2017-18 NA3HL Season

This is the 2017-18 North American 3 Hockey League season. This is the league's 8th season under this name and its' 20th dating back to it founding as the Central States Hockey League in 1988.

Membership Changes
On March 18, 2017, the Lockport Express announced they would be relocating to the Hyde Park Ice Pavilion in Niagara Falls, New York for the 2017-18 season. The release stated that the organization would also be developing lower level teams along with the ownership of the new arena. The release stated that it was strictly a business decision and that there were no issues with the city or arena in Lockport. The team was renamed the Niagara Falls PowerHawks on April 6th.

It was announced in April 2017, that the West Michigan Wolves were relocating to the The Summit Sports and Ice Complex in Dimondale, Michigan just outside of Lansing, Michigan and would be renamed the Lansing Wolves.

On April 26, 2017, it was announced that the league had approved the sale and relocation of the Chicago Jr. Bulldogs to Wausau, Wisconsin for the 2017-18 season. The team was renamed the Wausau RiverWolves and will be based out of the Marathon County Arena in Wausau. The new owners are also the owners of the New Ulm Steel.

On May 4, 2017, the sale of the Lewiston/Auburn Fighting Spirit was announced. The team was renamed the Lewiston/Auburn Nordiques as an homage to the former Maine Nordiques who played in the North American Hockey League (1973-1977) out of the same arena.

On, May 24, 2017 the Syracuse Stampede announced they were relocating to Oswego, New York and would be renamed the Oswego Stampede. The team will be based out of the Anthony J Crisafulli Arena in Oswego.

On May 26, 2017, the league announced the sale and relocation of the Glacier Nationals from Havre, Montana to Butte, Montana where they will be known as the Butte Cobras based out of the Butte Community Ice Center. The Butte Amateur Hockey Association (BAHA) were the new owners of the team. The BAHA had recently been given ownership of the Butte Cobras franchise that has played in the Western States Hockey League (WSHL) since the 2014-15 season. The WSHL team is being moved to the NA3HL with the acquired franchise rights from the Glacier Nationals.

On May 30, 2017, it was announced that the Euless Jr. Stars were sold and would be renamed the Mid-Cities Jr. Stars.

As of July 13, 2017, the East Coast Minutemen had been removed from the North American 3 Hockey League's website as being listed as a member of the league.

The Butte Cobras  folded due to a lack of players around September 8, 2017.

The Billings Bulls folded on September 9, 2017.

In mid-September the Cincinnati Thunder relocated to Dayton, Ohio and were renamed the Dayton Falcons The team would fold shorltly after forfeiting an October 15th game.

In mid-November the Nashville Jr. Predators had apparently folded. However, the league has tried to obtain new ownership to run the team to save the franchise and cancelled several of the team's games during November. By the time that Jersey Shore is removed from the league Nashville is not listed on the league website anymore.

On December 5, 2017 the league terminated the membership of the Jersey Shore Wildcats reportedly over the team owing the league money.

On April 30, 2018 the North American Hockey League announced that the Coulee Region Chill were sold and would be relocated about 90 miles (145km) north to Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin playing out of the Chippewa Area Ice Arena. The team is being renamed to the Chippewa Steel. In a related move the La Crosse Freeze of the North American 3 Hockey League will have their membership transferred to nearby Onalaska, Wisconsin and would become the Coulee Region Chill to replace the NAHL team in that city.

Midwest Division
Dayton folded after forfeiting October 15th game; which is included in above stats.

Format
With the exception of the Midwest Division the top four teams qualify for the playoffs. The Midwest Division was down to three teams by the start of the playoffs so all three qualified with the first place team earning a bye to the division final.

