Sunshine Hockey League
The Sunshine Hockey League (SuHL) was a low-minors professional ice hockey league which operated from 1992 to 1995. The league was based in Florida and consisted of five teams in its inaugural 1992-93 season.
The St. Petersburg Renegades joined the league after the season had already begun. In the 1993 final, the West Palm Beach Blaze defeated the Jacksonville Bullets for the Sunshine Cup.
The 1993-–94 season saw the St. Petersburg Renegades franchise fold mainly because of the team's proximity to the National Hockey League's (NHL) Tampa Bay Lightning. The team was losing the battle for fan support, as an average of 889 people attended their games.
In its final season, the league included the Fresno Falcons. This was an unusual addition, since all of the teams in the Sunshine Hockey League were based in Florida and the Falcons' home ice was located in California. Fresno played 16 games that season and was not included in postseason play.
Goaltender Kelly Dyer, one of five females to ever play professional hockey in North America, played in the SuHL with the West Palm Beach Blaze from 1993 to 1995. In 3 seasons with the team, she made 15 appearances, went 4-0-0 with a 6.75 GAA.
In 1995, the league expanded outside of Florida and changed its name to the Southern Hockey League.
Teams
- Daytona Beach Sun Devils
- Fresno Falcons
- Jacksonville Bullets
- Lakeland Ice Warriors
- St. Petersburg Renegades
- West Palm Beach Blaze
League Results
| Regular Season Champions | Sunshine Cup Champions | Runner-up | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992-93: | West Palm Beach Blaze (38-6-0-1) | West Palm Beach Blaze (3-0) | Jacksonville Bullets (0-3) | |
| 1993-94: | West Palm Beach Blaze (37-14-0-3) | West Palm Beach Blaze (3-0) | Jacksonville Bullets (0-3) | |
| 1994-95: | West Palm Beach Blaze (38-15-0-4) | West Palm Beach Blaze (3-0) | Jacksonville Bullets (0-3) |
League leaders
| Season | Goals | Assists | Points | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992-93 | Scott Garrow, WPB (41) | Scott Garrow, WPB (41) | Scott Garrow, WPB (86) | Mark Dearborn, LKL (167) |
| 1993-94 | Joe Musa, JAX (45) | Joe Musa, JAX (55) | Joe Musa, JAX (100) | Mats Larson, JAX (230) |
| 1994-95 | Joe Musa, JAX (40) | Craig Teeple, DB (61) | Roman Hubalek, WePB (95) | Mats Larson, JAX (335) |