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2025 26 Junior Hockey Expansion Relocation Folding Thread

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Saw this on the Steinbach Pistons IG and am starting to get curious if a possible inquiry and potential expansion to the USHL is in the works, especially with the new facility that just opened there. Its not big enough for the WHL, and is far too major for what the MJHL is here. Works perfect for the USHL and its facility requirements though, and closest team Fargo is a 3hr drive over the border and they are more or less aligned in the Central-Midwest geography of the league, far more than Muskegon and Youngstown who are both looking to bolt to the OHL asap.

I think Steinbach would be a terrific market and feasible addition to the USHL to offset the loss of those franchises further east and would give the league a solid footprint into Canada they havent had since Thunder Bay like 30yrs ago, and another legit Tier 1 junior organization and facility in Manitoba that is much needed. Just some thoughts that got my gears in this dome going, especially with how fast junior hockey is changing everywhere and these franchise expansions and teams relocating between leagues all happening at once.
 
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Boonk said:
View attachment 1001519
Saw this on the Steinbach Pistons IG and am starting to get curious if a possible inquiry and potential expansion to the USHL is in the works, especially with the new facility that just opened there. Its not big enough for the WHL, and is far too major for what the MJHL is here. Works perfect for the USHL and its facility requirements though, and closest team Fargo is a 3hr drive over the border and they are more or less aligned in the Central-Midwest geography of the league, far more than Muskegon and Youngstown who are both looking to bolt to the OHL asap.

I think Steinbach would be a terrific market and feasible addition to the USHL to offset the loss of those franchises further east and would give the league a solid footprint into Canada they havent had since Thunder Bay like 30yrs ago, and another legit Tier 1 junior organization and facility in Manitoba that is much needed. Just some thoughts that got my gears in this dome going, especially with how fast junior hockey is changing everywhere and these franchise expansions and teams relocating between leagues all happening at once.
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A couple of things....

Unless that guy is someone meaningful within the Steinbach Pistons organization, then he is just a random fan posting some wishful thoughts. If that is getting your gears going, you might want to filter through stuff differently. Steinbach is never going to join the USHL.

First off, the league doesn't want to expand. They've been very clear about it. They want to protect their product. They know the league exists with its current status because it hasn't been watered down by over expansion. And if they were to go and expand, Steinbach isn't going to move the needle. They're not going to expand into Canada, especially not another tiny market with a 2400 seat arena. It doesn't add anything to the league. In addition, the USHL is backed by USA Hockey who likes uniform rules for the USHL. Adding a Canadian team means roster exceptions based on the import rule. They're not going to go for it.

In addition, Fargo is already a travel outlier. They're not going to add travel outlier which is 3.5 hours from *another* travel outlier.

This is a thread about actual news. Instagram wishful thinking not surprisingly doesn't stand up to even the tiniest bit of rational reasoning. It is an absolute nothingburger...
 
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Barclay Donaldson said:
... This is a thread about actual news. Instagram wishful thinking not surprisingly doesn't stand up to even the tiniest bit of rational reasoning. It is an absolute nothingburger...
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If you're gonna encourage posters with: "Get out the clown shoes" in your OP, you're gonna get more than news. :teach:
 
Boonk said:
View attachment 1001519
Saw this on the Steinbach Pistons IG and am starting to get curious if a possible inquiry and potential expansion to the USHL is in the works, especially with the new facility that just opened there. Its not big enough for the WHL, and is far too major for what the MJHL is here. Works perfect for the USHL and its facility requirements though, and closest team Fargo is a 3hr drive over the border and they are more or less aligned in the Central-Midwest geography of the league, far more than Muskegon and Youngstown who are both looking to bolt to the OHL asap.

I think Steinbach would be a terrific market and feasible addition to the USHL to offset the loss of those franchises further east and would give the league a solid footprint into Canada they havent had since Thunder Bay like 30yrs ago, and another legit Tier 1 junior organization and facility in Manitoba that is much needed. Just some thoughts that got my gears in this dome going, especially with how fast junior hockey is changing everywhere and these franchise expansions and teams relocating between leagues all happening at once.
Click to expand...

Steinbach is not remotely big or wealthy enough to sustain a USHL or WHL franchise. The arena is a good Tier II Jr A arena, but that's all it is.
 

NA3HL Announces New Team in Monroe, LA

Bayou State Rougarou set to begin play for the 2025-26 season
na3hl.com

The NA3HL continues its push into the deep south with the addition of the Bayou State Rougarou. They will share facilities with the FPHL Monroe Moccasins.


Their owner, Brad Allen, is a familiar face within the NA3HL having owned the Mid-Cities Junior Stars from 2017 before quietly folding before the start of the 2024-25 season.
 
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Barclay Donaldson said:
I'll add it with an asterix . The sale is contingent upon a successful season ticket drive and several other factors or else the sale will be disapproved at the league meeting this summer.
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Some new news for this. The relocated team will take the name "Wolverines" because that's the name the local high school uses.

Also, the season ticket drive was scheduled to begin this week. After the first day, they claimed to have sold 200 season tickets, with a goal being 1,000. Their arena seats 1,200, with another 500 standing room places.

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ctvnews.ca

From Hounds to Wolverines: SJHL’s Warman franchise gets a new name

The Notre Dame Hounds will become the Warman Wolverines when the 2025-26 Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League season begins.
ctvnews.ca ctvnews.ca

Another older article goes into the why of the team's sale and move, as Notre Dame kind of goes back to its roots as a school, as opposed to a school with a spun-off Junior A team.

leaderpost.com

Deep dive into why the Notre Dame Hounds are giving up Jr. A hockey

While the Junior A Hounds will no longer be in Wilcox, Notre Dame plans on adding two more minor teams next year as part of a new vision.
leaderpost.com leaderpost.com
 
Slowdive said:
I wonder if the So Cal USPHL market was getting saturated with San Diego, Long Beach, Ontario and Bakersfield?
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While the California market was getting pretty full of teams, rumor has it the USPHL is making a move on the Frontier Division of the NA3HL. They added a Billings NCDC team and it won't be the last move they make.
 
Barclay Donaldson said:
While the California market was getting pretty full of teams, rumor has it the USPHL is making a move on the Frontier Division of the NA3HL. They added a Billings NCDC team and it won't be the last move they make.
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Good point. Though, the USPHL has teams in Utah and Colorado and Washington and now Idaho. Nothing in Wyoming or Montana as of yet. Start the countdown!
 
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