2016-17 WSHL season

This is the 2016-17 Western States Hockey League season.  This is the league's 23rd season.
==Membership Changes==
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 Acord Ice Center in West Valley City. The unusual renaming is apparently from an affiliation with a hockey school in Utah.
In late September, the league shut down the operations of the Whitefish Wolverines.  The league did state that they were already working with a new ownership group to bring the team back to the league 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. After being somewhat competitive over the first ten games, the team's final four games saw the team outscored 83 to 3; all of which were at home leading the league to remove the team from league play.
On May 24, 2017 the Butte Cobras, who's ownership transferred to the Butte Amateur Hockey Association back in April acquired the North American 3 Hockey League franchise rights to the Glacier Nationals and withdrew from the WSHL to join the NA3HL.
The Tulsa Jr. Oilers were quietly removed from the league after the 2016-17 season.
The former Seattle Ravens of the United States Premier 3 Hockey League join the league for the 2017-18 season as the Kent Ravens.
The Vancouver Rangers relocate to Bremerton, Washington and are renamed the West Sound Warriors for the 2017-18 season.
== Teams ==
Division 	Team 	City 	Arena 	Joined
Midwest 	 	 	 	
Midwest 	Dallas Snipers 	Euless, Texas 	Dr. Pepper StarCenter 	2011
Midwest 	El Paso Rhinos 	El Paso, Texas 	Sierra Providence Event Center	2006
Midwest 	Oklahoma City Blazers 	Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 	Blazers Ice Centre 	2014
Midwest 	Springfield Express 	Springfield, Missouri 	Mediacom Ice Park 	2005
Midwest 	Tulsa Jr. Oilers 	Tulsa, Oklahoma 	Oilers Ice Center 	2012
Midwest 	Wichita Jr. Thunder 	Wichita, Kansas 	Wichita Ice Center 	2012
Mountain 	 	 	 	
Mountain 	Casper Coyotes 	Casper, Wyoming 	Casper Ice Arena 	2014
Mountain 	Cheyenne Stampede 	Cheyenne, Wyoming 	Cheyenne Ice and Events Center	2004
Mountain 	Colorado Jr. Eagles 	Fort Collins, Colorado 	NoCo Ice Center 	2013
Mountain 	Ogden Mustangs 	Ogden, Utah 	The Ice Sheet 	2002
Mountain 	Superior RoughRiders 	Superior, Colorado 	Bouler Valley Ice at Superior 	2007
Mountain 	Utah Outliers 	West Valley City, Utah 	Acord Ice Center 	2011
Western 	Arizona Hawks 	Peoria, Arizona 	AZ Ice Peoria 	2009
Western 	Fresno Monsters 	Fresno, California 	Gateway Ice Center 	2009
Western 	Las Vegas Storm 	Las Vegas, Nevada 	Las Vegas Ice Center 	2014
Western 	Long Beach Bombers 	Lakewood, California 	Lakewood Ice 	1994
Western 	Ontario Avalanche 	Ontario, California 	The Center Ice Arena 	2012
Western 	Phoenix Knights 	Gilbert, Arizona 	AZ Ice Gilbert 	1999
Western 	San Diego Sabers 	Escondido, California 	Iceoplex Escondido 	2001
Western 	Valencia Flyers 	Valencia, California 	Ice Station Valencia 	2001
Northwest	Bellingham Blazers 	Bellingham, Washington 	Bellingham Sportsplex 	2016
Northwest	Butte Cobras 	Butte, Montana 	Butte Community Ice Center 	2014
Northwest	Idaho Jr. Steelheads 	McCall, Idaho 	Manchester Ice & Event Centre 	2009
Northwest	Seattle Totems 	Mountlake Terrace, Washington	Olympic View Arena 	2012
Northwest	Southern Oregon Spartans	Medford, Oregon 	The RRRink 	2012
Northwest	Tahoe Icemen 	South Lake Tahoe, California 	South Lake Tahoe Ice Arena 	2012
Northwest	Vancouver Rangers 	Vancouver, Washington 	Mountain View Ice Arena 	2015
Northwest	 	 	 	
Northwest	 	 	 	
==Standings==
===Midwest Division===
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	GF 	GA 	Pts
El Paso Rhinos 	52	38	12	2 	322	134	78
Oklahoma City Blazers	52	37	14	1 	276	145	75
Wichita Jr. Thunder 	52	35	13	4 	293	175	74
Springfield Express 	52	36	15	1 	263	178	73
Tulsa Jr. Oilers 	52	13	38	1 	166	337	27
Dallas Snipers 	52	10	37	5 	134	303	25
===Mountain Division===
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	GF 	GA 	Pts
