Western Professional Hockey League

WESTERN PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE

(1996 - 2001)

In 1996, interest in hockey grew in the Texas area giving birth to the new Western Professional Hockey League. It started out as a small six team league. In its second year, the league doubled in size and increased it's territory. Remarkably, the league added another five teams in year three and boasted 17 teams.

Finally in it's fourth season, the rate of growth slowed. They added their 18th team (Lubbock Cotton Kings) and for the first time, there were some dark clouds on the horizon.

While they started out with 18 teams in 1999, they weren't going to end with that many teams. Both the Waco Wizards and Abilene Aviators ceased operations midseason. They were followed by the Alexandria Warthogs who also folded and the Arkansas Glacier Cats who suspended operations.

In 2000, the league had intended to add another expansion team with the Tucson Scorch, however they ceased operations before they actually ever started when they quit just prior to the start of the season.

The league's final season was a difficult one. The Central Texas Stampede quit midseason and the Lake Charles Ice Pirates, Monroe Moccasins and Tupelo T-Rex all quit at seasons end.

During these difficult times, the WPHL was in talks with the also struggling CHL. The two leagues were competing for the same territory and even co-existed in Fort Worth for a couple of seasons. The two leagues decided to tie the knot and operate under the CHL name.