America West Hockey League

The America West Hockey League (AWHL) was a junior ice hockey league. The AWHL was formed in 1992 to offer junior ice hockey to the Rocky Mountain region of USA Hockey. It originally was called the American Frontier Hockey League (AFHL), and the name change to AWHL came in 1998. The AWHL merged with the NAHL in 2003 and after the merger, the NAHL name was kept.
==Franchise Time Line==
Team 	Location 	Arena 	Tenure 	Notes
Billings Bulls 	Billings, Montana 	Rimrock Auto Arena at MetraPark 	1993-2003	join North American Hockey League
Bismarck Bullets 	Bismarck, North Dakota 	V.F.W. Sports Center 	1993-1994	fold
Casper Wranglers 	Casper, Wyoming 	Casper Events Center 	1993-1995	renamed Central Wyoming Outlaws
Jackson Hole Grizzlies 	Jackson, Wyoming 	Snow King Sports & Events Center	1993-1997	fold
Ogden Blades 	Ogden, Utah 	Ogden Ice Sheet 	1993-1994	fold
Pikes Peak Miners 	Colorado Springs, Colorado 	Sertich Ice Arena 	1993-1994	fold
Pueblo Flames 	Pueblo, Colorado 	Pueblo Ice Arena 	1993-1994	renamed Pueblo Venom
Vail Avalanche 	Vail, Colorado 	Dobson Ice Arena 	1993-1996	relocated to Butte, Montana and renamed Butte Irish
Helena Ice Pirates 	Helena, Montana 	Helena Ice Arena 	1994-1999	renamed Helena Gold Rush
Kings Americans 	Great Falls, Montana 	Four Seasons Arena 	1994-1995	renamed Great Falls Americans
Pueblo Venom 	Pueblo, Colorado 	Pueblo Ice Arena 	1994-1995	fold
Central Wyoming Outlaws 	Casper, Wyoming 	Casper Events Center 	1995-1998	fold
Great Falls Americans (AWHL)	Great Falls, Montana 	Four Seasons Arena 	1995-2003	fold
Butte Irish 	Butte, Montana 	Butte Civic Center 	1996-2002	relocated to Wichita Falls, Texas; renamed Wichita Falls Rustlers
Bozeman IceDogs 	Bozeman, Montana 	Haynes Pavilion 	1996-2003	join North American Hockey League
Bismarck Bobcats 	Bismarck, North Dakota 	V.F.W. Sports Center 	1997-2003	join North American Hockey League
Fernie Ghostriders 	Fernie, British Columbia 	Fernie Memorial Arena 	1999-2003	join North American Hockey League
Kimberley Dynamiters 	Kimberley, British Columbia	Kimberley Civic Centre 	1999-2001	return to Kootenay International Junior Hockey League
Helena Gold Rush 	Helena, Montana 	Helena Ice Arena 	1999-2000	fold
Minot Muskies 	Minot, North Dakota 	All Seasons Arena (North Dakota)	2000-2001	fold
Fairbanks Ice Dogs 	Fairbanks, Alaska 	Big Dipper Ice Arena 	2000-2003	join North American Hockey League
Helena Bighorns 	Helena, Montana 	Helena Ice Arena 	2001-2003	join North American Hockey League
Tupelo T-Rex 	Tupelo, Mississippi 	BancorpSouth Center 	2001-2003	fold
Central Texas Blackhawks 	Belton, Texas 	Bell County Expo Center 	2002-2003	join North American Hockey League
Phoenix Polar Bears 	Chandler, Arizona 	Polar Ice Center 	2002-2003	already had team in Western States Hockey League
Wichita Falls Rustlers 	Wichita Falls, Texas 	MPEC Coliseum 	2002-2003	join North American Hockey League
==Borne Cup Playoff Champions==
*2002-03 Bismarck Bobcats
*2001-02
*2000-01 Great Falls Americans
*1999-00 Fernie Ghostriders
*1998-99 Billings Bulls
*1997-98 Billings Bulls
*1996-97 Billings Bulls
*1995-96 Billings Bulls
*1994-95 Vail Avalanche
*1993-94 Billings Bulls
==See Also==
List of American Junior Seasons
==External links==
* Info on the AWHL
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
Category:Ice hockey leagues