The 2017–18 USPHL Premier season was the 5th season of the Premier Division of the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL) and first as the league's secondary level. This is the first year that the USPHL operated without sanctioning from USA Hockey and became an entirely independent league. The regular season ran from September 2017 to February 2018 with an unbalanced schedule. The Charlotte Rush won the regular season championship and reached the league final where they were defeated by the Hampton Roads Whalers 3–2.
League reorganization In October of 2016, the USPHL announced that they were founding a new Tier II league that would begin play the following September. Seven teams from the Premier Division (Boston Junior Bruins, Connecticut Jr. Rangers, Islanders Hockey Club, New Jersey Hitmen, P.A.L. Jr. Islanders, South Shore Kings and Syracuse Stars) expressed interest in joining the new league alongside four other junior clubs. Despite USA Hockey rejecting the USPHL's petition for sanctioning, the league went ahead with their plans and withdrew entirely from USA Hockey oversight.
Rather than leave Tier III hockey, the seven Premier Division members would each found separate programs and operate in both leagues beginning with this season. Additionally, the league reorganized its entire structure. The new league, (National Collegiate Development Conference) would now operate as the USPHL's flagship series with the Premier league taking a subsidiary role. Lower leagues, particularly the United States Premier 3 Hockey League and the USPHL Midwest, were remade or discontinued, forcing the teams in those circuits to either disband or find new homes. Many of the franchises elected to promote their junior clubs to the Premier Division, causing the Tier III circuit to swell from 10 members to more than 40 virtually overnight.
Member changes After two years in the league, the Okanagan European Eagles, a travel team that had been operating out of the Foxboro Sports Center, withdrew from the USPHL.
The Philadelphia Jr. Flyers, also called 'Philadelphia Flyers Elite' agreed to sell their program to the Lightning Hockey Club. The team relocated and were to be called the 'Delaware Lightning', however, the team was removed from the USPHL prior to this season.
The P.A.L. Jr. Islanders and South Shore Kings each promoted both of their extant teams (Premier and Elite Divisions) one level (Premier joined NCDC while Elite joined Premier). While this had no practical difference for the Premier Division, both organizations swapped one of the franchises for another prior to this season.
The Rochester Monarchs organization promoted their Elite Division team to the NCDC and founded a second Premier Division franchise, both of which began play this season.
The Premier Division added the New York Aviators as an expansion team from an already-extant Elite Division franchise.
The Premier Division added the Chicago Cougars, Dells Ducks, Detroit Fighting Irish, Kalkaska Rhinos, Minnesota Moose, Minnesota Mullets, Steele County Blades, Wisconsin Rapids RiverKings from the USPHL's Elite Division.
The Premier Division added the Atlanta Jr. Knights, Carolina Eagles, Charlotte Rush, Daytona Racers, Decatur Blaze, Florida Eels, Florida Jr. Blades, Hampton Roads Whalers, Ironwood Fighting Yoopers, Jersey Shore Whalers, Motor City Hawks, Palm Beach Hawks, Potomac Patriots, Richmond Generals, Tampa Bay Juniors, Tri-City Ice Hawks, from the USP3HL.
The Premier Division added the Boston Bandits, Connecticut Nighthawks, Hartford Jr. Wolfpack, New Hampshire Junior Monarchs, New Jersey Rockets, Northern Cyclones, from the Eastern Hockey League's Premier Division.
On March 23, 2017, the Skipjacks Hockey Club were approved as an expansion franchise.
On April 13, 2017, the Wisconsin Muskies were approved as an expansion franchise.
On May 18, 2017, the Hudson Havoc were approved as an expansion franchise.
On June 14, 2017, the Minnesota Blue Ox were approved as an expansion franchise.
