Hockey teams split from NorPac, join new league
The USA Hockey Annual General Meetings
concluded this past weekend with the certification of the American
West Hockey League (AWHL).
The AWHL will be comprised of teams in
Montana and Wyoming and will begin play this October. The 6-team
league will consist of the Billings Bulls, Bozeman Icedogs,
Gillette Wild, Great Falls Americans, Helena Bighorns and Missoula
Maulers.
Billings, Bozeman, Helena and Missoula
were formerly part of the NorPac hockey league. The new Glacier
Nationals team in Whitefish will play in the NorPac this coming
season.
The AWHL was originally formed back in
1992 and suspended operations in 2003 when the league merged with
the North American Hockey League.
The league will play a minimum of 44
games, which will include games against current NorPac teams in
Whitefish, Butte and Cody, Wyo. as part of a separation settlement
between the two leagues.
“We (AWHL) made a commitment to play
the NorPac teams located in our footprint,” says Great Falls
Americans owner, Jim Keough. “It will present a good opportunity to
alleviate travel costs for the NorPac and will provide a chance to
have some spirited competition within the two leagues.”
According to sources from both leagues,
a settlement agreement was reached which would allow for the AWHL
to begin play for the 2011-12 season. Other terms of the agreement
were not disclosed.