Midwest Junior Hockey League (2012-2015)

The Midwest Junior Hockey League website said it was a proud member of the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU). MWJHL members have made a commitment to player development, advancement and maintaining a high level operation to achieve sustainable and profitable markets.

The MWJHL league office was headquartered in Sylvania, Ohio. that consisted of six full time employees to support members vision and objectives. The league office will support its member teams with several long-term sustainability initiatives including MWJHL Properties creating league wide licensing arrangements, and centralized ticket sales and corporate sponsorship operation.

During its first league meeting in early July in Deerfield, Illinois the following items were discussed, voted on and passed into the league by laws:

First Season
The league was supposed to play with 16 teams of which 6 were gone before the league started play. The six teams that never played were Erie Blizzard; Lake Erie (Chardon/Mentor, OH) Steelheads; Cincinnati Stache; Ironwood Bears (Linolnshire, IL); Kankakee (IL) Kingfish; and Traverse City, MI.

The following franchises relocated before playing: Lake in the Hills, IL moved to Holland, MI; the St. Ignace, MI franchise moved to Saut Ste. Marie.

The league started play in the fall of 2012 with the following lineup of ten teams: Bloomington Blaze, Dayton Aeros, Great Lakes (Fraser, MI) Lightning, Hartland Hounds, Holland River Bandits, NWO (Northwest Ohio-Toledo), Grrowl, Michigan (Wayne) Ice Dogs, Rhinelander Street Cats, Soo (Sault Ste Marie) Firehawks, and Tennyson (Brownston, MI)  Chevrolet,

The league ended up with the Dayton franchise folding after their November 11, 2012 game. This left the league with nine teams. The Grrrowl franchise moved from Toledo to Allen Park, MI in mid-January 2013 and were renamed the Michigan Grrrowl.

Second Season
The Michigan Ice Dogs moved to Farmington Hills after the 2012-13 season ended. The Hartland Hounds  moved to Traverse City and were renamed the Cohos only to fold before they next season began. the Holland River Bandits were suspended by the AAU for a minimum of one year due to the background of their coach. The Rhinelander Street Cats moved to Alpena and were relabeled as the Alpena Street Cats. The Tennyson Chevrolet team was renamed the Detroit Fighting Irish. The Great Lakes Lightning moved to Berkley, MI and were renamed the Berkley Bruins  The Michigan Grrrowl faded into extintion after the season, they had forfeited several games late in the season.

The league awarded a team to the Marquette Royals, who withdrew to join the Minnesota Junior Hockey League. Louisville, KY was also awarded an expansion team but apparently fell through. The Walker based West Michigan Freeze and the Alpena Street Cats were disbanded by the league at their September 11, 2013 meeting. Apparently the decision was modified as Alpena played for the season and West Michigan franchise is listed as dormant on the league's website.

Third Season
The league announced on March 25, 2014 that the MC Monarchs, based out of Mount Clemens, MI would join the league for its 2014-15 season.

On March 8, 2015 it was annouced that all seven of the league's members were joining the United States Premier Hockey League's Mid-West Division for the 2015-16 season.

League Seasons

 * 2012-13 MWJHL Season
 * 2013-14 MWJHL Season
 * 2014-15 MWJHL Season

Veteran's Memorial Cup (playoffs) Champions

 * 2012-13 Hartland Hounds
 * 2013-14 Traverse City Hounds
 * 2014-15 Traverse City Hounds

Teams
league website