Great Lakes Hockey League

The Great Lakes Hockey League (GLHL) is an elite amateur Senior men’s full contact ice hockey league that is affiliated with USA Hockey. Players must be at least 18 years of age and most have previous college, Junior or semi-pro hockey experience. There are currently nine teams in the league divided into two divisions. The teams are all based in Wisconsin and the upper peninsula of Michigan.
==History==
The league was formed in 1937 as the Badger State Hockey League.
The 1998-99 Portage Lake Pioneers hold the record for best regular season at 25-1. They also went undefeated in the playoffs and national championships.
GLHL added a tenth team in the league, the Marquette Iron Rangers, who began play during the 2015-16 season."Marquette Approved for Expansion GLHL Franchise," MQT Social Scene, April 25, 2015. The club played just one season, before they were replaced by the Marquette Mutineers in the fall of 2016.
===League format===
The league is made up of ten teams that play a 26-game schedule running from October to March. Each GLHL game consists of three 20 minute periods. If the game is tied after regulation, there is a 5-minute overtime and if still tied a 4-round shootout.
Following the regular season is the playoff tournament. The top eight teams in the league qualify for the playoff tournament. In the quarterfinal round teams are seeded first through eighth, and play with the first seed against the last, second against the second last, and so on. The teams that win in the first round move onto the semifinals of the championship bracket, while those who lose move onto the consolation bracket. Semifinal teams that win in the championship bracket go on to the final, while those that lose are eliminated. Teams that win in the consolation bracket go on for the consolation final. In the Finals, teams that win are crowned champions of the appropriate bracket.
== Tournaments ==
=== Gibson Cup ===
Annual three-game series between long-time Michigan rivals Calumet Wolverines and the Portage Lake Pioneers. Named in honor of "Doc" Jack Gibson, the Gibson Cup was first awarded in 1939; it is the third oldest hockey trophy in the United States.
=== Keevin Cup ===
An annual four-team tournament hosted by the Fond du Lac Bears, the Keevin Cup honors Kevin Ristau, a long-time club board member and ambassador. The tournament takes place in late October.
Year	Winner 	Runner-up 	Result
2010	Fond du Lac Bears 	Vernon Hills Capitals 	5-4 (OT)
2011	Vernon Hills Capitals	 	
2012	Fond du Lac Bears 	 	
2013	Fond du Lac Bears 	Fox Cities Ice Dogs 	7-6
2014	Fond du Lac Bears 	Fox Cities Ice Dogs 	7-2
2015	Fond du Lac Bears 	Marquette Iron Rangers	13-5
2016	Fond du Lac Bears 	Fox Cities Ice Dogs 	10-7
2017	West Bend Bombers 	 	
2018	West Bend Bombers 	Fond du Lac Bears 	2-1
2019	West Bend Bombers 	 	
2020	N/A 	Event Cancelled 	
2021	Fond du Lac Bears 	 	
2022	Fond du Lac Bears 	 	
2023	Fond du Lac Bears 	 	
2024	 	 	
==Teams (2024-25 season)==
Team 	City 	Arena 	Joined
Calumet Wolverines 	Calumet, Michigan 	Calumet Colosseum Ice Rink 	1937
Dane County Dairy Kings	Verona, Wisconsin 	Verona Ice Arena 	2024
DePere Deacons 	De Pere, Wisconsin 	De Pere Ice Center 	1982
Eagle River Falcons 	Eagle River, Wisconsin	Eagle River Stadium 	1960
Fond du Lac Bears 	Fond du Lac, Wisconsin	Blue Line Ice Center 	1954
Fox Cities Ice Dogs 	Appleton, Wisconsin 	Appleton Family Ice Center 	2003
M & M Shamrocks 	Marinette, Wisconsin 	Marinette Community REC Center	2024
Marquette Mutineers 	Marquette, Michigan 	Lakeview Arena 	2016
Mosinee Papermakers 	Mosinee, Wisconsin 	Mosinee Rec Center 	1998
Portage Lake Pioneers 	Houghton, Michigan 	Dee Stadium 	1937
Sun Prairie Killer Bees	Sun Prairie, Wisconsin	Sun Prairie Ice Arena 	2024
=== Former teams ===
*Brookfield Battalion (2010-12)
*Green Bay Deacons (1978 to approx. 2008) team renamed DePere Deacons when alumni association take over team operations, always based in De Pere, Wisconsin
*Kenosha Knights (?-2005)
*Marquette Iron Rangers (2015-16)
*Oregon Outlaws (?-2012)
*Vernon Hills Capitals (2008-13)
*Waupun Wolves (2001-09) return to league for 2020-21
*Monroe Blues (2014-2018)
*West Bend Bombers (2008-2023) went on leave of absence for 2023-24, have yet to return as of 2024-25
== Champions ==
Season 	Magnuson Cup(regular season winner) 	Don Kohlman Cup(playoff champion)	
2005-06	Mosinee Papermakers 	 	
2006-07	Fox Cities Ice Dogs 	Fox Cities Ice Dogs 	
2007-08	Mosinee Papermakers 	Green Bay Deacons 	
2008-09	Mosinee Papermakers 	Mosinee Papermakers 	
2009-10	Fond du Lac Bears 	Calumet Wolverines 	
2010-11	Vernon Hills Capitals 	Mosinee Papermakers 	
2011-12	Vernon Hills Capitals 	Fond du Lac Bears 	
2012-13	Portage Lake Pioneers 	Eagle River Falcons 	
2013-14	West Bend Bombers 	Fond du Lac Bears 	
2014-15	West Bend Bombers 	Portage Lake Pioneers 	
2015-16	West Bend Bombers 	Portage Lake Pioneers 	
2016-17	West End Bombers 	Mosinee Papermakers 	
2017-18	Calumet Wolverines 	West Bend Bombers 	
2018-19	Fox Cities Ice Dogs 	Mosinee Papermakers 	
2019-20	playoffs cancelled 	playoffs cancelled 	playoffs cancelled
2020-21	No formal league play due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions	DePere Deacons 	
2021-22	Fox Cities Ice Dogs 	Fox Cities Ice Dogs 	
2022-23	Fond du Lac Bears 	Mosinee Papermakers 	
2023-24	Portage Lake Pioneers 	Fond du Lac Bears 	
Other known league playoff championships
DePere won GLHL championships in 1999-00 and 2002-03
Fond du Lac also won the playoffs in 87-88, 89-90, 90-91, 91-92, 95-96
Green Bay Deacons also won 8 championships when league was known as Badger State Hockey League in 1981-82, 1982-83, 1983-84, 1984-85, 1985-86, 1986-87, 1988-89 and 1994-95
the Mosinee Papermakers won 11 championships prior to 2009
==Seasons==
*2023-24 GLHL Season
*2022-23 GLHL Season
*2021-22 GLHL Season
*2020-21 GLHL season
*2019-20 GLHL season
*2018-19 GLHL Season
*2017-18 GLHL Season
*2016-17 GLHL Season
*2015-16 GLHL Season
*2014-15 GLHL Season
*2013-14 GLHL Season
*2012-13 GLHL Season
*2011-12 GLHL Season
*2010-11 GLHL Season
*2009-10 GLHL Season
*2008-09 GLHL Season
*2007-08 GLHL Season
*2006-07 GLHL Season
*2005-06 GLHL Season
== References ==
== External links ==
* GLHL
** Gibson Cup
** USA Hockey - adult hockey
Category:Ice hockey leagues in the United States
Category:Ice hockey leagues
Category:Great Lakes Hockey League