Continental Hockey Association ( 1991 ) The Continental Hockey Association was a planned professional hockey league that was originally scheduled to begin play in October 1991 with its members playing an 80 game schedule . The league was based out of Saskatoon , Saskatchewan with W . D . “ Bill ” Hunter , who helped found the World Hockey Association as league president . The league ’ s initial draft was held on June 14 , 1991 . The league cancelled plans for the 1991 - 92 season on August 15 , 1991 . The league faded out of existence shortly thereafter . Franchises The league was scheduled to have teams in Atlanta , Cincinnati , Cleveland , South Florida , Hamilton , and Saskatoon . Moscow and three other sites in Europe were planned for franchises . The league was in trouble from the start as a franchise to be based in Atlanta , Georgia was to be based out of the Omni Coliseum , however the International Hockey League awarded an expansion team to the city of Atlanta that became known as the Atlanta Knights . The Knights franchise was able to negotiate a lease with the city of Atlanta who owned and operated the Omni . This was the end of the Atlanta franchise as the Omni was the only viable venue in the Atlanta area . The Cincinnati franchise would probably have been based out of the Cincinnati Gardens or Riverfront Coliseum ( now U . S . Bank Arena ) . The city had a history at this point of hosting the Cincinnati Mohawks of the AHL and IHL , the Cincinnati Swords of the AHL , and the Cincinnati Stingers of the WHA . The Cleveland based franchise was owned by Minnesota - based businessman Pat O ’ Halloran . The franchise was originally planned for St . Paul , Minnesota . As of the deadline for getting the league off the ground the owner had not hired any personnel or visited the city . The only viable option would have been the Richfield Coliseum as the Gund Arena would not be completed until 1994 . The Florida Makos were scheduled to be based out of the Sportatorium based in Pembroke Pines ( formerly , Hollywood ) . The owner had looked at the Miami Arena but favored the Sportatorium . The owner of the franchise , Richard Gerry was based out of Long Island , New York . Gerry had failed to make a $ 250 , 000 deposit to Silver Builders , which was the management company of the arena by the August 15 deadline . Gerry had sold his interest in the Roanoke Valley Rampage franchise in the East Coast Hockey League to finance his $ 400 , 000 investment in the South Florida franchise . The NHL was in the process of working on expansion at this point in time and the Miami area was one of the finalists . Wayne Huizena was awarded what would become the Florida Panthers on December 10 , 1992 . The Hamilton franchise would have been based out of the Copps Coliseum ( now FirstOntario Centre ) , which was opened in 1985 . The Saskatoon team had Bob Strumm in place as the team ’ s general manager . The team would probably have played in Saskatchewan Place ( now the Credit Union Centre ) . Potential Players The largest name mentioned as a possibility for the league was Eric Lindros , who according to press reports in Canada was possibly offered a multiyear contract worth over $ 1 , 000 , 000 per year . Lindros ’ agent , Rick Curran had stated that the league had offered him “ a lucrative deal ” . Sources http : / / articles . sun - sentinel . com / 1991 - 08 - 15 / sports / 9101310185 _ 1 _ lease - league - officials - front - office - personnel http : / / www . nytimes . com / 1991 / 02 / 17 / sports / sports - news - briefs - hockey - group - coming - together . html http : / / www . nytimes . com / 1991 / 06 / 20 / sports / hockey - feeling - nhl - draft - lindros - looks - for - open - window . html http : / / articles . sun - sentinel . com / 1991 - 06 - 11 / sports / 9103030192 _ 1 _ richard - gerry - hockey - experience - international - hockey - league