Huntsville Channel Cats The Huntsville Channel Cats was a professional ice hockey team . based in Huntsville , Alabama , USA . The franchise was a member of several different leagues the SHL – Southern Hockey League ( 1995 - 1996 ) , the CHL – Central Hockey League ( 1996 - 2000 ) and the SEHL – South East Hockey League ( 2003 - 2004 ) . They played their home games at Von Braun Center Arena in downtown Huntsville . The early years ( 1995 – 1999 ) . In 1995 two doctors in Knoxville , Tennessee , USA , Dr . John Staley and Dr . John Minchey , created a new hockey franchise ( Huntsville Channel Cats ) in Huntsville , Alabama , to join the newly - expanded Southern Hockey League . The Channel Cats won the league ' s first and only championship , as the SHL folded later that year . The Channel Cats then joined the eastern division of the Central Hockey League for the 1996 - 1997 season . The Channel Cats remained with the CHL for five seasons winning the CHL championship ( William Levins Trophy ) in 1999 . New ownership ( 2000 – 2004 ) . Following the 1999 championship win the team was sold to a Boaz , Alabama , USA businessman , John Cherney . Mr . Cherney felt that the team had a bad name with the local busness comunity and changed the name of the team to the Huntsville Tornado along with the team colors to red and white . Many fans took offense to the new name that referenced a tornado that struck South Huntsville in 1989 killing 21 people . The new 2000 - 2001 seasons saw many fan favorites leave the team , and with a drop down in the standings resulted in a drop in attendance . Amid concerns over sharing arena space and weekend dates with the UAH Chargers hockey team and the new NBDL Huntsville Flight basketball team , as well as the CHL ' s desire to contract to more South - Central US markets , the team did not compete in the next two seasons . Mr . Cherney had also threatened to move the team to Madison , Alabama , a suburb of Huntsville , if he did not get the dates he wanted , but to no avail . In 2002 , Mr . Cherney became involved in the Atlantic Coast Hockey League ( ACHL ) , but in 2003 founded a new league named the South East Hockey League ( SEHL ) . The SEHL was made mostly of teams from the now defunct ACHL . After the formation of the league , he asked the Huntsville Hockey community if he would re - establish a team in Huntsville what name they would like to see play , the Tornado or Channel Cats . The Public responded with the Channel Cats . The Channel Cats were revived for the 2003 - 2004 season and won the only SEHL league championship in the 4 - team league . The end of a dynasty . Following the 2003 - 2004 season , both the SEHL and World Hockey Association 2 ( WHA2 ) fell into disarray . Keith Jeffries , president of HSV Sports , LLC and who ' s company had been contracted to run the Channel Cats front office during the 2003 - 2004 season ( and currently also operates the local Tennessee Valley Vipers ( AF2 ) Arena Football franchise ) made a bid to have a new hockey team in the upstart Eastern Hockey League ( later to be renamed the Southern Professional Hockey League before the league first season ) be placed in Huntsville ' s Von Braun Center . The new league would join teams from the now - defunct WHA2 and soon to be defunt SEHL . The Von Braun Center choose to accept the new franchise over the Cats , bringing an end to the Channel Cats name . Other teams from the SEHL soon followed Huntsville ' s lead and joined the SPHL as well . The new franchise would be named the Huntsville Havoc , and would successfully carry on the legacy of pro hockey in Huntsville . Records . Team . " ( as of the end 2006 - 2007 season these records are tied with other teams or are still held by Huntsville ) " Other Huntsville , Alabama Professional Hockey Teams . The Huntsville Blast ( ECHL ) 1993 – 1994 The Huntsville Tornado ( CHL ) 2000 – 2001 The Huntsville Havoc ( SPHL ) 2004 – Present