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The United States Central Hockey League was an amateur hockey league located in the upper mid-western United States that played from 1956 to 1961. It was ancestor league of the United States Hockey League (1961-1979) which was a semi-pro/senior in the mid-western United States and central Canada from 1961 to 1979. When the Midwest Junior Hockey League collapsed prior to the 1977-78 season three junior teams were absorbed into the league. The junior and professional teams were divided into their own divisions but played against each other in regular season games. Starting in 1979-80, the United States Hockey League has been strictly a junior league when the three remaining professional teams became junior teams.

History[]

The American Amateur Hockey League was established in 1947 as the Minnesota-based American Amateur Hockey League with teams in Minneapolis, Rochester and St. Paul. Since its debut, the league had progressed and changed its name several times: In 1952, it became the Central Hockey League (1952-1953); then the next season it became the Minnesota Hockey League (1953-1955) ; and in 1956 the name was changed again to the United States Central Hockey League. In 1961, it adopted the name United States Hockey League (USHL).

United States Central Hockey League (1955-61)[]

Teams[]

Team name City Arena Seasons Fate
Rochester Mustangs Rochester, Minnesota Mayo Civic Auditorium 1955-1961 join United States Hockey League
Minneapolis Bungalows Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis Arena 1955-1958 replaced or renamed by Minneapolis Millers
Minneapolis Culbertsons Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis Arena 1955-1958 renamed Minneapolis-Lincoln Culbertsons when also play games in Lincoln, Nebraska
St. Paul Peters St. Paul, Minnesota St. Paul Auditorium 1955-1957 possibly renamed St. Paul K.S.T.P.
St. Paul K.S.T.P. St. Paul, Minnesota St. Paul Auditorium 1957-1958 possibly renamed St. Paul Capitols
Des Moines Ice Hawks Des Moines, Iowa Des Moines City Auditorium 1958-1961

join United States Hockey League as Des Moines Oak Leafs

Minneapolis Millers Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis Arena 1958-1960 join International Hockey League (1945-2001)
Minneapolis-Lincoln Culbertsons Minneapolis, Minnesota & Lincoln, Nebraska Minneapolis Arena & Pershing Auditorium 1958-1959 withdrew when Millers join International Hockey League (1945-2001)
St. Paul Capitols St. Paul, Minnesota St. Paul Auditorium 1958-1959 join International Hockey League (1945-2001) as St. Paul Saints
Green Bay Bobcats Green Bay, Wisconsin Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena 1959-1960 sit out 1960-61 season; return for 1961-62 season in United States Hockey League
 Marquette Sentinals Marquette, Michigan Palestra 1959-1960 withdrew
Minneapolis Jr. Millers Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis Arena 1960-1961 withdrew
St. Paul Jr. Saints St. Paul, Minnesota St. Paul Auditorium 1960-1961 withdrew

Seasons[]

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