This is the 2017-18 Federal Hockey League season. This is the league's 8th season.
Membership Changes[]
- On August 19, 2016 the league announced an expansion team to be based out of the Lawrence Joel Coliseum Annex to begin play with the 2017-18 season. The team was later announced to be named the Carolina Thunderbirds
- On May 17, 2017 the league website announced that the Berlin River Drivers had ceased operations due to increased overhead costs and lack of season ticket sales.
- On July 19, 2017 the St. Clair Shores Fighting Saints announced they were relocating to Kingsville, Ontario and would be renamed the North Shore Knights. The team is planning on playing 15 of 24 home games at the Kingsville Arena Complex and the remaining 9 games split between Gravenhurst, Ontario, South River, Ontario, and Temiscaming, Quebec. All four of which are also home to Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League teams.
- On August 2, 2017 the owner of the Danbury Titans, Bruce Bennett announced that due to workers' compensation insurance cost he could not return to team to the ice for the 2017-18 season.
- On February 20, 2018 the Cornwall Nationals announced they were folding. The balance of the team's home games became forfeit wins for the opponents The team was replaced by the "Northern Federals" road team to fill out the remaining 5 road games on the schedule.
- Over the course of the season, the North Shore Knights had multiple head coaches in Jiri Micka and Stephen Esau. By December 2017, the Knights would forfeit or attempt to reschedule most of their home games before the team would forfeit all remaining home games after February 11. At the end of March, the Knights released all players and staff. The team would not participate in the league playoffs.
- Franchises were mentioned as possibilities in Elmira, New York and the Cleveland suburb of Mentor, Ohio.[1] Elmira was announced as an expansion team on July 18, 2018 to play out of the First Arena.[2]
Members[]
| Team | Founded | Home arena | Capacity | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carolina Thunderbirds | 2016 | LJVM Coliseum Annex | 4,000 | Winston-Salem, North Carolina |
| Cornwall Nationals | 2016 | Cornwall Civic Complex | 5,000 | Cornwall, Ontario |
| Danville Dashers | 2011 | David S. Palmer Arena | 2,350 | Danville, Illinois |
| North Shore Knights | 2016 | Kingsville Arena Complex | 1,000 | Kingsville, Ontario |
| Port Huron Prowlers | 2015 | McMorran Place | 3,400 | Port Huron, Michigan |
| Watertown Wolves | 2014 | Watertown Municipal Arena | 2,000 | Watertown, New York |
Standings[]
| Team | GP | W | L | OW | OL | GF | GA | Pts | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port Huron Prowlers | 53 | 41 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 246 | 131 | 131 | .824 |
| Watertown Wolves | 52 | 29 | 12 | 6 | 5 | 229 | 163 | 104 | .667 |
| Carolina Thunderbirds | 56 | 25 | 24 | 5 | 2 | 197 | 192 | 87 | .518 |
| Cornwall Nationals | 46 | 18 | 25 | 0 | 3 | 131 | 132 | 57 | .413 |
| Danville Dashers | 56 | 19 | 29 | 3 | 5 | 182 | 193 | 68 | .405 |
| North Shore Knights | 44 | 6 | 38 | 0 | 0 | 103 | 248 | 18 | .136 |
| Northern Federals | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 31 | 0 | .000 |
Commissioner's Cup Playoffs[]
Semifinals[]
Best-of-three
- Port Huron Prowlers defeated Danville Dashers 2 games to none
- Watertown Wolves defeated Carolina Thunderbirds 2 games to none
Commissioner's Cup Final[]
Best-of-five
- Watertown Wolves defeated Port Huron Prowlers 3 games to 1
2018 FHL champions Watertown Wolves