Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League (2015-)

The Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League (RMJHL) was an American junior ice hockey league. It was classified as a Tier III Junior A league by USA Hockey, which at the time sanctioned eight leagues at the level. The RMJHL was approved for play starting in the 2015-16 season.  The league would announce it was folding on May 22, 2018.https://www.juniorhockey.com/news/news_detail.php?news_id=93124
==History==
The league was announced and sanctioned by USA Hockey on May 2, 2014. Six teams will play in the inaugural season. The league is scheduled to begin play in the fall of 2015.
==2016 Off-season==
The league had filed a request with USA Hockey to expand by two teams for 2016-17 with the planned locations being in Vail, Colorado and Pueblo, Colorado. In May of 2016 the league announced an expansion team to be based in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. The team announced its' first head coach Misko Antisin was announced as the head coach and general manager. Troy Mick was announced as the president and managing partner of the team. The ownership is the same ownership as the Salmon Arm Silverbacks of the British Columbia Hockey League.
In early May 2016, the Aspen Leafs announced they were changing arenas for the 2016-17 season. The would be moving to the Lewis Arena which is part of the Aspen Recreation Center. The new arena holds over 500 fans and was the team's practice facility for the 2015-16 season.
On May 31, 2016 it was announced the Breckenridge Bucks withdrew from the league to join the Western States Hockey League for the 2016-17 season.
On July 11, 2016 the league announced that a new franchise would be located in Breckenridge, Colorado. The team will be based out of the Stephen C West Ice Arena in Breckenridge; apparently sharing the building with the Bucks franchise. The team is primarily owned by Joe Dibble who is the GM and head coach of the Janesville Jets of the North American Hockey League.
On September 9, 2016 the league announced that the Glacier Yetis would go dormant for the season. The release stated that the team was struggling to recruit players and that the league was not comfortable letting the team go forward for the season. The league stated that they were hopeful that the organization could resume play for 2017-18. For this to occur, the RMJHL bylaws require a formal request with an updated business plan and budget, which is reviewed and voted on by the Board of Directors. “Although we are all very disappointed with this outcome, we hope to see the Glacier Yetis rebound and remain a long-term partner of the RMJHL. We are fully committed to provide the assistance needed to ensure a stable and strong program exists in Grand Junction in 2017-18 and beyond” stated RMJHL President Shaun Hathaway. 
In late September the Breckenridge Bears were quietly removed from the league after having their first couple weeks games pushed back in an attempt to save the team. The team was hampered by the head coach quitting claiming he was not being paid and the team's owner being tied up with coaching another team in the league that he owns.
==2017 Offseason==
On June 8, 2017 the league announced the addition of another team to be based out of Breckenridge, Colorado. The team will be known as the Breckenridge Bolts and will based out of the Stephen C West Ice Arena.
On August 10, 2017 the Aspen Leafs organization announced that they would become dormant for the 2017-18 season. The organization is going to review the program and look at the possibility of returning to the ice for the 2018-19 season.http://www.aspenleafs.com/news_article/show/822217?referrer_id=2045181
==2018 Offseason: Demise of League==
By the end of April 2018 the Steamboat Wranglers were announced as joining the Western States Hockey League. Another unnamed team was also reported to be joining the WSHL and that the RMJHL will likely fold within a few weeks.https://thejuniorhockeynews.com/the-death-pool-the-rmjhl-disaster-is-finally-dead/http://www.juniorhockey.com/news/news_detail.php?news_id=79008 The league's website would be gone by mid-May 2018.
==Member Teams==
Team 	Location 	Home Arena
Breckenridge Bolts 	Breckenridge, Colorado 	Stephen C West Ice Arena
Colorado Rampage 	Monument, Colorado 	Colorado Sports Center
Colorado Thunderbirds	Littleton, Colorado 	South Suburban Ice Arena
Pikes Peak Miners 	Colorado Springs, Colorado	Sertich Ice Arena
Steamboat Wranglers 	Steamboat Springs, CO 	Howelsen Arena
==Former/Inactive Teams==
Team 	Location 	Home Arena 	Played 	Fate
Aspen Leafs 	Aspen, Colorado 	Lewis Arena 	2015-2017 	have inactive status for 2017-18 season
Breckenridge Bears	Breckenridge, Colorado 	Stephen C West Ice Arena	2016 (Do not play)	Quietly removed from schedule late September 2016
Breckenridge Bucks	Breckenridge, Colorado 	Stephen C West Ice Arena	2015-16 	joined Western States Hockey League
Glacier Yetis 	Grand Junction, Colorado	Glacier Ice Arena 	2015-16 	Pulled from active play for 2016-17 September 9, 2016
note: The Glacier Yetis were originally announced as the Grand Junction Coyotes
==Champions==
Year 	Champion 	Runner Up 	Result
2015-16	Aspen Leafs 	Pikes Peak Miners 	4-3 (ot)
2016-17	Pikes Peak Miners 	Steamboat Wranglers	2 games to 1
2017-18	Steamboat Wranglers	Pikes Peak Miners 	9-2
==See also==
*List of American Junior Seasons
==References==
==External links==
* RMJHL website
* @RMJHLco
* Official USA Hockey website
Category:Established in 2014
Category:USA Hockey
Category:Disestablished in 2018