The Central Hockey League has today finalized its' conference and division alignment for the 2002/2003 season. The expansion Laredo Bucks franchise has been placed in the Southeast Division of the Southern Conference, joining the Austin Ice Bats, Corpus Christi IceRays and San Angelo Outlaws. Each of the other three divisions will remain as aligned in 2001/2002. The Odessa Jackalopes, defending Governors' Cup Champions after posting the best regular season record in the CHL last year, will remain in the Southwest Division along with the El Paso Buzzards, Lubbock Cotton Kings and New Mexico Scorpions.
In the Northern Conference, the defending President's Cup Champion Memphis RiverKings will face the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, Fort Worth Brahmas and Indianapolis Ice in the Northeast Division, while the Amarillo Gorillas, Oklahoma City Blazers, Tulsa Oilers and Wichita Thunder will compete in the Northwest Division.
The San Antonio Iguanas have requested and been granted a suspension of operations for the 2002/2003 season. "Based upon the current market climate in San Antonio, the decision has been made to suspend the Iguanas' operation for the coming season", said CHL President Brad Treliving. "The Central Hockey League will continue to work in conjunction with San Antonio Iguanas ownership and management to best evaluate all options available to the franchise for the 2003/2004 season." All Iguanas players become immediate free agents within the Central Hockey League.
The 2002/2003 season is slated to begin Thursday, October 17th, and conclude Sunday, March 16th of 2003. Each CHL club will play a 64 game schedule this season, totaling 512 regular season contests. The 2002/2003 playoff format will be determined in the coming weeks. The CHL enjoyed a 16% attendance increase during the 2001/2002 regular season, and led all North American minor professional circuits with a per game average attendance of 4,356 in post-season play.
Northern Conference - Northwest Division
Amarillo Gorillas
Oklahoma City Blazers
Tulsa Oilers
Wichita Thunder
Northern Conference - Northeast Division
Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
Fort Worth Brahmas
Indianapolis Ice
Memphis RiverKings
Southern Conference - Southwest Division
El Paso Buzzards
Lubbock Cotton Kings
New Mexico Scorpions
Odessa Jackalopes
Southern Conference - Southeast Division
Austin Ice Bats
Corpus Christi IceRays
Laredo Bucks
San Angelo Saints