Western States Hockey League Established in 1993 , the Western States Hockey League ( WSHL ) is an Amateur Athletic Union ( AAU ) - sanctioned , junior ice hockey league . The WSHL was previously sanctioned by USA Hockey from 1994 – 2011 . The 2016 – 17 regular season features 30 teams competing across four divisions , all playing a 52 - game regular season schedule , which mimics what players would experience at the collegiate level . This is the second season operating as a UHU - sanctioned Tier II league . History . Year one consisted of six teams , spanning Arizona , California , Nevada and Utah , with all member clubs playing a 30 - game schedule operating as Tier III Junior B teams . The Anaheim Jr . Ducks won the first - ever Thorne Cup Championship that year and is the only franchise from the inaugural season still in existence , now operating as the Long Beach Bombers . Current Commissioner Ron White took over operation of the WSHL in 1995 and continued to expand it over time eventually growing to the current 28 teams stretching across 14 states , making it the second largest junior hockey league in North America . In 2007 the WSHL upgraded their league status from the Tier III Junior B level to Junior A to attract higher quality prospects . In 2011 the league would join the Amateur Athletic Union ( AAU ) and dropped its USA Hockey sanctioning [ 1 ] leading to the loss of its most successful franchise , the Phoenix Polar Bears , while adding many new teams . After the WSHL ' s success without USA Hockey the United Hockey Union was formed under the AAU sanctioning along with the Northern States Hockey League ( NSHL ) and the Midwest Junior Hockey League ( MWJHL ) . The UHU leagues continued to operate with Tier III Junior A player requirements . In 2015 , the WSHL Board of Governors announced the approval of the league to start competing as a Tier II - level player league for a higher caliber of play beginning in the 2015 – 16 season . Prior to the announcement the only Tier II - level league in the United States was the North American Hockey League . As part of the approval to Tier II status , the Board of Governors also announced the formation of the Western Prospects League , a UHU approved Tier III development league for the WHL . [ 2 ] The WSHL has had numerous teams attend and win the USA Hockey National Championship over the years and most recently , the El Paso Rhinos were crowned the United Hockey Union National Champions in 2014 . The WSHL has had great success in moving players on to the college hockey ranks through the “ Western States Shootout ” , an annual all - league showcase held every December in Las Vegas , Nevada . The event averages in excess of 80 scouts in attendance , all of whom are looking to bolster their roster for the following season . The 2014 – 15 regular season featured 28 teams competing across four divisions , all playing a 46 - game regular season schedule , which mimics what players would experience at the collegiate level . Hockey politics in Texas extended into the legal realm and resulted in the Polar Ice House closing its doors . This facility was the home arena of the Dallas Ice Jets and a new expansion franchise , the Texas Attack . With the loss of their ice rink both teams had to bow out of the 2014 – 15 season and there has been no announcement if the teams will return . The San Diego Gulls announced they were changing their name to the San Diego Sabers to allow for the new American Hockey League team in town to take the San Diego Gulls moniker . On June 1 , 2015 the league announced the addition of an expansion team to begin play for the 2015 - 16 season based in Vancouver , Washington . The team has some of the same ownership as the Lake Tahoe Icemen The later announced it would be called the Vancouver Rangers . According to the release the league is hoping to add a couple more teams in the northwest region for the 2016 - 17 season . On April 28 , 2016 ; the league added the Bellingham Blazers who had previously played in the Northern Pacific Hockey League . The Missoula Maulers folded in May of 2016 after a dispute with the arena management at the Glacier Ice Rink . Apparently , the North American 3 Hockey League added a team to be based in Missoula that will be called the Missoula Bruins shortly after the team decided to end operations . On May 31 , 2016 the league announced the addition of the Breckenridge Bucks formerly of the Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League . The Bucks would later relocate to Vail , Colorado and be renamed the Vail Powder Hounds . On June 18 , 2016 it was announced for the 2016 - 17 season the Salt Lake City Moose would be renamed the Utah Outliers . The team would continue to play out of the Accord Ice Center in West Valley City . The unusual renaming is apparently from an affiliation with a hockey school in Utah . In late September 2016 the league suspended the operations of the Whitefish Wolverines . The league also stated that the league was already working on new ownership for a team in the city to begin play for the 2017 - 18 season . The Colorado Evolution folded in early October 2016 . The Vail Powder Hounds were removed from the league around November 10 , 2016 . At the time of their folding the team had a record of 1 - 11 - 0 - 2 with 19 goals scored and 139 goals allowed . Team history . Full list of teams that have played in the WSHL . Notable alumni . Sin Bad Sailors " 1996 - 1997 " Bay Cities Bombers " 2000 - 2001 " " 2001 - 2002 " " 2002 - 2003 " " 2004 - 2005 " Idaho Rattlers 2006 - 2007 Phoenix Polar Bears " 2001 - 2002 " " 2002 - 2003 " " 2004 - 2005 " San Diego Surf " 2002 - 2003 " " 2006 - 2007 " Valencia Vipers / Flyers " 2004 - 2005 " Dallas Titans " 2004 - 2005 " El Paso Rhinos " 2006 - 2007 " Tulsa Rampage " 2006 - 2007 " Cajun Catahoulas 2005 - 2006 Fort Worth Texans " 2004 - 2005 " Ventura Mariners Utah Junior Grizzlies 1997 - 1998 Utah Golden Eagles " 2001 - 2002 " Utah Lightning " 1996 - 1997 " New Mexico Breakers Flagstaff Mountaineers Nevada Rattlers " 2001 - 2002 " Salt Lake Maple Leafs " 2001 - 2002 "