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

Wyoming is known as the smallest U.S. state (population), the homeplace of Yellowstone National Park, and… ice hockey?

Well, it’s hard for the state to be known for any sport since it’s so small (578,000 people). But, the Equality State has had several high-level hockey teams over the years.

In this article, I’ll show you what hockey teams are in Wyoming, 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 New Mexico, and What Hockey Team Is in Pennsylvania.

Let’s dive in.

Here’s What Hockey Teams Are In Wyoming:

While Wyoming doesn’t have an NHL team, its top hockey team is the University of Wyoming Men’s ice hockey team (a D2 college team in the ACHA) The top junior hockey teams include three Tier III teams: Yellowstone Quake, Sheridan Hawks, and Gillette Wild of the NA3HL.

Does Wyoming Have a Hockey Team?

Wondering what Wymoning’s top hockey team is?

Wyoming only has a few high-level ice hockey teams. However, the state doesn’t have an NHL team as it’s the smallest U.S. state (578,000 people).

The top hockey team in Wyoming is the University of Wyoming Men’s ice hockey team—a D2 college hockey team in the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA). The top junior ice hockey teams include the Gillette Wild, Sheridan Hawks, and the Yellowstone Quake of the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL), which are tier III junior teams.

Does Wyoming Have an NHL Team?

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

Unfortunately, no. Wyoming’s population is about 578,000 people (the second smallest population of any state) which is too small for an NHL team, let alone any major sports team.

Wyoming has never had a professional ice hockey team compete in the state (despite having a handful of varsity college and junior hockey teams).

What NHL Team Does Wyoming Root For?

Wyoming is the smallest state, so it’s a long way off from having its own NHL team, or any professional team. However, The Equality State still has an active NHL fanbase.

The most popular NHL team for Wyomingites is the Colorado Avalanche. This is primarily because the Avalanche (in Denver, CO) is the closest NHL team to the state.

The “runner-up” team would likely be the Arizona Coyotes or Vegas Golden Knights as they’re the second and third closest geographically to Wyoming. However, there’s even a Minnesota Wild fanbase in the state as well.

What Hockey Teams Are in Wyoming?

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

NHL

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

AHL

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

ECHL

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

D2 College Hockey

While Wyoming is better known for its junior hockey teams, it has one high-level college hockey team that competes within the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA): the University of Wyoming Men’s ice hockey team (D2).

Juniors

Wyoming has a couple of junior ice hockey teams that play within the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) and the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL) which are both Tier III junior leagues:

Gillette Wild (NA3HL – Tier III)
Sheridan Hawks (NA3HL – Tier III)
Yellowstone Quake (NA3HL – Tier III)
Rock Springs Prospectors (USPHL – Premier Tier III)

Wyoming used to have another junior ice hockey team that played in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The Cheyenne Stampede was a Tier III Junior A hockey team that played within the Western States Hockey League (WSHL) between 2011 and 2019.

Is There High School Hockey in Wyoming?

Yes, there’s high school hockey in Wyoming. High school hockey in Wyoming is run by the Wyoming Amateur Hockey Association (WAHA). The WAHA oversees all youth hockey in the state.

The WAHA is a sanctioned member of USA Hockey and includes over 3,000 members (split between youth hockey and high school hockey).

The WAHA’s high school hockey league is called the Wyoming Amateur Hockey League (WAHL) and includes thirteen teams from across the state broken up into two divisions: HS A and HS B.

Here are the five teams in the A Division:

Division 1

Gillette Varsity
Jackson Varsity
Casper Varsity
Douglas
Cheyenne

Here are the eight teams in the B Division:

Division 2

Jackson JV
Pinedale
Laramie
Sheridan
Yellowstone
Gillette JV
Rock Springs
Casper JV

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).