Professional
Overview
Professional hockey in Indiana has a long history dating all the way back to 1939 when the Indianapolis Capitals started playing out of the State Fairgrounds through the 1951-52 season. Since then, a number of professional teams and big time professional players including the "Great One," Wayne Gretzky have called Indiana home.
Currently, Indiana has two pro teams that play in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) and a new franchise in the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL).
The Indy Fuel - Playing out of the Coliseum at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis, the Fuel are affiliated with the Chicago Blackhawks and Rockford IceHogs organizations.
The Fort Wayne Komets - The Komets call the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana their home. They were most recently affiliated with the Colorado Avalanche until 2016.
The Evansville Thunderbolts -- The Thunderbolts make their Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) debut this season, becoming Indiana's third professional hockey franchise. The Ford Center in Evansville will serve as the team's home ice.