Regular season
The standings at the end of the regular season were as follows:
Note: x = clinched playoff berth; y = clinched division title; z = clinched regular season title
Standings Florida Division Team xy – Tampa Bay Juniors 443013161231168 x – Florida Eels 442715256199152 x – Palm Beach Hawks 442020444182191 x – Florida Jr. Blades 441822440154177 Daytona Racers 44836016155262
Mid-Atlantic Division Team xy – New Jersey Rockets 44355474221114 x – Skipjacks Hockey Club 442710761176137 x – New Jersey Hitmen 442516353160142 x – New York Aviators 442116749202189 x – Jersey Shore Whalers 442220246158186 x – Connecticut Nighthawks 441422836128164 x – Connecticut Jr. Rangers 441525434155203 x – Hartford Jr. Wolfpack 441033121117221 P.A.L. Jr. Islanders 4463801296270
Midwest East Division Team xy – Chicago Cougars 443011262176104 x – Motor City Hawks 442022242166208 x – Detroit Fighting Irish 431822339156162 x – Kalkaska Rhinos 441528131123135 x – Decatur Blaze 441329228114176 x – Tri-City Ice Hawks 4453721282324 Note: Kalkaska withdrew from the league on January 28th due to a lack of players and forfeited their final 9 games.
Midwest West Division Team xy – Minnesota Moose 4437527623694 x – Wisconsin Rapids RiverKings 44331016719386 x – Minnesota Blue Ox 443110365182136 x – Minnesota Mullets 442615355165122 x – Wisconsin Muskies 442218448148236 x – Ironwood Fighting Yoopers 431625234164208 x – Steele County Blades 441525434129174 x – Dells Ducks 441526333109173 Hudson Havoc 4483421887219
North Division Team xy – New Hampshire Junior Monarchs 44358171218100 x – Islanders Hockey Club 44299664179113 x – Syracuse Stars 443012262198135 x – South Shore Kings 442711660177109 x – Boston Bandits 442615355151124 x – Northern Cyclones 442516353156125 x – Springfield Pics 442518151149144 x – Rochester Monarchs 442220246169145 Boston Junior Bruins 441623537123193
Southeast Division Team xyz – Charlotte Rush 4440228228076 x – Hampton Roads Whalers 443013161166102 x – Carolina Eagles 442617153131132 x – Richmond Generals 442319248145149 Atlanta Jr. Knights 442019545155159 Potomac Patriots 441131224105226
Premier Division playoffs Divisional Round Teams are reseeded after the quarterfinal rounds.
Florida
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
Mid-Atlantic
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
Midwest East
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
Midwest West
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
New England
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
Southeast
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
National Round The 12 qualifying teams were sorted into two separate pools for Round Robin play with each pool subdivided into two brackets. Each team would play the other two within the same bracket as well as one from the other bracket in the same pool.
The top team from each pool would advance to the Championship round.
Round Robin Black Pool
Bracket A Charlotte Rush New Jersey Hitmen Motor City Hawks
Bracket B Florida Eels Islanders Hockey Club Wisconsin Rapids RiverKings
Bracket A Rank Team 1 Charlotte Rush 3006282 2 New Jersey Hitmen 210487 3 Motor City Hawks 0300424
Bracket B Rank Team 1 Islanders Hockey Club 3006114 2 Wisconsin Rapids RiverKings 020014 3 Florida Eels 0200213 Note: the match between the Wisconsin Rapids RiverKings and Florida Eels was cancelled due to both teams being eliminated from contention.
Gold Pool
Bracket A Chicago Cougars Hampton Roads Whalers New Jersey Rockets
Bracket B Minnesota Moose Northern Cyclones Tampa Bay Juniors
Bracket A Rank Team 1 Hampton Roads Whalers 2004163 2 New Jersey Rockets 2004133 3 Chicago Cougars 0200416 Note: the match between the Hampton Roads Whalers and New Jersey Rockets was cancelled due to the Rockets being unable to participate.
Bracket B Rank Team 1 Minnesota Moose 21041213 2 Tampa Bay Juniors 1202512 3 Northern Cyclones 0200710 Note: the match between the Northern Cyclones and Chicago Cougars was cancelled due to both teams being eliminated from contention.
Championship round
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
References
General reference
External links Official website of the USPHL Premier Division