USHL vs. NAHL

The USHL is considered the USA's premier junior league correct? How does the NAHL hold up? I was just reading how Rob Blake is a co-owner of an NAHL team, so I checked out the league website, and I had no idea the league had so many teams? I thought they were just a Mid-West based league but they have a team in Fairbanks? How is the attendance?

Lastly, have there ever been any talks about merging the 2 leagues? That would make up for a big, legitimate US junior league.

 

The USHL and NAHL used to be very similar in quality. However, over the last two years the USHL has made significant improvements, some coming at the expense of the NAHL.

Before last season, a number of the top NAHL franchises folded (Compuware Ambassadors, Chcago Freeze) or moved to the USHL (Danville Wings, now known as the Indiana Ice). A lot of players that would have gone to these teams and played in the NAHL decided to go to the USHL.

After this happend, the NAHL agreed to a merger with the AWHL (America West Hockey League), a league that had traditionally been considered much weaker than the other US Junior A leagues. Only four or five teams from the original NAHL are in the league today.

I doubt the two leagues would ever merge as most of the teams in the NAHL probably couldn't meet the Tier I standards that the USHL requires. It is possible that a team like the Texas Tornados could leave the NAHL to join the USHL at some point.

You can find the attendance figures for this season here.

 

The USHL has gotten better over the past couple years but the NAHL is as good as the USHL in its top 2 lines but then it drops off. The USHL has more depth and better goalies and of course better top studs but NAHL is good hockey to watch.

 

I tried out for numerous NAHL teams this year to be seen, and I could've played for the Youngstown Phantoms....but it was just to much $ in the end. I would say the USHL has seperated its self from the NAHL and is definitely the premiere junior league of the States.

 

Ah, I knew I was right in thinking that the NAHL wasn't as large of a league in prior years. Thanks a bunch Cagney, your post was extremely helpful.

X-Sharkie, so we're not gonna get to buy a Geiss jersey? Also, I'm not too clear on the whole process, the player needs to pay the NAHL team to play?