MWJHL announces eight member teams for 2013-14 season

Press Release sent to The World of Junior Hockey

The Midwest Junior Hockey League announced today the eight member teams that will participate in the 2013-14 season.

Seven teams from Michigan and one from Illinois make up the league’s footprint as the MWJHL moves forward to its second season as an AAU-sanctioned junior hockey league.

The eight teams are as follows:

Alpena Street Cats – Alpena, MI – Northern Lights Arena
Berkley Bruins – Berkley, MI – Berkley Ice Arena
Bloomington Jr. Blaze – Bloomington, IL – U.S. Cellular Coliseum
Detroit Fighting Irish – Allen Park, MI – Allen Park Civic Arena
Holland River Bandits – Holland, MI – Edge Ice Arena
Michigan Ice Dogs – Farmington Hills, MI – Farmington Hills Ice Arena
Soo Firehawks – Sault Ste. Marie, MI – Big Bear Arena
Traverse City Hounds – Traverse City, MI – Centre ICE Arena

“All eight franchises have very, very solid and reputable ownership groups and in junior hockey, that is the biggest asset to making a franchise viable and successful,” said MWJHL commissioner Scott Gardiner. “These eight teams are eight teams that we, as a league, can be proud of and that will continue to give players an opportunity to play junior hockey at a high level with coaches that are second to none and have the players’ best interests in mind.

“The MWJHL is on solid ground and with these eight teams firmly in place and 100 percent committed to the league, I am looking forward to a very competitive season amongst all our member teams.”

The 2013-14 MWJHL schedule will be released shortly.

Teams continue to hold open skates and tryout camps and are actively getting players under contract for the 2013-14 season.

 (Nathan can be reached at nathanfournier@mainehockeyjournal.com)