Western Professional Hockey League (2024)

The Western Professional Hockey League is a Single A level professional hockey league based in the Western United States. The league is based out of the southern California/Las Vegas area. The WPHL name was previously used by a low level minor league based mostly in Texas that played from 1996 to 2001 until it was merged into the Central Hockey League.
The league was organized sometime over the 2021 off-season. Based on post on the league's Facebook page the league is hoping to play with the 2021-22 season. Due to uncertainty due to various restrictions the league stated that it would delay until 2022-23. It would later state that it was hoping to begin play with the 2023-24 season. The league would end up beginning play
==False Start==
On August 17, 2021 the league announced the addition of the Las Vegas Millionaires which are planed to play out of the Pepsi Ice Arena in Las Vegas.https://westernprofessionalhockeyleague.com/2021/08/17/three-question-nba-finals-preview/
Oursportscentral.com indicated on its' weekly franchise report for November 22, 2021 that the ownership of the Billings Outlaws of Champions Indoor Football would be operating a team in Billings, Montana.https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/weekly-sports-league-and-franchise-report/n-5766821 A later report on the same website on January 3rd indicated that the team would be named the Billings Blizzard.https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/weekly-sports-league-and-franchise-report/n-5778206 On August 13, 2022 the league announced that the franchise in Billings, Montana was cancelled due to unmet contractual obligations.https://www.facebook.com/TheWesternProfessionalHockeyLeague/posts/pfbid02mYq6aQc8HUW7dMLj1s2TEnecz5yBaRZQtSjxgmbpZh2EFQbaFKBN6vE3Zx85AkDxl 
For the 2022-23 playing season the Las Vegas Millionaires announced a 24 game exhibition schedule involving the Breckenridge Vipers, Fond du Lac Bears, NorCal Stampede Park City Pioneers, Reno Ice Raiders, Santa Rosa Growlers, Vail Yeti.
==New Beginning==
*On July 31, 2024 the league website announced the soft re-launch of the league for the 2024-25 playing season.https://wphl.hockeyshift.com/news/welcome-to-our-new-website
*On August 21, 2024 the league announced the establishment as the Pacific Cup as the league championship trophy.https://wphl.hockeyshift.com/news/the-wphl-announces-trophy-name-and-details
*On August 23, 2024 the league announces it first franchise in the California Grizzlies to be based out of Orange County.https://wphl.hockeyshift.com/news/wphl-to-welcome-first-official-franchise
*On August 26, 2024 the league announces the addition of the Las Vegas Wranglers (2024) to the league.https://wphl.hockeyshift.com/news/a-nostalgic-franchise-to-join-a-nostalgic-league
*By August 27, 2024 the league also indicated teams referred to as Arizona Pro Hockey and New Mexico Pro Hockey. The league schedule also included exhibition games involving the California Grizzlies playing games against New Hampshire Nighthawks of the Power Play Hockey League's senior division and the Waterford Sharks of the Michigan Independence Hockey League.
==References==
==Links==
*League website
*League League Facebook page
Category:Established in 2024
Category:Ice hockey leagues in the United States