Continental Hockey League

CONTINENTAL HOCKEY LEAGUE

(1972 - 1986)

The Continental Hockey League had very humble beginnings. It started out as an amateur recreational league in the Chicago area. However, over time the league improved and it began to expand outside of the Chicago area.

In the 1970's, the league was relatively stable with a group of core communities of Springfield, Kenosha, Peoria and Chicago. Several other communities came and went.

When the WHA and several other leagues disappeared at the end of the 1970's, the talent available rose. The league began to transition from a recreational league to a lower level minor professional league.

The league expanded east into Grand Rapids and Danville. The Danville Dashers were affiliated with the Peoria Prancers of the IHL.

In 1985, the league expanded out west into Billings and Minot. Both new teams were owned by Lou Bodnar who had been the organizer of the Intercontinental Hockey League back in 1981. This league failed to get off the ground when Bodnar apparently walked away with the start-up money. The same situation occurred with the Billings franchise.

The league was overextended by 1986 and it disbanded. The remnants of the league formed the base for the All-American Hockey League.