A NEW MAP FOR A GROWING LEAGUE: 2026-27 Conference and Division Alignment

Introducing Eastern and Western Conferences with Atlantic, Great Lakes, Delta and Frontier divisions across our expanded 17-team league

 

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – The map has changed! Today, we are unveiling a new conference and division structure designed for our expanded 17-team footprint and the next stage of growth for the Federal Prospects Hockey League.

Beginning with the 2026-27 season, we are moving from our previous two-division format to a new structure featuring:

Two conferences. Four divisions. Seventeen teams.

Our Eastern Conference will include the Atlantic and Great Lakes divisions, while our Western Conference will include the Delta and Frontier divisions.

Every team will now carry both a conference and division identity. This gives our fans four distinct division races, two broader conference stories and a clearer competitive map to follow throughout the season.

More than a realignment for one season, this new map establishes a competitive framework designed to grow with us.

“Moving from two divisions to two conferences and four divisions gives our growing league a structure that better reflects where our teams are located today,” said Ken Andrews, FPHL Board of Governors Representative. “It creates clearer competitive identities, stronger regional storylines and a framework built not only for the league we are now, but for where the FPHL is going next.”

We developed the alignment through extensive Board of Governors review, team input and League Office coordination. Geography, travel practicality, regional relationships, competition and the fan experience were considered together as one connected part of our 2026-27 season platform.

 

 


Our eight-team Eastern Conference brings together the Atlantic and Great Lakes divisions. The alignment preserves several familiar regional relationships while creating two more focused division races.

 

  • Binghamton Black Bears 
  • Danbury Hat Tricks 
  • Blue Ridge Bobcats 
  • Twin City Thunderbirds 

 

In the Atlantic Division, we are keeping Binghamton and Danbury together while bringing Blue Ridge and Twin City into a four-team race spanning New York, Connecticut, Virginia and North Carolina.

The Atlantic combines familiar opponents, established hockey markets and developing regional relationships that we expect to produce compelling storylines throughout the season.

 

  • Indiana Sentinels 
  • Motor City Rockers 
  • Port Huron Prowlers 
  • Watertown Wolves 

Our Great Lakes Division creates a regional core centered around Indiana, Michigan and northern New York.

The return of Motor City places the Rockers alongside Indiana and Port Huron, while Watertown completes a four-team division with strong geographic and competitive connections.

 

Our nine-team Western Conference includes the Delta and Frontier divisions, extending from the Southeast and Mississippi River region through the Midwest and into California.

 

  • Mid-South Monarchs 
  • Monroe Moccasins 
  • Baton Rouge HC
  • Columbus River Dragons 

 

In the Delta Division, we are bringing together four teams with strong southern and regional connections.

Mid-South, Monroe, Baton Rouge and Columbus will compete in a clearly identifiable division race that preserves several existing relationships while creating a distinct competitive identity within the Western Conference.

 

  • Minnesota Northern Lights 
  • Topeka Scarecrows 
  • Fresno Falcons 
  • Stockton Thunder 
  • Oceanside HC

 

Our five-team Frontier Division reflects the continued growth and breadth of our western footprint.

We have grouped our three California markets – Fresno, Stockton and Oceanside – with Minnesota and Topeka to create a division stretching from the Upper Midwest and Plains to the Pacific Coast.

The Topeka Scarecrows specifically welcomed the opportunity to compete against our California clubs. During the scheduling process, Topeka asked us to build matchups with Fresno, Stockton and Oceanside into its schedule wherever practical.

We considered that request alongside arena availability, travel windows, operational needs and leaguewide fairness before approving the final schedule. Topeka’s enthusiasm for this new competition is reflected in that schedule, which we will release in full on Friday.

The Frontier will be our only five-team division. The Atlantic, Great Lakes and Delta divisions will each contain four teams.

 

 

Four Division Races. Two Conference Stories.

With this new structure, we are giving fans two levels of competition to follow.

Each team will compete within its immediate division race while also carrying a broader Eastern or Western Conference identity. The Atlantic, Great Lakes, Delta and Frontier names provide clear geographic identities that fans can recognize and follow throughout the season.

The new structure gives us and our teams more opportunities to build meaningful season-long stories around:

  • Division positioning and emerging rivalries 
  • Eastern and Western Conference performance 
  • Familiar regional matchups 
  • New competitive relationships 
  • The race for the postseason 

Our divisions create the competitive framework, but they will not limit teams to playing only opponents from within their own division. When we release the complete regular-season schedule on Friday, fans will see how divisional, inter-division and inter-conference matchups come together across the 2026–27 season.

 

Built for Today… Ready for What’s Next.

For the FPHL, this is much more than a change in division names.

The 2026-27 season represents an important step in the continued growth of the league. Our new two-conference, four-division structure is designed to fit our 17-team footprint today while establishing a flexible foundation for the next stage of the league’s development.

Our previous two-division model placed every team directly into one of two large groups. By introducing Eastern and Western Conferences and four more focused divisions, we are creating clearer regional identities, more meaningful competitive races and a framework that can evolve as our league continues to grow.

While the alignment announced today is specifically designed for the 2026-27 season, the broader conference-and-division model gives us the flexibility to adapt as our footprint changes in the years ahead. It sets the stage for future growth while giving fans an easy-to-follow competitive structure right now.

We also considered travel cost and practicality throughout the planning process. Our goal was to create meaningful geographic and competitive identities while preserving the flexibility needed to manage a national footprint responsibly and limit unnecessary travel expense.

Friday’s complete schedule release will provide a clearer picture of how we have balanced division matchups, inter-division play, arena availability and long-distance travel. After fans have had an opportunity to see the full schedule, we will provide a more detailed look at the planning behind it.

 

The Postseason Race Starts Here

Our four new divisions will also become the foundation of an expanded 2026-27 postseason race.

The expanded playoff field will give more teams an opportunity to compete in postseason hockey, keep more clubs in the championship hunt and increase the importance of positioning within each division.

On Thursday, July 23, we will announce how teams qualify for the playoffs. Additional postseason format details will be released separately at a later date.

 

What Comes Next?

Our conference and division map is now official, but we are not finished revealing the 2026-27 season.

  • Wednesday, July 22: We will explain how every result counts in the standings.
  • Thursday, July 23: We will announce how teams qualify for the postseason.
  • Friday, July 24: We will release the complete 2026-27 regular-season schedule.

 

We encourage fans to follow @TheFPHL and the official social channels of all 17 teams throughout the week. We’ll be looking for your social posts:

Where does your team fit?... Which division race are you most excited to watch?

For more information, visit federalhockey.com and follow us at @TheFPHL.

 

About the FPHL
The Federal Prospects Hockey League is a professional single-A minor hockey league with member clubs across the United States. The FPHL is committed to growing the game, developing players and supporting professional hockey in passionate local communities.  The league will be entering its 17th season in 2026-27.