List of USHL seasons
This is a list of seasons of the United States Hockey League since its transition to a junior hockey league in 1979.
Junior league
Starting in 1979–80, the USHL changed to an all-junior league and would operate as an American competitor to the
III programs, making the USHL a favorite preparatory league for players seeking to play collegiate hockey in America
.
No. | Season | No. of teams |
Reg. season games |
Start (reg. season) |
Finish (incl. USHL playoffs) |
Anderson Cup Champion | Clark Cup Champion |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1979–80 | 7[a] | 48 | Hennepin Nordiques (30–18–0) | Hennepin Nordiques | ||
2 | 1980–81 | 8[b] | 48 | Dubuque Fighting Saints (38–9–1) | Dubuque Fighting Saints | ||
3 | 1981–82 | 7[c] | 48 | Sioux City Musketeers (29–16–3) | Sioux City Musketeers | ||
4 | 1982–83 | 7 | 48 | Dubuque Fighting Saints (39–8–1) | Dubuque Fighting Saints | ||
5 | 1983–84 | 8[d] | 48 | St. Paul Vulcans (37–8–0–3) | St. Paul Vulcans | ||
6 | 1984–85 | 10[e] | 48 | Austin Mavericks (39–8–1–0) | Dubuque Fighting Saints | ||
7 | 1985–86 | 9[f] | 48 | Sioux City Musketeers (42–6–0–0) | Sioux City Musketeers | ||
8 | 1986–87 | 10[g] | 48 | Rochester Mustangs (37–9–0–2) | Rochester Mustangs | ||
9 | 1987–88 | 10 | 48 | Thunder Bay Flyers (40–7–1-0) | Thunder Bay Flyers | ||
10 | 1988–89 | 10 | 48 | Thunder Bay Flyers (40–6–2–0) | Thunder Bay Flyers | ||
11 | 1989–90 | 10 | 48 | September 30 | Omaha Lancers (36–11–0–1) | Omaha Lancers | |
12 | 1990–91 | 10 | 48 | Thunder Bay Flyers (36–10–2–0) | Omaha Lancers | ||
13 | 1991–92 | 10[h] | 48 | Thunder Bay Flyers (36–11–1) | Des Moines Buccaneers | ||
14 | 1992–93 | 10 | 48 | Omaha Lancers (35–9–0–4) | Omaha Lancers | ||
15 | 1993–94 | 10 | 48–54[i] | Des Moines Buccaneers (36–12–0–0) | Omaha Lancers | ||
16 | 1994–95 | 11[j] | 48 | Des Moines Buccaneers (38–5–5–0) | Des Moines Buccaneers | ||
17 | 1995–96 | 11[k] | 46 | Green Bay Gamblers (32–11–3–0) | Green Bay Gamblers | ||
18 | 1996–97 | 12[l] | 54 | April 22 | Green Bay Gamblers (41–11–0–2) | Lincoln Stars | |
19 | 1997–98 | 13[m] | 24, 56 | April 21 | Des Moines Buccaneers (40–14–2) | Omaha Lancers | |
20 | 1998–99 | 13[n] | 56 | April 23 | Des Moines Buccaneers (48–7–0–1) | Des Moines Buccaneers | |
21 | 1999–2000 | 14[o] | 58 | September 17 | April 27 | Lincoln Stars (41–16–1) | Green Bay Gamblers |
22 | 2000–01 | 13[p] | 24, 58 | April 28 | Lincoln Stars (43–7–0–6) | Omaha Lancers | |
23 | 2001–02 | 14[q] | 13, 61 | May 12 | Omaha Lancers (46–12-0–3) | Sioux City Musketeers | |
24 | 2002–03 | 11[r] | 60 | September 27 | April 29 | Waterloo Black Hawks (37–14–3–6) | Lincoln Stars |
25 | 2003–04 | 12[s] | 60 | September 26 | May 5 | Tri-City Storm (43–12–1–4) | Waterloo Black Hawks |
26 | 2004–05 |
11[t] | 60 | September 24 | May 9 | Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (42–13–1–4) | Cedar Rapids RoughRiders |
27 | 2005–06 | 11[u] | 60 | September 23 | May 1 | Sioux Falls Stampede (43–13–1–3) | Des Moines Buccaneers |
28 | 2006–07 | 12[v] | 60 | October 5 | May 15 | Waterloo Black Hawks (39–17–4) | Sioux Falls Stampede |
29 | 2007–08 | 12 | 60 | October 5 | May 10 | Omaha Lancers (43–12–5) | Omaha Lancers |
30 | 2008–09 | 12[w] | 60 | October 3 | May 8 | Green Bay Gamblers (38–17–4) | Indiana Ice |
31 | 2009–10 | 14[x] | 60 | October 2 | May 12 | Green Bay Gamblers (45–10–5) | Green Bay Gamblers |
32 | 2010–11 | 16[y] | 60 | October 1 | May 21 | Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (42–13–6) | Dubuque Fighting Saints |
33 | 2011–12 | 16 | 60 | September 30 | May 23 | Green Bay Gamblers (47–9–4) | Green Bay Gamblers |
34 | 2012–13 | 16 | 64 | September 28 | May 17 | Dubuque Fighting Saints (45–11–8) | Dubuque Fighting Saints |
35 | 2013–14 | 16 | 60 | September 20 | May 20 | Waterloo Black Hawks (44–11–5) | Indiana Ice |
36 | 2014–15 | 17[z] | 60 | September 26 | May 15 | Youngstown Phantoms (40–14–6) | Sioux Falls Stampede |
