CHL Central Hockey League

Central Hockey League Welcomes Team in Allen, Texas

Published on April 15, 2009 under Central Hockey League (CHL) News Release


The Central Hockey League (CHL) is pleased to announce the addition of an Allen, Texas franchise for the 2009-10 season, following approval from the Allen City Council on the team's lease with the new Allen Event Center. Ownership of the CHL team has been awarded to Top Shelf, LLC whose local presence in the city of Allen and its surrounding regions was most attractive to the CHL's Board of Directors and CHL Commissioner Duane Lewis.

"We are extremely pleased to welcome the City of Allen and the members of Top Shelf, LLC to the Central Hockey League," said Lewis. "The location of the team along with the area's demographics and the superb new facility combined with outstanding ownership will make the Allen group one of the top CHL organizations."

The principal owners and operators of Top Shelf, LLC are Douglas H. Miller and former NHL star Steve Duchesne.

Miller is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of EXCO Resources, Inc. and has been a major contributor to youth hockey in the Dallas area for the past 17 years. His financial contributions have significantly impacted the growth and development of hockey and hockey players in Dallas and he is a main reason for the reputation 'Dallas Hockey' has globally.

Duchesne is a former NHL defenseman who played in 1,113 career games in the NHL over 17 seasons. The high-scoring defenseman ranks 17th on the NHL's all-time defensemen scoring list and has won a Stanley Cup Ring with the Detroit Red Wings in 2002. Since moving to Dallas, he has been very active in the youth hockey community and was a coach for the Dallas Stars Midget AAA Hockey club in 2007.

"We are excited about the opportunity to be part of this outstanding community and the Allen Event Center," said Duchesne, Owner/President of Top Shelf LLC. "We are committed to enhancing the quality of life for Allen and the surrounding communities and to providing a quality product both on and off the ice."

The team will become the eighth active franchise in the state of Texas and will call the new state-of-the-art Allen Event Center home. The new building will seat 6,235 fans for hockey and is currently under construction with an opening planned for November 2009. Also announced on Wednesday is an affiliation between the CHL team in Allen and the National Hockey League's Dallas Stars to develop young players for the NHL team.

'We believe that given the hockey experience the Top Shelf organization brings to the CHL, an affiliation with them will be strategic as one of the spokes of that player development strategy," said Jeff Cogen, President of the Dallas Stars. "We wish them great success in the undertaking, and look forward to working with them in developing future NHL Dallas Stars."

"With the construction of the Allen Event Center speeding toward completion, it is exciting to make this team announcement," said Stephen Terrell, Mayor of the City of Allen. "The Allen team will benefit by an ownership group with deep ties to the area community and the sport of hockey. Further, the affiliation with the Dallas Stars is another perk that will work to benefit the start-up of our minor league hockey team." Temporary offices have been set up for the team just adjacent to the event center in the new Village at Allen development and permanent offices for the hockey club will eventually be located on site at the facility. The team has set up a temporary site at http://www.allenprohockey.com/.

More information about the new Allen Event Center can be found at www.thealleneventcenter.com.

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Central Hockey League Stories from April 15, 2009


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