2022–23 USPHL Premier season

The 2022–23 USPHL Premier season was the 10th season of the Premier Division of the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL). The regular season ran from September 9, 2022 to March 5, 2023 with an unbalanced schedule. The Utah Outliers won the regular season championship. The Northern Cyclones defeated the Charlotte Rush 3–1 in the Championship game.

Member changes On October 13, 2021, the USPHL approved the addition of the Bakersfield Roughnecks to the Premier Division as an expansion franchise. Initial plans were for the team to be ready for the 2021-22 season, however, their founding was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They would instead begin play this season.

On March 11, the Columbia Infantry were announced as an expansion franchise for this season.

At the end of the month, the USPHL announced that they were removing the Philadelphia Hockey Club from all levels of the league. The team would later join the Eastern Hockey League.

On the same day, the USPHL replaced Philadelphia with an expansion team. The new club was the Idaho Falls Spud Kings and they would join with the other teams in the Mountain Division who were planning on a promotion to Tier II after this season.

One week later, on April 6, the USPHL added another team to the Premier Division in the form of the Battle Creek Kernals.

Two days later, the Nashville Spartans were also approved as an expansion franchise.

On May 5, 2022, the USPHL announced the addition of a further expansion team, the Minnesota Squatch.

On the same day, the USPHL added four teams (Bellingham Blazers, Rogue Valley Royals, Seattle Totems and Vernal Oilers) from the Western States Hockey League after that league's efforts at restarting post-COVID had failed. Additionally, the Rock Springs Prospectors were added as an expansion team to the newly-created Northwest Division.

During the summer, the USPHL removed the Jersey Whalers and Pittsburgh Vengeance from the league and both suspended operations. After the Lake Erie Bighorns failed to relocate to Jamestown, New York, that franchise also went dormant.

The Rum River Mallards relocated and became the Isanti Outlaws while the Detriut Fighting Irish relocated and became the Chicago Crush.

The Motor City Hockey Club rebranded as the Motor City Gamblers while the Provo Riverblades rebranded as the Provo Predators.

Just prior to the season, the Midwest Blackbirds were removed from the league.

On October 8, 2022, the Wooster Oilers were unable to participate in a scheduled game and forfeited. Five days later, the league expelled the Oilers who promptly dissolved.

Regular season

The standings at the end of the regular season were as follows:

Note: x = clinched playoff berth; y = clinched division title; z = clinched regular season title Standings Florida Division Team xy – Florida Eels 44366274254102 x – Atlanta Madhatters 442416452178147 x – Tampa Bay Juniors 442518151151146 x – Palm Beach Typhoon 442320147181180 Florida Jr. Blades 441922341139161 Columbia Infantry 441128527155260

Great Lakes Division Team xy – Toledo Cherokee 4438607625091 x – Metro Jets 4435817125272 x – Columbus Mavericks 441919644134143 x – Cincinnati Jr. Cyclones 4463621472275 Wooster Oilers 70700252

Mid-Atlantic Division Team xy – New York Aviators 44385177267120 x – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights 4435727221792 x – Utica Jr. Comets 443011363211132 x – Rockets Hockey Club 442910563188114 x – Connecticut Jr. Rangers 442317450172149 x – Hershey Cubs 441429129148226 x – Elmira Jr. Enforcers 441127628141227 x – P.A.L. Jr. Islanders 44835117105278 Buffalo Stampede 44736115110279 Jersey Hitmen 44737014102244

Midwest East Division Team xy – Fort Wayne Spacemen 44338169207120 x – Metro Jets Development Program 44281425813486 x – Motor City Gamblers 432613456199162 x – Chicago Cougars 442715256174120 x – Chicago Crush 441324733118184 x – Battle Creek Kernels 441132123103221 x – Decatur Blaze 440404474292

Midwest West Division Team xy – Hudson Havoc 4437617519459 x – Minnesota Squatch 442910563239165 x – Minnesota Moose 442815157186135 x – Wisconsin Rapids RiverKings 442319248159133 x – Minnesota Blue Ox 441922341146165 x – Steele County Blades 441922341136162 x – Isanti Outlaws 442033141149200 x – Dells Ducks 441229327116217 Minnesota Mullets 4473611589209

Mountain Division Team xyz – Utah Outliers 52435490255118 x – Ogden Mustangs 523513474260165 x – Pueblo Bulls 522425351195187 x – Northern Colorado Eagles 522325450183162 x – Idaho Falls Spud Kings 521929442162266 x – Provo Predators 521932139161227

New England Division Team x – Northern Cyclones 4436717318290 x – Islanders Hockey Club 4432846819090 x – Boston Junior Bruins 442914159157118 x – Boston Advantage 442318349154130 x – Springfield Pics 442319248144150 x – Bridgewater Bandits 442019545156159 x – Twin City Thunder 441624436129176 x – South Shore Kings 441426432103152 New Hampshire Junior Monarchs 443392894245

Northwet Division Team xy – Vernal Oilers 44345573284132 x – Seattle Totems 422514353196165 x – Rock Springs Prospectors 441527232145243 x – Rogue Valley Royals 431130224130250 Bellingham Blazers 44933220120228

Pacific Division Team xy – Fresno Monsters 46387177269129 x – Las Vegas Thunderbirds 46349371278148 x – Ontario Jr. Reign 463411169268154 x – San Diego Sabers 463311268212124 Bakersfield Roughnecks 451627234130211 Long Beach Shredders 46834420135281 Lake Tahoe Lakers 423372897276

Southeast Division Team xy – Charlotte Rush 44337470208101 x – Potomac Patriots 443210266198128 x – Richmond Generals 442913260166108 x – Carolina Jr. Hurricanes 442617153168140 Nashville Spartans 442517252177153 Hampton Roads Whalers 441720741134148

Premier Division playoffs Teams are reseeded after the quarterfinal rounds. Divisional Round Florida