Southern Professional Hockey League
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The Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL for short) is a professional ice hockey league with 8 teams located in cities throughout the southeastern United States. It was formed from several teams of the now-defunct WHA2, of the SEHL and ECHL, and some new ones. Its first season was in 2004-2005, which, ironically, is the same year the NHL lost an entire season due to a lockout.
The SPHL's first season played through without any major problems. The Knoxville Ice Bears had the best record in the regular season, but the Columbus Cottonmouths eventually defeated the Macon Trax for the playoff title. After the season, however, the Trax and Winston-Salem Polar Twins folded. The SPHL will start its second season in 2005-2006.
Team Origin
- Asheville Aces (WHA2 04-05 expansion)
- Columbus Cottonmouths (ECHL)
- Fayetteville FireAntz (SEHL)
- Huntsville Havoc (04-05 expansion)
- Jacksonville Barracudas (WHA2)
- Knoxville Ice Bears (SEHL)
- Florida Seals (WHA2) (Didn't play for 04-05)
- Pee Dee Cyclones (Florence,SC) (expansion 05-06)
Defunct Teams
- Alabama Slammers(city refused to renew tenant to arena)(WHA2)
- Lakeland Loggerheads(WHA2)
- Miami Manatees(lost home arena, folded)(WHA2)
- Macon Trax (WHA2, owner resigned, folded after 04-05 season)
- Winston-Salem Polar Twins(expansion, financial trouble, folded after 04-05 season)
- Asheville Aces (WHA2 04-05 expansion, kicked out of arena, folded after 04-05 season)
SPHL President's Cup Championships
2004-05: Columbus Cottonmouths over Macon Trax
See also
External links
- SPHL official site (http://www.thesphl.com/)