Continental Elite Hockey League The Continental Elite Hockey League was a Junior A league that existed from 2001 - 2004 . The league was an independent Junior ice hockey league that did not operate under USA Hockey . There are now plans for the league to be " reborn " for the 2009 - 2010 as a low - minor pro league . The new Continental Elite Hockey League plans to have five to six teams ready to play in the league ' s first pro season . League History . The Continental Elite Hockey League was a Junior A league that existed from 2001 - 2004 . The league did not operate under the watch of USA Hockey as all other significant Junior leagues in the United States do . This led many to refer to the CEHL as the " rebel league , " which may have contributed to the quick decline . Hockey Weekly and Michigan Hockey joined newspapers around Michigan and Ohio in announcing the formation of a controversial new independent Junior A - level hockey league for the 2001 - 02 season . The Continental Elite Hockey League ( CEHL ) played three seasons without any affiliation with USA Hockey to create opportunities for 21 - year - olds . Using many Canadians on rosters allowed the CEHL to create a strong league . A long list of CEHL players moved on to the pro ranks , including Steven MacIntyre who was signed by the New York Rangers after two seasons as the most feared fighter in the United Hockey League ( UHL ) . MacIntyre later made it to the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers in 2009 . He made the Oilers for the 2009 - 2010 season and was then traded in November to the Calgary Flames . MacIntyre came to the CEHL after a reputation as one of Canada ' s best fighters in Major Junior circles . He was recruited to play for the Tri - City Hurricanes in Bay City , Michigan , who later became the Bay County Blizzard after a mid - season sale of the team by original owner Mike Killbreath . MacIntyre led the CEHL in penalty minutes and received a lifetime ban late in the season for his part in a nasty brawl with the Detroit Lightning . Banned by the CEHL , MacIntyre signed with the Muskegon Fury of the UHL and he helped them win the UHL ' s Colonial Cup as playoff champions . The CEHL championships were won by the Detroit Lightning , Toledo Jr . Storm and New Jesey ' s Metro Moose . The Traverse City Enforcers had the best attendance in the CEHL all three seasons by playing to near capacity crowds every game under the leadership of long - time minor league sports owner Barry Soskin . The Tri - City Hurricanes / Bay County Blizzard had the CEHL ' s second - best crowds during the first season , but no other CEHL club was ever to do well at the gate with the Junior A level game . The first CEHL Commissioner was Kevin Shanahan and he was replaced by Gord Young . The CEHL was founded by Shanahan of Fraser , Michigan ; Bob Clouston of Troy , Michigan ; Barry Soskin of Chicago , Illinois ; Mike Killbreath of Grand Blanc , Michigan ; Carl Voelker of Fraser , Michigan ; Bill Cherfoli of Fraser , Michigan ; and Jamie Graves of Fraser , Michigan . Voelker , Graves and Cherfoli were the owners of the Detroit Lightning , and also Great Lakes Sports Arena in Fraser . Clouston was a long - time owner and General Manager of hockey clubs , including the Port Huron North Americans of Major League Roller Hockey and many Junior A ice hockey teams . Killbreath was a long - time newspaper executive who became involved with Clouston and others in the pro roller hockey ranks . Killbreath was also one of the co - founders of the Great Lakes League in roller hockey with his team at Port Huron ' s McMorran Arena remaining the only USA club ever to participate in roller hockey ' s Major Junior version of the OHL . The league continues to play to this day , but Killbreath ' s Port Huron North Americans played only one season . He launched the Tri - City Hurricanes but sold them at mid - season to concentrate on establishing a CEHL team with Clouston in Mount Pleasant , Michigan . Killbreath left the CEHL instead to launch a new low - level pro league known as the International Independent Hockey League ( IIHL ) , which began play in 2003 but ceased operations in 2004 . The CEHL officially suspended play on October 4 , 2004 . The league caused controversy due to preparing for the 2004 - 05 season by holding tryouts and charging players to participate . The CEHL folded shortly after Soskin pulled the plug on his club . Soskin resurfaced as operator again in Toledo with the East Coast Hockey League ( ECHL ) club he originally established as one of the most successful in all of minor league hockey under his ownership during the 1990 ' s . Some of the former teams joined other junior hockey leagues while many other franchises folded . Former Players . Using many Canadians on rosters allowed the CEHL to create a strong league . A long list of CEHL players moved on to the minor pro ranks . One ex - CEHL player , Steven MacIntyre was signed by the New York Rangers after two seasons as the most feared fighter in the United Hockey League ( UHL ) . He was recruited to play for the Tri - City Hurricanes in Bay City , Michigan by Owner & General Manager Mike Killbreath and Head Coach Kurt Walson . The Tri - City Hurricanes later became the Bay County Blizzard after a mid - season sale of the team by original owner Mike Killbreath . MacIntyre led the CEHL in penalty minutes and received a lifetime ban late in the season for his part in a nasty brawl with the Detroit Lightning . Banned by the CEHL , MacIntyre signed with the Muskegon Fury of the UHL and he helped them win the UHL ' s Colonial Cup as playoff champions . He was eventually drafted by the New York Rangers and after spending several seasons in the minor leagues , MacIntyre made the NHL in 2009 with the Edmonton Oilers . He ' s currently on the roster of the Calgary Flames of the NHL and is one of the top fighters in all of hockey . Teams . Many teams played within the league during its three seasons . Some teams also were affiliated with the league ' s website but were not members . " asterisk denotes teams that never played as a member of the CEHL . "