Connecticut Jr. Rangers
| Connecticut Jr. Rangers | |
|---|---|
| City | Stamford, Connecticut |
| League | United States Premier Hockey League Tier II (NCDC) Tier III (USPHL Premier) |
| Division | Atlantic |
| Founded | 2017 (Tier II) 1989 (Tier III) |
| Home arena | Chelsea Piers Connecticut |
| Colors | Blue, white, and red |
| Head coach | Jim Henkel (NCDC) Mike Stanaway (Premier) |
| Franchise history | |
| Tier III | |
| 1989–2014 | Connecticut Yankees |
| 2014–present | Connecticut Jr. Rangers |
| Tier II | |
| 2017–present | Connecticut Jr. Rangers |
The Connecticut Jr. Rangers are Tier III and Tier II junior ice hockey teams playing in the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL) in the Premier and National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC) divisions respectively. Both teams plays their home games at Chelsea Piers Connecticut.
History
[edit]In 2012, several teams decided to leave the Eastern Junior Hockey League and form their own league. The Connecticut Yankees, who had been in operation as an independent junior club since 1989, joined with the breakaway group and became founding members of the United States Premier Hockey League in 2013. In 2016, the league petitioned USA Hockey to begin sponsoring a separate Tier II league. In December, the USPHL petition was denied.[1] As a result, the USPHL left USA Hockey oversight and began operating their new division independently.[2] The second Connecticut Jr. Rangers team began that fall and both teams remain in operation (as of 2025).
USPHL Premier
[edit]The Connecticut Yankees played their inaugural season in the USPHL 2013–14, finishing last in the field of 9 teams. After reaching a deal with the New York Rangers, they rebranded as the Connecticut Jr. Rangers in 2014. The club had another poor season before making their first postseason appearance in 2015. After 4 years of middling records, the team declined after COVID-19 ended the 2020 postseason prematurely. It took a few years for the club to rebuild but, once they got back on track, they had a rapid ascent and peaked with their first league championship in 2024.
NCDC
[edit]The second iteration of the club began well, posting winning marks in each of its first three years and reaching the championship in its second season. After COVID, the club had not yet recovered, missing the postseason entirely in three of the succeeding five years.
Season-by-season records
[edit]USPHL Premier
[edit]| Season | GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | GF | GA | Regular Season Finish | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013–14 | 48 | 8 | 39 | 1 | 17 | 120 | 237 | 9th of 9 | Did not qualify |
| 2014–15 | 50 | 10 | 32 | 8 | 28 | 123 | 213 | 10th of 11 | Did not qualify |
| 2015–16 | 44 | 20 | 23 | 1 | 41 | 134 | 170 | 7th of 12 | Won Round 1, 3–1 vs. Portland Jr. Pirates Lost Round 2 series, 1–2 vs. Jersey Hitmen |
| 2016–17 | 45 | 19 | 20 | 6 | 44 | 133 | 142 | 5th of 10 | Lost Quarterfinal series, 1–2 vs. Syracuse Jr. Stars |
| 2017–18 | 44 | 15 | 25 | 4 | 34 | 155 | 203 | 7th of 9 Mid-Atlantic Div. t–34th of 44 USPHL |
Won Div. Quarterfinal series, 2–0 vs. Skipjacks Hockey Club Lost Div. Semifinal series, 0–2 vs. New Jersey Rockets |
| 2018–19 | 44 | 19 | 21 | 4 | 42 | 171 | 203 | 4th of 7, North East Div. 32nd of 54, USPHL |
Won Div. Quarterfinal series, 2–1 vs. Niagara Falls Thunder Lost Div. Semifinal series, 1–2 vs. Connecticut Nighthawks |
| 2019–20 | 44 | 21 | 21 | 2 | 44 | 175 | 168 | 3rd of 6, North East Div. t–32nd of 52, USPHL |
Won Div. Quarterfinal series, 2–0 vs. Connecticut Nighthawks Lost Div. Semifinal series, 0–2 vs. Springfield Pics |
| 2020–21 | 40 | 14 | 25 | 1 | 29 | 124 | 170 | 7th of 10, Mid Atlantic Div. 47th of 62, USPHL |
Did not qualify |
| 2021–22 | 44 | 11 | 32 | 1 | 23 | 107 | 191 | 7th of 7, Atlantic East Div. 57th of 64, USPHL |
Did not qualify |
| 2022–23 | 44 | 23 | 17 | 4 | 50 | 172 | 149 | 5th of 10, Mid Atlantic Div. t–34th of 71, USPHL |
Lost Div. Quarterfinal series, 1–2 Rockets Hockey Club |
| 2023–24 | 44 | 41 | 3 | 0 | 82 | 341 | 105 | 1st of 8, Atlantic Div. 1st of 61, USPHL |
Won Div. Quarterfinal series, 2–0 vs. Brooklyn Jr. Aviators Won Div. Semifinal series, 2–0 vs. Rockets Hockey Club Won Eigthfinal, 6–2 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights Won Quarterfinal, 2–0 vs. Charlotte Rush Won Semifinal, 5–2 vs. Metro Jets Development Program Won Championship, 5–4 (OT) vs. Islanders Hockey Club |
| 2024–25 | 44 | 31 | 9 | 1 | 66 | 213 | 127 | 1st of 11, Atlantic Div. 14th of 73, USPHL |
Lost Div. Quarterfinal series, 0–2 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights |
NCDC
[edit]| Season | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | Pts | GF | GA | Regular Season Finish | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017–18 | 50 | 27 | 20 | 3 | – | 57 | 174 | 155 | 5th of 11, USPHL | Won Quarterfinal series, 2–1 vs. South Shore Kings Lost Semifinal series, 0–2 vs. Islanders Hockey Club |
| 2018–19 | 50 | 30 | 17 | 1 | – | 63 | 178 | 148 | 3rd of 10, USPHL | Won Quarterfinal series, 2–0 vs. Syracuse Jr. Stars Won Semifinal series, 2–0 vs. Islanders Hockey Club Lost Championship series, 1–2 vs. Boston Jr. Bruins |
| 2019–20 | 50 | 27 | 14 | 9 | – | 63 | 168 | 141 | 3rd of 13, USPHL | Postseason cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2020–21 | 35 | 17 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 37 | 96 | 113 | 4th of 6, South Div. 7th of 13, USPHL |
Won Div. Quarterfinal series, 2–0 vs. Utica Jr. Comets Lost Div. Semifinal series, 0–2 vs. Jersey Hitmen |
| 2021–22 | 49 | 19 | 24 | 4 | 2 | 44 | 152 | 184 | 6th of 6, South Div. 12th of 13, USPHL |
Did not qualify |
| 2022–23 | 50 | 23 | 19 | 5 | 3 | 54 | 153 | 154 | 5th of 7, South Div. t–9th of 14, USPHL |
Did not qualify |
| 2023–24 | 52 | 22 | 27 | 3 | 0 | 47 | 147 | 164 | t–5th of 6, Atlantic Conf. t–14th of 18, USPHL |
Lost Conf. Qualifier, 2–6 vs. Jersey Hitmen |
| 2024–25 | 53 | 18 | 31 | 1 | 3 | 40 | 123 | 169 | 7th of 7, Atlantic Div. 17th of 22, USPHL |
Did not qualify |
References
[edit]- ^ "DAILY DISH: USPHL-NAHL Showdown? Yea Right". Junior Hockey News. December 5, 2016.
- ^ "USPHL Announces New Tuition Free Hockey Division for 2017-18 Season". Junior Hockey News. October 6, 2016.