2017-18 USPHL-Elite Season

This is the 2017-18 United States Premier Hockey League Elite Division season. This is the league's fifth season. The league was known as the USPHL's Empire Division for 2013-14 and 2014-15. The league was renamed the United States Premier 3 Hockey League for the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons. The USP3HL was folded after the 2016-17 season with the remanining teams moving to the Elite Division, which was previously the USPHL's 2nd level league name (and renamed the Premier Division for 2017-18). The division was originally formed from the Empire Junior Hockey League when it was absorbed by the USPHL when it was formed in 2013.

Membership Changes

 * With the elimination of the USP3HL for the 2017-18 season, as of April 16, 2017 all of the members of the league except the Alpena Flyers appear to have members in the USPHL Elite League for the 2017-18 season.
 * The Seattle Ravens withdrew from the USPHL and joined the Western States Hockey League as the Kent Ravens for the 2017-18 season.
 * The West Sound Warriors also withdrew from the USPHL and announced they were suspending operations for 2017-18; but the former Vancouver Rangers of the Western States Hockey League would move to Bremerton, Washington and assume the identity of the Warriors under the ownership of the original Vancouver team
 * The Traverse City North Stars announced on July 5, 2017 that they were suspending operations for the 2017-18 season.
 * The Kennewick, Washington based Tri-City Outlaws were no longer listed on the league website with no word on their fate
 * The Eugene Generals are listed on the league website but are literally in a league all by themselves.  The team posted on its facebook page that it will paricipate in three USPHL showcase events and fill the balance of their schedule with independently scheduled games against teams such as the Wenatchee Wild and American Collegiate Hockey Association teams in the area (about a dozen teams are within 6 hour or so driving distance).
 * The P.A.L. Jr. Islanders and Connecticut Nighthawks were apparently removed from the schedule just prior to the league schedule being posted.
 * Team Beijing was renamed the Beijing Shougang Eagles

Format
The North and Mid-Atlantic Division held single elimination play-in games between the fourth and fifth place teams for the fourth spot in the division semifinals. The division semifinal winners advance to the Round Robin portion of the playoffs where teams are paired off in two pools of four. The top two teams in each pool advance to the semifinals and the semifinal winners advance to the championship game.

Play-In Games

 * Northern Cyclones defeated New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs 5-1
 * Hartford Jr. Wolfpack defeated Jersey Shore Whalers 7-1

Division Semifinals

 * Islanders Hockey Club defeated Northern Cyclones 2 games to none
 * Boston Bandits defeated Boston Jr. Bruins 2 games to none
 * Jersey Hitmen defeated Hartford Jr. Wolfpack 2 games to none
 * Beijing Shougang Eagles defeated New Jersey Rockets 2 games to none
 * Tampa Bay Juniors defeated Palm Beach Hawks 2 games to 1
 * Florida Jr. Blades defeated Florida Eels 2 games to 1
 * Charlotte Rush defeated Carolina Eagles 2 games to 1
 * Hampton Roads Whalers defeated Richmond Generals 2 games to 1

Pool A

 * Boston Bandits defeated Tampa Bay Juniors 6-3
 * Charlotte Rush defeated Beijing Shougang Eagles 8-0
 * Tampa Bay Juniors defeated Charlotte Rush 2-1
 * Beijing Shougang Eagles defeated Boston Bandits 6-4
 * Charlotte Rush defeated Boston Bandits 7-2
 * Beijing Shougang Eagles defeated Tampa Bay Juniors 6-4

Pool B

 * Hampton Roads Whalers defeated Islanders Hockey Club 5-1
 * Jersey Hitmen defeated Florida Jr. Blades 7-1
 * Hampton Roads Whalers defeated Florida Jr. Blades 5-1
 * Jersey Hitmen defeated Islanders Hockey Club 3-2
 * Hampton Roads Whalers defeated Jersey Hitmen  4-3
 * Islanders Hockey Club defeated Florida Jr. Blades 9-2

Semifinals

 * Charlotte Rush defeated Jersey Hitmen 4-2
 * Hampton Roads Whalers defeated Beijing Shougang Eagles 7-1

Final

 * Hampton Roads Whalers defeated Charlotte Rush 5-4 (ot)