All American Hockey League
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Sport | Ice hockey |
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Founded | 2008 |
No. of teams | 2 |
Country | United States |
Most recent champion(s) |
Battle Creek Revolution |
Official website | aahlhockey.com |
The All American Hockey League (AAHL) was a lower level professional ice hockey league with teams in the Midwestern United States. After finishing the 2010-2011 season with only two remaining teams after starting with five, on June 16, 2011, the league announced it was suspending operations for the 2011–12 season and subsequently folded.
The All American Hockey League was formed in 2008 as the All American Hockey Association when the Battle Creek Revolution and South Shore Shooters (later the Chi-Town Shooters) of the Mid-Atlantic Hockey League banded together with the Evansville IceMen and Motor City Gamblers (later the Detroit Dragons) of the Midwest Hockey League.
The Detroit Dragons folded mid-season, with the Chicago Blaze joining weeks later to fill the void. (The Blaze were originally going to be an expansion franchise for the 2009–10 season.)
On April 5, 2009, the Chi-Town Shooters became the first team to win the Champions Cup by defeating the Battle Creek Revolution in the best-of-five championship series.
On April 14, 2009, the AAHA Board of Directors announced a reorganization from an association format to a league format. This resulted in the All American Hockey Association being renamed the All American Hockey League.
On August 10, 2009, the AAHL announced a merger with the still-unlaunched Midwest Hockey League, absorbing the MWHL's Madison Ice Muskies as well as key MWHL personnel. The merged leagues continued under the AAHL name.
During the season, the Madison Ice Muskies and Chicago Blaze ceased operations due to financial problems. Also, the expansion Detroit Hitmen moved west to Muskegon, Michigan mid-season, and were re-christened the West Michigan Blizzard.