The Central Hockey League (CHL) announced today the conference alignment for the 18 participating teams for the 2010-11 season as well as the dates of each team’s home openers this fall.  The Quad City Mallards will play their first ever Central Hockey League home game on Saturday night, October 16 at 7:00 p.m.

The new conference alignment will split the teams into two conferences of nine teams with the conference reflecting the geography of the north and south.  The Mallards will compete in the north along with three rivals with whom they battled in the International Hockey League last season: the Bloomington PrairieThunder, Dayton Gems and Fort Wayne Komets. 

In the very near future, the two conferences will be given names reflective of the histories of both the CHL and IHL and new trophies will be introduced for the conference champions, the regular season champions and the league champions.  The CHL announced on June 1 that they have affiliated with the International Hockey League (IHL) marking the 19th year of hockey for the CHL and the 60th year of professional hockey for the IHL.

“We are very excited about the divide between the two conferences and feel the balance and rivalries created will be great for all fans,” said Duane Lewis, CHL Commissioner.  “Followers of both the CHL and IHL will enjoy the introduction of new teams as opponents and the formation of new rivalries.”

The league’s Board of Governors has approved the following conference alignment for the 2010-11 season:
 
North
Bloomington PrairieThunder
Colorado Eagles
Dayton Gems
Evansville IceMen
Fort Wayne Komets
Missouri Mavericks
Quad City Mallards
Rapid City Rush
Wichita Thunder 

South
Allen Americans
Arizona Sundogs
Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
Laredo Bucks
Mississippi RiverKings
Odessa Jackalopes
Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees
Texas Brahmas
Tulsa Oilers
 
Opening night for the 19th CHL season will be Friday, October 15th when 12 teams will take the ice marking six home opening games.  Opening night hosts will be the Allen Americans, Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, Colorado Eagles, Missouri Mavericks, Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees and Tulsa Oilers.

The reigning Ray Miron Presidents’ Cup Champion Rapid City Rush will open their 2010-11 season on Saturday, October 23 and the team that hoisted the International Hockey League’s Turner Cup as the league champions, the Fort Wayne Komets, will open their home schedule on Saturday, October 16.

The dates of the home openers for the CHL’s clubs are:  

Allen Americans – Friday, October 15
Arizona Sundogs – Friday, October 22
Bloomington PrairieThunder – Friday, October 22
Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs – Friday, October 15
Colorado Eagles – Friday, October 15
Dayton Gems – Saturday, October 16
Evansville IceMen – Saturday, October 23
Fort Wayne Komets – Saturday, October 16
Laredo Bucks – Saturday, October 23
Mississippi RiverKings – Saturday, October 16
Missouri Mavericks – Friday, October 15
Odessa Jackalopes – Thursday, October 28
Quad City Mallards – Saturday, October 16
Rapid City Rush – Saturday, October 23
Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees – Friday, October 15
Texas Brahmas – Friday, October 22
Tulsa Oilers – Friday, October 15
Wichita Thunder – Saturday, October 16

The length and dates of the 2010-11 regular season along with the league’s playoff format will be announced later this week.