East Division

 * Pittsburgh Vengeance defeated Lansing Wolves 2 games to none
 * Metro Jets defeated Southern Tier Xpress 2 games to none

Frontier Division

 * Yellowstone Quake defeated Gillette Wild 2 games to none
 * Helena Bighorns defeated Great Falls Americans 2 games to none

Midwest Division

 * Peoria Mustangs defeated Evansville Jr. Thunderbolts 2 games to 0

Northeast Division

 * Niagara Falls PowerHawks defeated Skylands Kings 2 games to none
 * Binghamton Jr. Senators defeated Oswego Stampede 2 games to none

South Division

 * Texas Jr. Brahmas defeated Point Mallard Ducks 2 games to 1
 * Mid-Cities Jr. Stars defeated Atlanta Capitals 2 games to none

West Division

 * Granite City Lumberjacks defeated Willmar WarHawks  2 games to none
 * New Ulm Steel defeated Alexandria Blizzard 2 games to 1

Central Division

 * North Iowa Bulls defeated Wausau RiverWolves 2 games to none
 * La Crosse Freeze defeated Wisconsin Whalers 2 games to none

Coastal Division

 * Lewiston/Auburn Nordiques defeated Northeast Generals 2 games to 1
 * New England Stars defeated Maine Wild 2 games to none

East Division

 * Metro Jets defeated Pittsburgh Vengeance 2 games to none

Frontier Division

 * Yellowstone Quake defeated Helena Bighorns 2 games to none

Midwest Division

 * St. Louis Jr. Blues defeated Peoria Mustangs 2 games to none

Northeast Division

 * Binghamton Jr Senators defeated Niagara Falls PowerHawks 2 games to none

South Division

 * Texas Jr. Brahmas defeated Mid-Cities Jr. Stars 2 games to none

West Division

 * Granite City Lumberjacks defeated New Ulm Steel 2 games to none

Central Division

 * La Crosse Freeze defeated North Iowa Bulls 2 games to none

Coastal Division

 * New England Stars defeated Lewiston/Auburn Nordiques 2 games to none

Trophy Renamed
The league renamed its' playoff championship trophy prior to the 2017-18 season in honor of Robert 'Fraser' Ritchie who was a long time staff member of the NAHL, NA3HL and the NAPHL who passed away from cancer on June 10, 2017

Format
Each of the Division winners advance to the tournament. The teams are paired off in two groups based on regular season records. Seeds 1,4,5,and 8 make up one pool and 2,3,6, and 7 make up the other. Each team plays a round robin within its own group on March 27-29. The first place finisher in one pool plays the second place finisher in the other pool in the single game semifinals on March 30. The semifinal winner meet in the championship game on March 31.

Pool A

 * 1 seed Binghamton Jr Senators
 * 4 seed St. Louis Jr. Blues
 * 5 seed Yellowstone Quake
 * 8 seed Granite City Lumberjacks

Pool B

 * 2 seed Metro Jets
 * 3 seed Texas Jr. Brahmas
 * 6 seed New England Stars
 * 7 seed La Crosse Freeze

Round Robin Schedule/Results
March 27 March 28 March 29
 * Granite City Lumberjacks defeated Binghamton Jr Senators 3-2
 * St. Louis Jr. Blues defeated Yellowstone Quake 4-0
 * Metro Jets defeated La Crosse Freeze 4-1
 * Texas Jr. Brahmas defeated New England Stars 5-2
 * Granite City Lumberjacks defeated St. Louis Jr. Blues 3-2 (ot)
 * Yellowstone Quake defeated Binghamton Jr Senators 4-3
 * Metro Jets defeated New England Stars 2-1
 * La Crosse Freeze defeated Texas Jr. Brahmas 3-2 (ot)
 * Yellowstone Quake defeated Granite City Lumberjacks 2-1 (ot)
 * St. Louis Jr. Blues defeated Binghamton Jr Senators 4-0
 * La Crosse Freeze defeated New England Stars 4-3 (so)
 * Metro Jets defeated Texas Jr. Brahmas 4-1

Pool B
Note: La Crosse finishes ahead of Texas based on winning the head-to-head matchup in the round robin.

Semifinals
March 30
 * St. Louis Jr. Blues defeated La Crosse Freeze 5-0
 * Metro Jets defeated Granite City Lumberjacks 3-2 (ot)

Championship
March 31
 * Metro Jets defeated St. Louis Jr. Blues 3-2 (ot)