Amarillo Rattlers

Western Professional Hockey League (1996-2001)
Central Hockey League (2001-2002)

Tombstone

Born: WPHL founding franchise
Re-Branded: June 19, 2002 (Amarillo Gorillas)

First Game: October 19, 1996 (L 4-2 @ El Paso Buzzards)
Last Game: March 17, 2002 (L 9-6 vs. Wichita Thunder)

WPHL Championships: None
Ray Miron President’s Cup Championships (CHL): None

Arena

Amarillo Civic Center

Marketing

Team Colors:

Ownership

Owners: Cliff Annable, et al.

Background

The Amarillo Rattlers were a low-level minor league hockey team that skated for six seasons during the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. The Rattlers were one of six founding members of the Western Professional Hockey League (WPHL) in 1996. The WPHL featured teams in Texas and New Mexico during its debut season and later added clubs in Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi.

The Rattlers were reliably terrible throughout their six-season run, failing to post a winning record or make the playoffs in any season.

Players

Center Chris Brooks (Amarillo ’96-’99) was the Rattlers all-time leading scorer with 93 goals and 122 assists over three seasons.

Only four men who played for Amarillo between 1996 and 2002 ever saw action in the National Hockey League. All four played in the NHL before arriving in Amarillo – the WPHL wasn’t exactly a big prospect league. 36-year old center Todd Bidner, who appeared in just 6 games with the Rattlers during the 1997-98 season, saw the most NHL action. His 16 games in the senior circuit came a full 16 years earlier with the 1981-82 Washington Capitals. Amarillo’s primary goaltender during its first two WPHL seasons was Matt DelGuidice, who played 11 games in net for the Boston Bruins in the early 90’s.

Rattlers to Gorillas

Following the 2000-01 season, the Central Hockey League absorbed the WPHL. The Rattlers played one final season in the CHL during the winter of 2001-02.

The team changed hands in 2002 and launched a community Name-The-Team contest to re-brand the team. In June 2002, the Rattlers became the Amarillo Gorillas. The Gorillas played eight more seasons in the CHL before folding in 2010. The CHL closed its doors in 2014 after 22 seasons.