey teams. Killbreath was a long-time newspaper executive who became involved with Clouston and others in the pro roller hockey ranks. Killbreath was also one of the co-founders of the Great Lakes League in roller hockey with his team at Port Huron's McMorran Arena remaining the only USA club ever to participate in roller hockey's Major Junior version of the OHL. The league continues to play to this day, but Killbreath's Port Huron North Americans played only one season. He launched the Tri-City Hurricanes but sold them at mid-season to concentrate on establishing a CEHL team with Clouston in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. Killbreath left the CEHL instead to launch a new low-level pro league known as the International Independent Hockey League (IIHL), which began play in 2003 but ceased operations in 2004.
The CEHL officially suspended play on October 4, 2004. The league caused controversy due to preparing for the 2004-05 season by holding tryouts and charging players to participate. The CEHL folded shortly after Soskin pulled the plug on his club. Soskin resurfaced as operator again in Toledo with the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL
) club he originally established as one of the most successful in all of minor league hockey under his ownership during the 1990s. Some of the former teams joined other junior hockey leagues while many other franchises folded.
was signed by the New York Rangers
after two seasons as the most feared fighter in the United Hockey League
(UHL). He was recruited to play for the Tri-City Hurricanes in Bay City, Michigan by Owner & General Manager Mike Killbreath and Head Coach Kurt Walson. The Tri-City Hurricanes later became the Bay County Blizzard after a mid-season sale of the team by original owner Mike Killbreath. MacIntyre led the CEHL in penalty minutes and received a lifetime ban late in the season for his part in a nasty brawl with the Detroit Lightning. Banned by the CEHL, MacIntyre signed with the Muskegon Fury
of the UHL and he helped them win the UHL's Colonial Cup
as playoff champions. He was eventually drafted by the New York Rangers and after spending several seasons in the minor leagues, MacIntyre made the National Hockey League
(NHL) in 2008, with the Edmonton Oilers
and is one of the top fighters in all of hockey.
asterisk denotes teams that never played as a member of the CEHL.
Junior ice hockey
Junior hockey is a catch-all term used to describe various levels of ice hockey competition for players generally between 16 and 20 years of age...
league that did not operate under USA Hockey
USA Hockey
USA Hockey is recognized by the International Olympic Committee and the United States Olympic Committee as the governing body for amateur ice hockey in the United States and is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation. The organization is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and has...
. There are now plans for a new league to begin play in the 2012-2013 season as a Tier II Junior league. The new Continental Elite Hockey League plans to have five to six teams ready to play in the league's first season.
League History
The Continental Elite Hockey League was a Junior A league that existed from 2001 - 2004. The league did not operate under the watch of USA Hockey as all other significant Junior leagues in the United States do. This led many to refer to the CEHL as the "rebel league," which may have contributed to the quick decline.Hockey Weekly and Michigan Hockey joined newspapers around Michigan and Ohio in announcing the formation of a controversial new independent Junior A-level hockey league for the 2001-02 season.
The Continental Elite Hockey League (CEHL) played three seasons without any affiliation with USA Hockey to create opportunities for 21-year-olds. Using many Canadians on rosters allowed the CEHL to create a strong league.
The CEHL championships were won by the Detroit Lightning, Toledo Jr. Storm and New Jersey's Metro Moose.
The Traverse City Enforcers had the best attendance in the CEHL all three seasons by playing to near capacity crowds every game under the leadership of long-time minor league sports owner Barry Soskin. The Tri-City Hurricanes/Bay County Blizzard had the CEHL's second-best crowds during the first season, but no other CEHL club was ever to do well at the gate with the Junior A level game.
The first CEHL Commissioner was Kevin Shanahan and he was replaced by Gord Young. The CEHL was founded by Shanahan of Fraser, Michigan; Bob Clouston of Troy, Michigan; Barry Soskin of Chicago, Illinois; Mike Killbreath of Grand Blanc, Michigan; Carl Voelker of Fraser, Michigan; Bill Cherfoli of Fraser, Michigan; and Jamie Graves of Fraser, Michigan.
