Posted in: IHL,
CHL Evansville joins CHL/IHL collaboration
By Pro Hockey News Staff Report
Jun 23, 2010 - 12:28:49 AM
TEMPE, Ariz. – Central Hockey League Commissioner Duane Lewis announced today that the Evansville IceMen (Evansville, Indiana) will participate in the league beginning in the fall of 2010.
IceMen owner Ron Geary has finalized the transaction to purchase and transfer the Muskegon Lumberjack team to the Indiana city, joining IHL teams Bloomington, Dayton, Fort Wayne and Quad City in the CHL.
The CHL and IHL announced earlier in June that they would affiliate for the upcoming season and play under the CHL moniker.
"The chance to bring a storied team like Muskegon with its 50-year pro hockey history to Evansville was an opportunity that we could not pass up," Geary said.
"This is great news for hockey fans in Evansville,” IHL Commissioner Dennis Hextall said. “Bringing the Muskegon history to Evansville creates instant credibility to the IceMen organization. This will not be an expansion team."
The Lumberjack team won the IHL's Huber Trophy this past season, awarded to the member club finishing the regular season with the best overall record.
The IceMen will hit the ice in the CHL for the 2010-11 season, becoming the 18th team in the league and will play their home games for the upcoming season in the Swonder Ice Arena in Evansville. The team plans to move to the new Evansville Arena, currently under construction and expected to open in late 2011.
“We are very excited to welcome the IceMen into the IHL/CHL collaboration,” CHL Commissioner Duane Lewis said. “Evansville is a great sports town with passionate fans and I know they will be a great fit for our league. We are thrilled to have Mr. Geary as a new owner and governor in our league as we know he will provide great insight and strengthen our already strong base of leadership.”
Up until this past spring, the IceMen played in the All American Hockey League, a professional Single-A league where they ended the season by winning the Davidson Cup Championship.
The finalization of conference lineups and the 2010-11 league schedule is part of the agenda being discussed through this Wednesday at the IHL's Annual Meetings in Las Vegas.
