The USA Hockey Annual General Meetings concluded
this past weekend with the certification of the American West Hockey League
(AWHL).


  The AWHL will be comprised of teams in Montana and
Wyoming and will begin play this October. The 6-team league will consist of the
Billings Bulls, Bozeman Icedogs, Gillette Wild, Great Falls Americans, Helena
Bighorns and Missoula Maulers.

Billings, Bozeman, Helena and Missoula were formerly
part of the NorPac hockey league. The new Glacier Nationals team in Whitefish
will play in the NorPac this coming season.


The AWHL was originally formed back in 1992 and
suspended operations in 2003 when the league merged with the North American
Hockey League.


The league will play a minimum of 44 games, which
will include games against current NorPac teams in Whitefish, Butte and Cody,
Wyo. as part of a separation settlement between the two leagues.


“We (AWHL) made a commitment to play the NorPac
teams located in our footprint,” says Great Falls Americans owner, Jim Keough.
“It will present a good opportunity to alleviate travel costs for the NorPac and
will provide a chance to have some spirited competition within the two
leagues.”


According to sources from both leagues, a settlement
agreement was reached which would allow for the AWHL to begin play for the
2011-12 season. Other terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Posted in Whitefishpilot, Sports on          
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 11:19 am.