Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League (2015–2018)

The Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League (RMJHL) was an American Tier III junior ice hockey league sanctioned by USA Hockey. The RMJHL was approved for play starting in the 2015–16 season.

Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League
SportIce hockey
FoundedMay 2, 2014
PresidentShaun Hathaway
CommissionerAdrian Veideman[1]
No. of teams5
CountryUnited States
Most recent
champion(s)		Steamboat Wranglers (2018)
Official websiteRMJHL.co

History

The league was announced and sanctioned by USA Hockey on May 2, 2014.[2][3][4] Six teams played in the inaugural 2015–16 season.[5]

In December 2015, league officials announced that they were applying to USA Hockey to expand the league by adding franchises in Vail and Pueblo,[6] but neither team came to fruition.

On May 3, 2016, the RMJHL announced the addition of an expansion team in Steamboat Springs, led by managing partner, Troy Mick, CEO and president of the Canadian Junior A Salmon Arm Silverbacks of the British Columbia Hockey League.[7]

On May 31, 2016, the Breckenridge Bucks left the RMJHL for the Western States Hockey League (WSHL).[8] On July 11, the RMJHL would announce a new Breckenridge team, called the Bears, with an ownership group headed by Joe Dibble, the general manager and head coach of the Tier II junior Janesville Jets of the North American Hockey League.[9] When the 2016–17 season schedule was announced, the Glacier Yetis were placed in dormancy due to lack of players.[10] On the opening day of the second season, the new Breckenridge team was removed from the schedule as well.

For the 2017–18 season, former Denver Pioneers captain Adrian Veidman was named the league's new commissioner in May.[11] The league again announced a team in Breckenridge called the Bolts.[12] The new Breckenridge team is to be operated by the Summit Youth Hockey organization and coached by Kory DeKoevend. In August, the Aspen Leafs announced they would go dormant for the upcoming season.[13]

After three seasons, the RMJHL ceased all operations and folded in 2018.[14] The Steamboat Wranglers were the only organization to continue with a junior team and joined the WSHL for 2018–19, but ceased operations midway through the 2019–20 season.

Teams
TeamLocationArenaJoined
Breckenridge BoltsBreckenridge, ColoradoStephen C. West Ice Arena2017
Colorado RampageMonument, ColoradoColorado Sports Center2015
Colorado ThunderbirdsLittleton, ColoradoSouth Suburban Ice Arena2015
Pikes Peak MinersColorado Springs, ColoradoSertich Ice Arena2015
Steamboat WranglersSteamboat Springs, ColoradoHowelsen Arena2016

Champions
SeasonRegular SeasonPlayoff ChampionRunner-upResult
2015–16Pikes Peak Miners
(69 pts)		Aspen Leafs[15]Pikes Peak MinersChampionship Game
4–3 (OT)
2016–17Pikes Peak Miners
(64 pts)		Pikes Peak MinersSteamboat Wranglers2-games-to-1
(9–4, 1–5, 6–5)
2017–18Steamboat Wranglers
(65 pts)		Steamboat WranglersPikes Peak MinersChampionship Game
9–2

Former teams
  • Aspen Leafs (Aspen, Colorado) – Founding member in the 2015–16 season; went dormant prior to the 2017–18 season due to lack of players.[13]
  • Breckenridge Bears (Breckenridge, Colorado) – Announced for the 2016–17 season, but did not play.[16]
  • Breckenridge Bucks (Breckenridge, Colorado; 2015–16) – Joined the Western States Hockey League in 2016, then relocated to Vail, Colorado, as the Vail Powder Hounds prior to the 2016–17 season. The Vail team would fold in November 2016 due to lack of players.
  • Glacier Yetis (Grand Junction, Colorado; 2015–16) – Originally announced as the Grand Junction Coyotes while the league was in its pre-launch stages.[17] League announced the team would be dormant for the 2016–17 season due to lack of players.

References
  1. "RMJHL Selects New Commissioner". RMJHL. May 23, 2017.
  2. "USA Hockey Tier III Expansion, Daily Report". Junior Hockey News. May 2, 2014.
  3. "Junior Hockey League coming to Aspen '15-16". The Aspen Times. June 10, 2014.
  4. "RMJHL given the Green Light". Junior Hockey News. December 11, 2014.
  5. "Rocky Mtn. Junior Hockey League approved". The Aspen Times. December 9, 2014.
  6. "Junior hockey league picks up momentum". The Aspen Times. December 23, 2015.
  7. "New hockey team headed to Howelsen". Steamboat Today. May 2, 2016.
  8. "Breckenridge Bucks to Western States Hockey League". Junior Hockey News. May 31, 2016.
  9. "Breck Bears hockey club replaces Breck Bucks in Rocky Mountain hockey league". Summit Daily. August 24, 2016.
  10. "Glacier Yetis Go Dormant for Season". RMJHL. September 9, 2016.
  11. "New RMJHL commish talks job, future". The Aspen Times. July 8, 2017.
  12. "From Bucks to Bolts: Breckenridge welcomes new junior hockey program for 2017-18 season". Summit Daily. August 18, 2017.
  13. "Aspen Leafs U20 junior hockey team to go dormant for 2017-18 season". The Aspen Times. August 8, 2017.
  14. Scott Ludwig (May 22, 2018). "RMJHL disbands after three seasons". JuniorHockey.com.
  15. "Aspen Leafs win inaugural championship in OT". The Aspen Times. March 16, 2016.
  16. "Breck Bears junior hockey team fold before season opener". Summit Daily. September 30, 2016.
  17. "RMJHL member now known as the "Glacier Yetis"". Aspen Leafs. February 4, 2015.
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