New International Hockey League Introduced

[VodkaFish]

LAKE ST. LOUIS, MO - In a live announcement broadcast via United Hockey League (UHL) corporate partner B2 Networks on Wednesday at the league’s Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada, the UHL announced that it is immediately changing its name to the International Hockey League (IHL). Paul L. Pickard has been named the first President/CEO of the new IHL.

The IHL will consist of six teams in its inaugural season. The Bloomington PrairieThunder, the Flint Generals, the Fort Wayne Komets, the Kalamazoo Wings and the Muskegon Fury join the league after being member clubs of the UHL during the 2006-07 season. The sixth IHL team will be the Port Huron Icehawks based in Port Huron, Michigan. New Governors Frank Kinney and Robert Lahiff will be announcing more details about their hockey club in the near future. The Generals also had a recent ownership change as the transition from the former owners to Bob Perani was approved by the league.

“I am excited to announce the new IHL, and I am excited to lead the new era of this league,” stated IHL President/CEO Paul L. Pickard. “One of the key focuses of the IHL Board of Governors and the League Office will be to make on- and off-ice changes for the 2007-08 season that will create a better experience for the fans. At the top of the list, we are going to put an emphasis on strong ownership so that the fans can count on our member clubs being a long-term part of the IHL and on making the on-ice product much more physical and exciting.”

The IHL also announced its Executive Committee for the 2007-08 season. The Chairman of the Board of Governors will be Michael Franke of Fort Wayne, and the Vice Chairman will be Bob Perani of Flint.

Below is other information that was given during the live broadcast and/or transpired during the Annual Meeting:

- The IHL office will be located in Rochester, Michigan and will consist of four employees, league counsel and the President/CEO. During the summer, the UHL office in Lake St. Louis, Missouri will close and transition to the new office in Michigan. Existing UHL employees have been given the opportunity to relocate to the new league office.
- The IHL league website is being launched this evening at www.ihl-hockey.com.
- The new logo for the league was unveiled during the broadcast.
- The 76-game 2007-08 season will take place between October 19, 2007 and April 6, 2008.
- A deal was signed with B2 Networks to broadcast all IHL games via broadband for the next three seasons.

PICKARD NAMED PRESIDENT/CEO OF THE IHL

Paul L. Pickard has been named President/CEO of the new International Hockey League (IHL). He immediately begins his duties of running the six-team league whose member clubs were formerly in the United Hockey League.

“I am honored to have been chosen to the lead the IHL and usher in a new era of professional minor league hockey,” stated IHL President/CEO Paul L. Pickard. “The IHL model is to have strong ownership of member clubs in an isolated geographical area so that we can provide intense and exciting rivalries and family affordable entertainment. There will be special focus to make our on-ice product much more physical without the goon tactics associated with the old IHL.”

Pickard’s strong background in facility management and professional hockey makes him an ideal person to lead the new IHL. Pickard was recently promoted to the President of the Stadium Management Corporation after serving as Vice President and General Manager of the Wings Stadium Complex and the Kalamazoo Wings from 1999-2007.

Pickard served as the Chairman of the United Hockey League (UHL) Board of Governors for the past two seasons. He twice earned awards as UHL Governor of the Year (2004-05, 2005-06) and UHL General Manager of the Year (2003-04, 2006-07). The K-Wings won the Colonial Cup as league champion for the 2005-06 season. In addition, he has been a head coach in the NAHL and the ECHL, an assistant coach in the AHL and a player in the old IHL.

Pickard and his wife, Brenda, have been married 24 years and have two boys, Bryon and Brad, as well as three grandchildren, Caitlin, Gavin and Zoe.

[Rugged]

Why don't some of these leagues just conjoin and preserve their future(s)? There are so many 6-8 team leagues that it's not only confusing, it doesn't make fiscal sense, IMHO.

[FlagsFan]

The website already works also.

Port Huron Icehawks,new team.

[Humpzilla]

This calls for a celebration!!! Where's the beer!

So whats the deal with the instigator rule and the veteran rule? Will they be adjusted to make the league more "exciting and physical"?

Whatever. This is truly a great day!

I can not wait until my first road trip up to Fort Wayne this year.

[tyfighter27]

are there any rule changes?

[Varhaug]

Instiagator rule is eliminated except in the final 5 minutes, the game lineup has been increased to 17 skaters and 2 goaltenders. In regards to secondary altercations, players will receive a 10-minute misconduct as opposed to a game misconduct.

[lovelost]

They didn't announce much, but i still like wat i see, hopefully they bring in more teams in the coming years. They didn't say much on the live broadcast but they took interviews and told them? weird.

[Humpzilla]

The INSTIGATOR IS ****ING DEAD (except for the last 5 minutes).

This is truly awesome!

[caps05]

Originally Posted by Humpzilla

The INSTIGATOR IS ****ING DEAD (except for the last 5 minutes).

This is truly awesome!

I can live with instigators only being called in the last 5 minutes. More fighting is a good thing.

[caps05]

So David, when will this forum be changed from the UHL forum to the IHL forum? I assume you're working on it?

[bustoff]

FUK! Another season w/o a minor hockey league team in St.Louis. It realy sucks that the league offices are in Missouri and they can't even have a team here.

[BrianTheAdsFan]

Would like to see a few more teams, but overall, they're heading in the right direction.

[lovelost]

Originally Posted by bustoff

FUK! Another season w/o a minor hockey league team in St.Louis. It realy sucks that the league offices are in Missouri and they can't even have a team here.

They just moved the offices.

[lovelost]

Im still very excited about the IHL next year, but i still don't get why they went BACK to the name IHL? For one its INTERNATIONAL? What is international about 6 teams in the midwest when the Paul even said they want to keep the teams close. It doesn't make since. I know there trying to fall back on the old rules during the old IHL days and such, but they don't need the same name to do it.

[BrianTheAdsFan]

I think they're trying to shed that whole "everyone is leaving, the pump can't keep up, will we only have 2 teams next year, UHL" image...