| Billings Bulls | |
 | |
| City: | Billings, Montana |
|---|---|
| League: | North American 3 Hockey League |
| Division: | Frontier |
| Founded: | 1993 (AFHL) |
| Home Arena: | Centennial Ice Arena |
| Colors: | Blue, red and gold |
| Owner(s): | Doug Strong |
| General Manager: | Corey Thorson (2017-18) |
| Head Coach: | Corey Thorson (2017-18) |
| Media: | Billings Gazette (Greg Rachac and Phil Sites) |
| Affiliates: | Battle Creek Revolution, (AAHA) |
| Franchise history | |
| 1993 to 1997: | Billings Bulls |
| Championships | |
| Regular Season Titles: | 5 1993-94, 1996-97, 1997-98, 2002-03, 2003-04 |
| Gold Cup Appearances: | 5 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99, 2002-03 |
| Borne Cups: | 5 (AFHL/AWHL/NAHL) 1993-94, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99 |
| Cascade Cups: | 0 (NORPAC) |
The Billings Bulls are a Junior A level ice hockey team currently playing in the North American 3 Hockey Leagueand based in Billings, Montana. The Bulls were previously Junior A level until May, 2006 and had played their games in the Metrapark which had a max capacity of 9,000 for hockey games. However, a negotiating dispute with arena officials and local county commissioners resulted in the team losing its lease. They joined the NORPAC, which at the time was a Junior B league before it was upgraded to a Tier III Junior A affiliation in July 2007.
They currently play in the more intimate Centennial Ice Arena that holds 550 people at maximum capacity. The Bulls frequently sell out games and broadcast their games on internet radio. They have a staunch following and many fans can be seen wearing authentic Bulls jerseys in the stands.
History[]
The Bulls joined the American Frontier Hockey League in 1993 which became the America West Hockey League (AWHL) in 1998.[1] The Bulls joined the Tier II Jr. A North American Hockey League in 2003 when the AWHL merged with the NAHL (keeping the NAHL name). The team played in the NAHL from 2003 to 2006 until the team and their rivals, the Bozeman Icedogs and Helena Bighorns, left to join the Northern Pacific Hockey League (NorPac), a regional league in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. When they joined the NorPac, the league was Tier III Junior B but promoted to Tier III Junior A by USA Hockey in 2007. In 2011, the Montana teams in the NorPac left the league to form the new regional American West Hockey League, made up of teams in Montana and Wyoming, including the Bulls. In March 2014, the new AWHL joined the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) as the Frontier Division.[2]
The team apparently folded on September 9, 2017.
League History[]
- 1993–1998 American Frontier Hockey League
- 1998–2003 America West Hockey League
- 2003–2006 North American Hockey League
- 2006–2011 Northern Pacific Hockey League
- 2011–2014 American West Hockey League
- 2014–present North American 3 Hockey League
Season-by-season records[]
| Season | GP | W | L | T | OL | SL | Pts | GF | GA | PIM | Regular Season Finish | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Frontier Hockey League | ||||||||||||
| 1993-94 | 48 | 38 | 8 | 1 | - | - | 77 | 383 | 143 | - | 1st Big Sky | Won Championship |
| 1994-95 | information not available | |||||||||||
| 1995-96 | information not available | Won Championship | ||||||||||
| 1996-97 | 62 | 47 | 7 | 8 | - | - | 98 | 349 | 155 | - | 1st overall | Won Championship |
| 1997-98 | 60 | 44 | 13 | 0 | 3 | - | 91 | 308 | 187 | - | 1st overall | Won Championship |
| America West Hockey League | ||||||||||||
| 1998-99 | 60 | 33 | 20 | 7 | 0 | - | 73 | 252 | 221 | - | 2nd overall | Won Championship |
| 1999-00 | 58 | 31 | 24 | 0 | 3 | - | 65 | 234 | 227 | 1430 | 4th overall | |
| 2000-01 | 60 | 36 | 23 | 0 | 1 | - | 73 | 249 | 190 | 1437 | 3rd overall | |
| 2001-02 | 56 | 38 | 14 | 2 | 2 | - | 80 | 285 | 185 | 1119 | 2nd overall | |
| 2002-03 | 56 | 39 | 14 | 2 | 1 | - | 81 | 241 | 151 | 1061 | 1st North | |
| North American Hockey League | ||||||||||||
| 2003-04 | 56 | 40 | 14 | 2 | - | - | 82 | 224 | 143 | 883 | 1st West | |
| 2004-05 | 56 | 33 | 17 | 6 | - | - | 72 | 194 | 170 | 1374 | 2nd West | |
| 2005-06 | 58 | 20 | 30 | 5 | 3 | - | 48 | 167 | 252 | 1433 | 3rd West | |
| Northern Pacific Hockey League | ||||||||||||
| 2006-07 | 44 | 16 | 28 | 0 | - | - | 32 | 169 | 226 | 1479 | 4th Rocky Mountain | |
| 2007-08 | 48 | 31 | 17 | 0 | - | - | 62 | 203 | 131 | 1210 | 3rd America West | |
| 2008-09 | 48 | 15 | 33 | 0 | - | - | 30 | 150 | 230 | 1240 | 5th America West | |
| 2009-10 | 48 | 20 | 28 | 0 | - | - | 40 | 188 | 191 | 1052 | 4th America West | |
| 2010-11 | 50 | 30 | 20 | 0 | - | - | 60 | 239 | 179 | - | 4th America West | |
| America West Hockey League | ||||||||||||
| 2011-12 | 48 | 26 | 17 | - | 4 | 1 | 53 | 202 | 187 | - | 3rd overall | Lost in semifinals |
| 2012-13 | 48 | 20 | 23 | - | 3 | 2 | 45 | 142 | 176 | - | 5th overall | Did not qualify |
| 2013-14 | 48 | 23 | 21 | - | 3 | 1 | 50 | 154 | 168 | 4th overall | Lost in semifinals | |
| North American 3 Hockey League | ||||||||||||
| 2014–15 | 47 | 25 | 16 | 6 | - | - | 56 | 161 | 140 | 610 | 4th of 7, Frontier Div. 16th of 31, NA3HL |
Lost Div. Semifinal, 0-2 vs. Great Falls Americans |
| 2015–16 | 47 | 9 | 32 | 6 | - | - | 24 | 121 | 237 | 686 | 6th of 7, Frontier Div. 27th of 34, NA3HL |
Did not qualify |
| 2016–17 | 47 | 5 | 41 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 104 | 356 | - | 6th of 7, Frontier Div. | Did not qualify |
Notable alumni[]
- Chris Holt, G (University of Nebraska-Omaha, currently with St. Louis Blues)
- Kevin Ulanski, C (University of Denver, currently with Colorado Eagles)
- Tom Reimann, D (University of Maine, last with Rocky Mountain Rage)
- Dan Knapp, D (University of Nebraska-Omaha, last with Pensacola Ice Pilots)
- Trevor Hammer, D (University of North Dakota, last with the Florida Seals)
- Jon Booras, F (Lake Superior State University, currently with Bloomington Prairie Thunder)
- John Sullivan, F (Clarkson University)
- Matt Charbonneau, D (currently with Air Force)
- Martin Husicka, D/F (University of Minnesota-Crookston)
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