Voelker, Graves and Cherfoli were the owners of the Detroit Lightning, and also Great Lakes Sports Arena in Fraser. Clouston was a long-time owner and General Manager of hockey clubs, including the Port Huron North Americans of Major League Roller Hockey and many Junior A ice hockey teams. Killbreath was a long-time newspaper executive who became involved with Clouston and others in the pro roller hockey ranks. Killbreath was also one of the co-founders of the Great Lakes League in roller hockey with his team at Port Huron's McMorran Arena remaining the only USA club ever to participate in roller hockey's Major Junior version of the OHL. The league continues to play to this day, but Killbreath's Port Huron North Americans played only one season. He launched the Tri-City Hurricanes but sold them at mid-season to concentrate on establishing a CEHL team with Clouston in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. Killbreath left the CEHL instead to launch a new low-level pro league known as the International Independent Hockey League (IIHL), which began play in 2003 but ceased operations in 2004.
The CEHL officially suspended play on October 4, 2004. The league caused controversy due to preparing for the 2004-05 season by holding tryouts and charging players to participate. The CEHL folded shortly after Soskin pulled the plug on his club. Soskin resurfaced as operator again in Toledo with the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
) club he originally established as one of the most successful in all of minor league hockey under his ownership during the 1990s. Some of the former teams joined other junior hockey leagues while many other franchises folded.
League Champions
- Toledo Jr. Storm (2001–02)
- Detroit Belle Tire Lightning (2002–03)
- Metro Fighting Moose (2003–2004).
Former players
Using many Canadians on rosters allowed the CEHL to create a strong league. A long list of CEHL players moved on to the minor pro ranks. One ex-CEHL player, Steve MacIntyreSteve MacIntyre
Steven MacIntyre is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger currently playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League...
was signed by the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
after two seasons as the most feared fighter in the United Hockey League
United Hockey League
The United Hockey League was a low-level professional ice hockey league , with teams in the United States...
(UHL). He was recruited to play for the Tri-City Hurricanes in Bay City, Michigan by Owner & General Manager Mike Killbreath and Head Coach Kurt Walson. The Tri-City Hurricanes later became the Bay County Blizzard after a mid-season sale of the team by original owner Mike Killbreath. MacIntyre led the CEHL in penalty minutes and received a lifetime ban late in the season for his part in a nasty brawl with the Detroit Lightning. Banned by the CEHL, MacIntyre signed with the Muskegon Fury
Muskegon Fury
The Muskegon Fury was a International Hockey League ice hockey team located in Muskegon, Michigan.The Fury were established in 1992 after the original Muskegon Lumberjacks of the International Hockey League's previous incarnation relocated to Cleveland, Ohio...
of the UHL and he helped them win the UHL's Colonial Cup
Colonial Cup
The Colonial Cup was the second highest level of competition within Fijian rugby union and was intended to be a stepping stone for local players into international rugby union...
as playoff champions. He was eventually drafted by the New York Rangers and after spending several seasons in the minor leagues, MacIntyre made the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL) in 2008, with the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
and is one of the top fighters in all of hockey.
Teams
Many teams played within the league during its three seasons. Some teams also were affiliated with the league's website but were not members.- Detroit Jr. Motor City Mechanics*
- Traverse City Enforcers
- Staten Island Fighting Moose*
- Findlay Wolfpack*
- Monroe Prowlers*
- Brownstown BombersBrownstown BombersThe Brownstown Bombers was an ice hockey team in the Continental Elite Hockey League from 2001- 2004. The Bombers played out of the Ice Box Sports Center in Brownstown, Michigan. and were owned by Johno Norian....
- Detroit Belle Tire Lightning
- Michigan Stars
- Toledo Wolf Pack
- Bay County Blizzard
- Port Huron Ice Cutters*
- Dayton Gems
- Youngstown Phantom RocketsMahoning Valley PhantomsThe Youngstown Phantoms are a Tier I Junior A ice hockey team that plays in the East Division of the United States Hockey League. The team plays home games at the 5,200-seat Covelli Centre in Youngstown, Ohio. The team is owned by Bruce J...
- Toledo Ice Diggers
- Louisville Storm*
- Jackson Prowlers
- Tri-City Hurricanes
- Metro Fighting Moose
- Toledo StormToledo StormThe Toledo Storm was a minor league professional ice hockey team in the ECHL from 1991 to 2007. The Storm played their home games at the venerable Toledo Sports Arena along the southern banks of the Maumee River in Toledo, Ohio. The team colors were red and white, similar to the Detroit Red Wings,...
asterisk denotes teams that never played as a member of the CEHL.