Kansas City currently has a professional hockey team, the Kansas City Mavericks. They represent the city’s ongoing presence in the sport and have established a dedicated fan base and consistent presence in the local sports landscape since their founding.
The Kansas City Mavericks: Today’s Team
The Kansas City Mavericks compete in the ECHL, the Premier “AA” hockey league in North America. This league serves as a developmental step for players aiming for higher levels of professional hockey. The Mavericks play their home games at the Cable Dahmer Arena, a 5,800-seat multi-purpose venue located in Independence, Missouri, a suburb of Kansas City.
The team maintains a direct affiliation with the National Hockey League’s Seattle Kraken, serving as their ECHL partner. This relationship means the Mavericks develop prospects for the Kraken organization. Players often move between Kansas City and the Kraken’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds. Beginning play in 2009, the Mavericks have become the longest-tenured, consecutively operating professional hockey team in the city’s history.
The Mavericks have demonstrated success on the ice, winning the Brabham Cup as ECHL regular-season champions twice, most recently in the 2023-24 season. That season also saw the team advance to the Kelly Cup Finals for the first time in club history. Their consistent performance has helped cultivate a loyal following, affectionately known as “Mavs Country.”
A Rich History of KC Hockey
Kansas City’s history with professional hockey extends back decades, featuring both major and minor league teams that preceded the Mavericks. The city’s first foray into the highest level of the sport came with the Kansas City Scouts, an expansion team that joined the National Hockey League (NHL) in 1974. The Scouts played their home games at the newly constructed Kemper Arena.
The team’s tenure was brief, lasting only two seasons (1974 to 1976) due to poor on-ice performance, low attendance, and financial difficulties. The franchise won only 27 of 160 games and struggled to sell season tickets. The Scouts ultimately relocated to Denver, becoming the Colorado Rockies, a franchise that later moved again to become the New Jersey Devils.
Following the Scouts, the city hosted the Kansas City Blades, a team that competed in the International Hockey League (IHL) from 1990 until 2001. The Blades were popular, winning the Turner Cup in their second season in 1992 and serving as a top farm club for the San Jose Sharks for a period. The Blades’ run ended when the IHL ceased operations in 2001.
The NHL Dream: Future Prospects
The possibility of Kansas City landing a second NHL franchise remains a topic of discussion, largely centered on the city’s modern downtown arena. The T-Mobile Center, which opened in 2007, is a major asset. It offers a hockey capacity of approximately 17,500 seats, which is sufficient for an NHL team, and its central location makes it a viable venue for a major league franchise.
Despite having a suitable arena, the city faces competition from other markets and challenges securing a dedicated ownership group. Local officials and prominent figures, including Mavericks owner Lamar Hunt Jr., have expressed interest in expansion or relocation, but a formal bid has not materialized. The city’s metropolitan area size and the presence of other major professional sports teams are favorable factors. However, the lack of a committed ownership group meeting the high financial requirements is a significant hurdle.
The NHL has not formally pursued expansion recently, but Kansas City is often mentioned as a city with interest, alongside others like Atlanta and Houston. The potential for an instant rivalry with the St. Louis Blues is a compelling factor for the league. A return to the NHL would require a perfect alignment of market conditions and financial backing.