Roller Hockey International (RHI) was a professional inline hockey league that operated in North America from 1993 to 1999. The league hoped to capitalize on the inline skating boom of the early 1990s.
League president Dennis Murphy had been involved in the establishment of the American Basketball Association, World Hockey Association and World TeamTennis. Key parts of its success were its stance on no guaranteed contracts.
Ultimately, after five seasons of play and a fading in the inline skating boom, RHI folded in 1998 with two of its franchises joining Major League Roller Hockey: the Buffalo Wings and its premier club, the Anaheim Bullfrogs.
RHI was revived in 1999, with a 10-team roster that included five holdovers that had played in RHI in 1997: the Anaheim Bullfrogs, Buffalo Wings, Minnesota Blue Ox, San Jose Rhinos and St.
On August 22, 1999 the St. Louis Vipers defeated the Bullfrogs 8-6 before 6,143 at the Pond to claim the league’s final championship. The league folded for good after the 1999 season.
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The St. Louis Vipers were resurrected in 2020 as an expansion team of the National Roller Hockey League, but the league cancelled their plans for the 2020 season soon afterward due to the COVID-19 pandemic and has not returned ever since, so the new St.
The Status and History of Professional Roller Hockey
The rules in the RHI were similar to but not identical to those of ice hockey. There were no blue lines and therefore no offside; however, there was still illegal clearing (icing) and a different version of offside-a player could skate over the red line before the puck; however, the player couldn't receive a pass over the line.
The puck itself was lighter, at 31⁄2 oz. and made of red plastic as opposed to a 51⁄2 oz. black rubber ice hockey puck. There were four 12-minute quarters opposed to the NHL's three 20-minute periods.
The playoffs followed a best-of-three series format; however, the third game was not a full 48 minute game. Instead it was just a regular 12-minute quarter called "the mini game".
There was also a call-in style stats, scores and interview hotline where fans could call in following games. In addition, several teams had their own radio or TV contracts.
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Roller Hockey International Teams
The Eastern Conference and Western Conference were created when RHI doubled in size to 24 teams in 1994 after its first series of expansion and realigned its teams into two conferences and four divisions.
From 1994 through 1996, the Eastern Conference was divided into the Atlantic Division and the Central Division, which were both successors to the Murphy Division. From 1994 through 1996, the Western Conference comprised teams divided into two divisions: Northwest Division and Pacific Division.
RHI Franchise List:
- Anaheim Bullfrogs
- Calgary Rad'z
- Connecticut Coasters
- Florida Hammerheads
- Los Angeles Blades
- Oakland Skates
- Portland Rage
- St. Louis Vipers
Murphy Cup Champions
- 1993 - Anaheim Bullfrogs def. St. Louis Vipers
- 1994 - Buffalo Stampede def. Portland Rage
- 1995 - San Jose Rhinos def. Montreal Roadrunners
- 1996 - Orlando Jackals def. Anaheim Bullfrogs
- 1997 - Anaheim Bullfrogs def. St. Louis Vipers
- 1999 - St. Louis Vipers def. Anaheim Bullfrogs
The Dallas Stallions
The Dallas Stallions were a professional roller hockey team based in Dallas, Texas, United States that played in Roller Hockey International.
In the Spring of 1999, the Dallas Stallions were announced as an expansion franchise for the struggling Roller Hockey International. The team was operated on a very small budget that allowed for almost no advertising.
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The head coach/GM was former NHL player Alan May. The team was made up from minor league ice hockey players. Training camp was held in the spring/summer of 1999 at Slapshot Inline Hockey arena in Arlington, TX.
The team attempted to make a splash by drafting CHL legend Doug Lawrence. Lawrence reportedly refused to play unless he was paid additional money "under the table". A deal was finally worked out and Lawrence played in three games with the team.
The season was largely unsuccessful on every front. The team struggled on the floor, and only a handful of fans attended each home game.
The Stallions quietly folded at the end of the season, and roller hockey began its decline as ice hockey grew rapidly in its popularity.
Dallas Stallions Details
- Formed: November 1991
- Disbanded: 1999
- First Game: July 1, 1993
- Last Game: August 22, 1999
- Seasons: 6
- States & Provinces: 23 (Alberta, AZ, British Columbia, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, IL, ME, MI, MN, MO, NJ, NV, NY, OK, Ontario, OR, PA, Quebec, TX, UT)