I have a question

[Jackals_14_16]

my question is this: i know there is the UHL. but what comes after that? and so on? like when they move up, what is the order? i thought then it went AHL and then NHL but im prob. wrong haha. plz help! :)

[REVVED]

League-Baseball concept
NHL-Major League
AHL-AAA
ECHL-Top AA; UHL-AA, CHL-AA
SEHL & WHA2-Lower AA
NEHL-A
IIHL-Forget it :lol:
Junior A (USHL, OHL, QMJHL, etc.)
Junior B (CEHL, CSHL, etc.)

[patmc16]

Since there is not a formal structure to minor league hockey like there is for minor league baseball, the answer is probably more subjective than you would think. For what its worth the way I have seen it for the 5 years or so that I have paid attention (using the baseball designations) is as follows:

AAA - AHL. The IHL was too, before it folded.

AA - ECHL.

A - Everyone else -> CHL, UHL, SEHL, WHA2, & NEHL. Also the defunct leagues: WPHL, WCHL, & ACHL.

Now, to contradict what I just listed and support REVVED's version, your UHL Elmira Jackals are affiliated with the AHL Syracuse Crunch, who are affiliated with the Columbus Blue Jackets (Skipping past the ECHL). This would suggest the UHL is "AA". Affiliations are much more "loose" than in baseball, however, so I question if this is a good way to gage level, especially at the lower level. There are many unaffiliated teams at what I liasted as the "A" level. The "AA" ECHL has many affiliations with the "AAA" AHL and some NHL. All of the AHL teams have at least one NHL affiliation.

Teams also bounce between leagues at different levels, which clouds the issue further. For example, the Long Beach Ice Dogs were once in the IHL (AAA), then moved to the WCHL (A?), and are now in the ECHL (AA). The Flint Generals & Fort Wayne Komets went from the IHL (AAA) to the UHL (A?). The Peoria Rivermen went from the IHL to the ECHL. The Indianapolis Ice went from the IHL to the CHL. The WPHL Topeka Scarecrows even dropped down into the AWHL junior league for a season or 2.

Bottom line, unless there is ever a formal structure, different people will proabably have different answers to this question.

Junior hockey does have an official structure in the US and in Canada. You can see it here:

http://www.usajuniorhockey.com/jrleagues.asp