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CHL Spring Conference Brings Changes; SteelHounds Remain in Northeast Division

June 6, 2006 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Youngstown SteelHounds News Release


YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO - The Central Hockey League announced several key operational changes today including an adjustment to its two-conference, four-division format. The conference realignment will not affect the SteelHounds positioning, as the team will remain in the Northeast division of the Northern Conference.

The adjustment, as ratified by the Board of Governors, was discussed last week at the CHL's spring conference in Phoenix, Arizona. The board was forced to rearrange the league's divisions due to the addition of two new franchises, the Arizona Sundogs and the Rocky Mountain Rage, the re-insertion of the New Mexico Scorpions after a year voluntary suspension and the loss of the Fort Worth Brahmas, which cancelled operations indefinitely immediately following the 2005-06 season.

The new conference alignment is as follows:

Northern Conference:

Northeast: Bossier-Shreveport, Memphis, Tulsa, STEELHOUNDS

Northwest: Colorado, Oklahoma City, Rocky Mountain, Wichita

Southern Conference:

Southeast: Austin, Corpus Christi, Laredo, Rio Grande Valley

Southwest: Amarillo, Arizona, Lubbock, New Mexico, Odessa

In addition to the divisional switches, the following changes were also approved:

- The league altered its Veteran Rule confirming all players with more than 280 professional games played are considered veterans. This is up from the previous requirement of 260 games. Each team is still required to have five developmental players (128 or less played professional games) on its roster and is allowed a maximum of four veterans.

- Player compensation regulations were tweaked resulting in an increase of $1,500 per week for up to an 18 man roster. Last season's weekly cap was $8,500 while this season the high end of the salary cap will be $10,000.

- The CHL's playoff format received an overhaul as 12 teams (six from each conference) will qualify for the 2006-07 playoffs, up from an eight team playoff format last season. Each of the four division winners will automatically be seeded first or second in their respective conference, with the next four teams with the highest point totals in each conference also qualifying, regardless of division. In addition, all four rounds will be best of seven game series. For more information on the recent playoff format changes visit the CHL's web site at www.centralhockeyleague.com.



Central Hockey League Stories from June 6, 2006


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