BREAKING NEWS FROM THE NAHL - TEAMS EXPECTED TO BE ADDED FROM NCDC NAHL Voting to Admit Teams from NCDC Mountain Division

An upcoming North American Hockey League vote is expected to formally approve the addition of several franchises currently competing in the National Collegiate Development Conference's Mountain Division.

Moving from the NCDC, what was a tuition-free league operating under the independent United States Premier Hockey League umbrella, marks a notable development for the USA Hockey sanctioned NAHL. Operating outside of USA Hockey's jurisdiction gave the NCDC certain operational freedoms over the years, such as different roster rules and import limits. However, the draw of the NAHL’s heavily scouted showcases, rigorous competition, and deeply established NCAA Division I pipelines ultimately proved more appealing for these ownership groups as they look to advance their players to the collegiate ranks.

This Mountain Division migration involves a mix of franchise relocations and sudden affiliation changes. The Pueblo Bulls highlight this transition. Rather than entering the NAHL as a brand new expansion team, Pueblo’s path to USA Hockey sanctioning is expected to come via the Midwest. League sources indicate that the Chippewa Steel are likely relocating to Colorado to become the NAHL iteration of the Bulls. This move effectively transfers an existing, established NAHL charter and its operational infrastructure directly to the Pueblo market, bypassing the usual expansion process.

Further north in Montana, the Billings market has seen a surprisingly rapid change of plans. Earlier this year, Billings was formally announced as the NCDC’s newest expansion franchise. However, the organization recently changed course. They abandoned the independent hockey route entirely, flipping their allegiance to officially launch as an NAHL franchise instead.

To guide the new organization through this transition, Billings hired Steve Haddon as head coach. Haddon is very familiar with the NAHL’s demanding travel schedule and physical style of play after spending two seasons behind the bench with the Colorado Grit. His recent Tier II coaching experience will be a major asset as Billings looks to build a competitive roster from scratch in a tough division.

The NAHL’s western expansion also sets the stage for a reunion of old rivals. The Ogden Mustangs and the Utah Outliers are both making the jump from the NCDC to the NAHL, bringing established fan bases and strong organizational histories with them to their new league. Both programs are former members of the defunct Western States Hockey League. By entering the NAHL, Ogden and Utah will once again find themselves sharing ice space and battling for division points with the El Paso Rhinos. During the late 2010s, El Paso, Ogden, and Utah were locked in a fierce, multi-year rivalry, routinely clashing for the WSHL’s Thorne Cup championship. That history will now continue under the USA Hockey Tier II banner, providing instant rivalries for the NAHL's realigned divisions.

While the NAHL expands its reach out West, it will lose a presence in upstate New York. In a separate development, the Rochester Jr. Americans are expected to go into dormancy for the upcoming 2026-27 season. Operating as a franchise that first took the ice during the 2023-24 season, the Jr. Americans have been a regular fixture in the league's eastern circuit for the last three years. Rochester’s pause in operations will leave a significant vacancy on the East Division schedule next year. The move has prompted immediate questions around the junior hockey community about the franchise's long-term future and the viability of their eventual return.