What Hockey Team Is in Vermont? (Pro, College, Juniors)

In 1922, Vermont got its first high-level hockey team: the Middlebury Panthers men’s ice hockey team from Middlebury College.

Fast-forward over 100 years, and the Panthers still exist today!

Over the years, the Green Mountain State has had several high-level hockey teams and even one pro team despite being the second smallest state (645,000 people).

In this article, I’ll show you what hockey teams are in Vermont, what college and junior teams compete in the state, and what pro teams they’ve had over the years.

Pssssst! Are you curious about hockey teams in other U.S. states? You can learn more by checking out our other posts: What Hockey Team Is in Florida, What Hockey Team is in Wyoming, and What Hockey Team Is in Pennsylvania.

Let’s dive in.

Here’s What Hockey Teams Are In Vermont:

While Vermont doesn’t have an NHL team, its top team is the University of Vermont men’s ice hockey team, a D1 college hockey team in the NCAA. The top junior ice hockey team is the Vermont Lumberjacks of the Eastern Hockey League (EHL) Tier III.

Does Vermont Have a Hockey Team?

Wondering what Vermont’s top hockey team is?

Vermont only has a few high-level ice hockey teams. However, they don’t have an NHL team as it’s the second smallest state (645,000 people).

The top hockey team in Vermont is the University of Vermont men’s ice hockey team—a D1 college hockey team in the NCAA. The top junior ice hockey teams include the Vermont Lumberjacks of the Eastern Hockey League (EHL) Tier III.

Does Vermont Have an NHL Team?

So, will you find an NHL hockey team in Vermont?

Unfortunately, no. Vermont’s population is about 645,000 people (the second smallest population of any state) which is too small for an NHL team, let alone any major sports team.

Vermont has had one professional hockey team in its history that played in the Federal Hockey League (FHL) which is now the Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL).

What NHL Team Does Vermont Root For?

Vermont doesn’t have its own NHL team. However, The Green Mountain State still has an active NHL fanbase.

The most popular NHL team for Vermonters is the Boston Bruins. This is primarily because the Bruins (in Boston, MA) are very close geographically to Vermont and are the closest NHL team to the state.

The “runner-up” team would likely be the Montreal Canadiens.

What Hockey Teams Are in Vermont?

So, what hockey teams are in Vermont? The Green Mountain State has a few high-level hockey teams as seen below:

NHL

Vermont doesn’t have a team in the National Hockey League (NHL).

AHL

Vermont doesn’t have a team in the American Hockey League (AHL).

ECHL

Vermont doesn’t currently have a team in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL).

FPHL

Right below the SPHL is the Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL). This is a lower-level professional hockey league located in the eastern United States.

Vermont doesn’t currently have an FPHL team. However, they have had one in the past when the FPHL was the Federal Hockey League (FHL). For one season, in 2011, the Vermont Wild played out of the Green Mountain Arena in Morrisville, Vermont.

D1, D2, D3 College Hockey

Vermont has a few high-level college hockey teams running from D1 to D3. The state has a total of seven (D1, D2, D3) varsity college hockey teams that compete within the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA):

University of Vermont (NCAA Men’s D1)
Saint Michael’s College (NCAA Men’s D2)
University of Vermont (ACHA Men’s D2)
Norwich University (ACHA Men’s D2)
Castleton University (NCAA Men’s D3)
Middlebury College (NCAA Men’s D3)
Norwich University (NCAA Men’s D3)

Juniors

Vermont has a couple of junior ice hockey teams that play within the Eastern Hockey League (EHL):

Vermont Lumberjacks (EHL – Tier III)
Vermont Lumberjacks (EHLP – Tier III)

Vermont used to have another junior ice hockey team that played in Williston, Vermont. The Green Mountain Glades was a Tier III Junior A hockey team that played within the Eastern Junior Hockey League (EJHL) in the North Division between 2000 and 2017.

Is There High School Hockey in Vermont?

Yes, there’s high school hockey in Vermont. The top high school hockey league in Vermont includes twenty-three teams from across the state broken up into two divisions: D1 and D2.

Here are the eight teams in Division 1:

Division 1

Bellows Free Academy – St. Albans Bobwhites
Champlain Valley Union Redhawks
Colchester Lakers
Essex Hornets
Rice Memorial Green Knights
Rutland Raiders
South Burlington Wolves
Spaulding Crimson Tide

Here are the fifteen teams in Division 2:

Division 2

Brattleboro Colonels
Burlington Seahorses
Burr & Burton Bulldogs
Hartford Hurricanes
Harwood Union Highlanders
Lyndon Institute Tigers
Middlebury Union Tigers
Milton Yellowjackets
Missisquoi Valley Thunderbirds
Mt. Mansfield Cougars
Northfield Marauders
St. Johnsbury Academy Hilltoppers
Stowe Raiders
U-32 Raiders
Woodstock Wasps

Are you curious to know more about hockey in other states across the U.S.? Don’t forget to check out our other full guide: Hockey Teams in Every U.S. State: Complete NHL & College List (2023).