SPHL Logo Map

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As its name would suggest, the pint-sized, 8-team Southern Professional Hockey League lives entirely in the southeastern United States. And, if I may say, the SPHL has some of the most wretched nicknames and logos in all of pro and junior hockey. FireAntz? Havoc? And I've never felt so much contempt for a logo as I do for the Pensacola Ice Flyers.

But I digress.

The Augusta River Hawks are the newest addition to the league and will begin play in the fall. Their location made me take note of something. I don't know what it is about this league — perhaps the small market nature — but it seems none of the SPHL's cities are far from a state border. Both Augusta and Columbus sit right on the edge of Georgia. Pensacola is practically on the Alabama line while the Surge and IceGators are nearly in the Gulf of Mexico. Fayetteville, N.C. is actually the farthest from a state boundary. Just an odd observation.

Thinking the USHL probably set to go next. And at some point, maybe Heritage Maps for the old IHL and other minor leagues. Certainly the WHA.