37 | 2015–16 | 17 | 60 | September 25 | May 20 | Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (40–15–3–2) | Tri-City Storm |
38 | 2016–17 | 17 | 60 | September 23 | May 24 | Sioux City Musketeers (40–13–5–2) | Chicago Steel |
39 | 2017–18 | 17[aa] | 60 | October 6 | May 19 | Waterloo Black Hawks (38–14–6–2) | Fargo Force |
40 | 2018–19 | 17 | 62 | September 27 | May 17 | Tri-City Storm (45–12–3–2) | Sioux Falls Stampede |
41 | 2019–20[ab] | 16[ac] | 47–50 | September 26 | March 11 | Chicago Steel (41–7–1–0) | Not awarded |
42 | 2020–21 | 14[ad] | 49–54 | November 6 | April 24 | Chicago Steel (38–11–3–2) | Chicago Steel |
43 | 2021–22 | 16[ae] | 62 | September 23 | May 21 | Tri-City Storm (47–11–3–1) | Sioux City Musketeers |
44 | 2022–23 | 16 | 62 | September 22 | May 19 | Fargo Force (40–14–4–4) | Youngstown Phantoms |
45 | 2023–24 | 16 | 62 | September 20 | May 22 | Fargo Force (50–10–2–0) |
Notes
- USHL began its first all-junior season in 1979 with six teams continuing from the semi-professional USHL the year before and one expansion franchise (Hennepin Nordiques).
- ^ Waterloo Black Hawks relocated to Dubuque, Iowa, as the Fighting Saints; Hennepin Nordiques relocated to Waterloo, Iowa, as the Black Hawks; Des Moines Buccaneers added as an expansion team.
- Green Bay Bobcatsceased operations.
- ^ North Iowa Huskies added as an expansion team.
- ^ Thunder Bay Flyers and Madison Capitols are added as expansion teams. Bloomington Junior Stars change their name to Minnesota Stars.
- ^ Minnesota Stars ceased operations. Austin Mavericks relocated to Rochester, Minnesota, as the Mustangs.
- ^ Omaha Lancers added as an expansion team.
- ^ Madison Capitols changed their name to Wisconsin Capitols.
- ^ For the 1993–94 season, some teams played a normal 48-game schedule, while others played slightly more with the North Iowa Huskies playing the most at 54 games.
- ^ Green Bay Gamblers added as an expansion team.
- Wisconsin Capitols ceased operations. St. Paul Vulcanschanged their name to Twin City Vulcans.
- Fargo-Moorhead Ice Sharks and Lincoln Starsadded as expansion teams.
- ^ US National Team Development Program played a partial, 24-game schedule.
- ^ US National Team Development Program added as a full-time member.
- ^ Sioux Falls Stampede added as an expansion team. North Iowa Huskies relocated to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders.
- Twin Cities Vulcans relocated to Kearney, Nebraska, as the Tri-City Storm. The US National Team Development Programreturns to a partial, 24-game schedule.
- Crude. Topeka ScareCrows added as an expansion team after the organization's franchise was removed the professional CHL. The US National Team Development Programplayed once against each team.
- River City Lancers. US National Team Development Programstops playing USHL games.
- ^ Danville Wings transferred from the NAHL. Topeka ScareCrows relocated to Chesterfield, Missouri, as the Heartland Eagles.
- Indianapolis, Indiana, as the Indiana Ice. The St. Louis Heartland Eaglesceased operations.
- River City Lancerschanged their name back to Omaha Lancers.
- ^ Ohio Junior Blue Jackets added as an expansion team.
- ^ Ohio Junior Blue Jackets ceased operations; Fargo Force added as an expansion team.
- ^ Youngstown Phantoms and US National Team Development Program transferred from the NAHL.
- ^ Dubuque Fighting Saints resurrected and Muskegon Lumberjacks added as an expansion team.
- Bloomington Thunder and Madison Capitols added as expansion teams; Indiana Icegranted "dormancy status".
- ^ Bloomington Thunder changed their name to Central Illinois Flying Aces.
- ^ Remainder of season canceled on March 18, 2020, and did not resume play due to COVID-19 pandemic. All teams suspended play a week prior to cancellation.
- ^ Central Illinois Flying Aces ceased operations.
- ^ Cedar Rapids RoughRiders and Madison Capitols went on hiatus.
- ^ Cedar Rapids RoughRiders and Madison Capitols returned from hiatus.