Back World Hockey Association 2 German World Hockey Association 2 Finnish World Hockey Association 2 French
 | |
| Sport | Ice hockey |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2003 |
| Ceased | 2004 |
| Commissioner | David Waronker |
| No. of teams | 6 |
| Last champion(s) | Jacksonville Barracudas |
The World Hockey Association 2 was a minor professional ice hockey league[1] created at the instigation of the organizers of the proposed recreated World Hockey Association to serve as its development league. The WHA2 teams — some of which had played the 2002–03 season in the Atlantic Coast Hockey League — were all in the southeastern United States. David Waronker was the league's founder[2] and also served as the league's commissioner.[3]
The WHA2 operated in the 2003–04 season only, after which (due to a falling-out with the parent organization) it was served a cease-and-desist from the WHA and ceased operations. David Waronker was credited with both the founding and collapse of the league. In addition he owned or co-owned all of the teams in the league. Its surviving teams merged with survivors of the South East Hockey League to form the Southern Professional Hockey League for the 2004–2005 season.
The Jacksonville Barracudas won the WHA2's first and only President's Cup. Jacksonville also hosted the first and only WHA2 All-Star Game.
- ^ Scott, Jon C. (2006). Hockey Night in Dixie: Minor Pro Hockey in the American South. Heritage House Publishing Company Ltd. p. x. ISBN 1-894974-21-2.
- ^ Friedlander, Brett (April 23, 2003). "Leagues continue power struggle". The Fayetteville Observer. Fayetteville, N.C. Retrieved September 19, 2011.
- ^ Skolnick, Ethan J. (March 7, 2004). "Minor-leaguers to finish season on road". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Fort Lauderdale, Fla. p. 18.C. Archived from the original on November 6, 2012. Retrieved September 19, 2011.