"This is a league for the masses and not the classes."
---Richard Adler, president of the Atlanta Knights, on the IHL

The Atlanta Knights played in the International Hockey League, which existed from 1946 until its collapse and partial absorption into the American Hockey League in 2001.

Teams of the IHL

The member teams of the IHL changed every season during the Knights' four years.  Teams moved up, down, or out of the minor league hockey system. In its last season of existence, the IHL required that new markets have at least 1 million residents (a requirement waived for sports-mad Grand Rapids, Michigan's Griffins expansion team). The IHL had a limited strategic partnership with the NBA, and some IHL owners were part owners of NBA teams and/or their arenas (for example, the owners of the Detroit Vipers also owned the NBA Detroit Pistons).

Click on a team name below for more information about the team.

Milwaukee Admirals | Houston Aeros | Kansas City Blades | Cincinnati Cyclones
Salt Lake Golden Eagles | Denver/Utah Grizzlies
San Diego Gulls/Los Angeles Ice Dogs | Indianapolis Ice
Fort Wayne Komets | Kalamazoo Wings/Michigan K-Wings | Cleveland Lumberjacks
Minnesota Moose | Peoria Rivermen | Phoenix Roadrunners
Orlando Solar Bears | Las Vegas Thunder | Detroit Vipers
Russian Penguins | Soviet Wings