Ogden Mustangs 	52	42	7 	3 	267	98 	87
Colorado Jr. Eagles 	52	38	11	3 	213	120	79
Utah Outliers 	52	30	18	4 	222	173	64
Casper Coyotes 	52	29	17	6 	182	164	64
Cheyenne Stampede 	52	17	32	3 	212	267	37
Superior Roughriders	52	15	31	6 	144	212	36
x-Vail Powder Hounds	14	1 	11	2 	19 	139	4
===Western Division===
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	GF 	GA 	Pts
Long Beach Bombers	52	46	5 	1 	365	115	93
Valencia Flyers 	52	40	9 	3 	262	127	83
Ontario Avalanche 	52	33	17	2 	250	161	68
Las Vegas Storm 	52	25	22	5 	264	203	55
Fresno Monsters 	52	25	22	5 	224	237	55
San Diego Sabers 	52	24	25	3 	189	213	51
Phoenix Knights 	49	7 	42	0 	96 	350	14
Arizona Hawks 	52	1 	49	2 	62 	449	4
===Northwest Division===
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	GF 	GA 	Pts
Idaho Jr. Steelheads 	52	43	5 	4 	273	99 	90
Southern Oregon Spartans	52	33	15	4 	205	142	70
Butte Cobras 	52	32	18	2 	262	194	66
Vancouver Rangers 	52	18	27	7 	189	248	43
Tahoe Icemen 	52	15	33	4 	174	307	34
Bellingham Blazers 	52	15	36	1 	122	221	31
Seattle Totems 	52	12	36	4 	146	277	29
Link to league standings
x-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. The team's results were removed from the schedule. The stats are for record retention only.
==2017 Thorne Cup Playoffs==
===Format===
The top six teams in each division qualify for the playoffs.  The top two teams earn a bye to the division semifinals. Each round is a best of three series.
===Midwest Division Quarterfinals===
*Wichita Jr. Thunder defeated Dallas Snipers 2 games to none
*Springfield Express defeated Tulsa Jr. Oilers 2 games to none
===Mountain Division Quarterfinals===
*Utah Outliers defeated Superior Roughriders 2 games to none
*Casper Coyotes defeated Cheyenne Stampede 2 games to none
===Western Division Quarterfinals===
*Ontario Avalanche defeated San Diego Sabers 2 games to none
*Las Vegas Storm defeated Fresno Monsters 2 games to none
===Northwest Division Quarterfinals===
*Butte Cobras defeated Bellingham Blazers 2 games to none
*Tahoe Icemen defeated Vancouver Rangers 2 games to none
===Midwest Division Semifinals===
*El Paso Rhinos defeated Springfield Express 2 games to 1
*Wichita Jr. Thunder defeated Oklahoma City Blazers  2 games to none
===Mountain Division Semifinals===
*Ogden Mustangs defeated Casper Coyotes 2 games to 1
*Colorado Jr. Eagles defeated Utah Outliers 2 games to none
===Western Division Semifinals===
*Long Beach Bombers defeated Las Vegas Storm 2 games to none
*Valencia Flyers defeated Ontario Avalanche 2 games to none
===Northwest Division Semifinals===
*Idaho Jr. Steelheads defeated Tahoe Icemen 2 games to none
*Butte Cobras defeated Southern Oregon Spartans 2 games to none
===Midwest Division Final===
*Wichita Jr. Thunder defeated El Paso Rhinos 2 games to none
===Mountain Division Final===
*Colorado Jr. Eagles defeated Ogden Mustangs 2 games to 1
===Western Division Final===
*Long Beach Bombers defeated Valencia Flyers 2 games to none
===Northwest Division Final===
*Idaho Jr. Steelheads defeated Butte Cobras 2 games to none
==Thorne Cup==
The four division champions, a host team (Ogden Mustangs) and the highest remaining seed (Valencia Flyers) qualify for the Thorne Cup Finals.
===Schedule/Results===
April 12
*Valencia Flyers defeated Colorado Jr. Eagles 3-1
*Wichita Jr. Thunder defeated Long Beach Bombers 6-3
*Ogden Mustangs defeated Idaho Jr. Steelheads 3-2
April 13
*Wichita Jr. Thunder defeated Colorado Jr. Eagles 6-5
*Idaho Jr. Steelheads defeated Valencia Flyers 3-1
*Ogden Mustangs defeated Long Beach Bombers  6-0
April 14
*Wichita Jr. Thunder defeated Idaho Jr. Steelheads 2-1
*Long Beach Bombers defeated Valencia Flyers 3-2 (ot)
* defeated Colorado Jr. Eagles 3-1
April 15 (Semifinals)
* Idaho Jr. Steelheads defeated Valencia Flyers 3-1
* Wichita Jr. Thunder defeated Ogden Mustangs 4-2
April 16 (Final)
* Wichita Jr. Thunder defeated Idaho Jr. Steelheads 4-3
Link to Thorne Cup page
Category:WSHL seasons
Category:2017 in hockey