RAPID CITY - Last week's announcement that two Central Hockey League teams would cease operations for the 2009-2010 season sent a ripple through the league, but Rapid City Rush officials expect both a strong upcoming season and a better future for minor league professional hockey.

The announcement that the New Mexico Scorpions would be inactive was somewhat expected, but the decision by the Oklahoma City Blazers to shutter after 17 years was a stunner.

"New Mexico wasn't such a shock. They have a beautiful building there in Rio Rancho, but it's so far from Albuquerque, and the development of housing there really didn't happen," said Tim Hill, Rush general manager.

Hill said scheduling problems between the Blazers and their venue at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, also home of the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder, apparently couldn't be resolved.

"I think what happened was they didn't get the dates they needed with the basketball team moving in. They tried to go back to their old arena and it just didn't work out," Hill said.

"Obviously (that's) something you never want to see, especially with a team like Oklahoma City with all that history and success. We had heard they were having problems with their lease agreement with the Ford Center, but it was a shock to the players and the CHL that it happened so suddenly," said Rush head coach Joe Ferras.

Ferras also lamented the darkening of the New Mexico franchise, where he made the transition from player to coach.

"It is a great city and facility, but unfortunately they are located a good 10 to 12 miles from Rio Rancho and they were hoping the housing boom would continue out that way, and it didn't," he said.

The announcement brings the total of 2008-2009 CHL teams that will be inactive during the upcoming season to three.

In June, the Rocky Mountain Rage announced plans to sit out the 2009-2010 season while getting a new ownership group in place and also renegotiating a new lease with an incoming management group at the Broomfield Events Center in Broomfield, Colo.

Inactive for a second year, but still a member of the league, will be the Austin Ice Bats, who are seeking a new venue in Texas or Louisiana.

Hill said the Rapid City Rush have a good bond with the city-owned Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.

"There's no reason for people to panic about us. We have a strong relationship with the city building and we're working together that way," Hill said."Some of these teams, when they got in, the leases they had were not that great, and now they're paying for it."

Hill said the CHL is not alone with announcements of teams ceasing operations.

In the past years, five East Coast Hockey League teams have shuttered, including the Phoenix Roadrunners, Dayton Bombers, Augusta Lynx, Fresno Falcons and Mississippi Sea Wolves.

In addition, two American Hockey League franchises, the Edmonton Road Runners and

the Iowa Chops, will not be active next season.

"Every market is experiencing that right now and that includes Phoenix in the NHL," Hill said. "The teams we have this year, we're going on with it, and I think it'll work very well."

In a statement posted on the league Web site, CHL commissioner Duane Lewis said no small effort was made to keep the New Mexico team on the ice.

"We, along with the Scorpions ownership group, have been working diligently for months trying to make it possible to play in Rio Rancho this season but our efforts fell short," Lewis said.

Lewis also said the Blazers' decision to cease operations came as a complete surprise for the league from a franchise that has annually been considered one of the best in all minor professional sports.

According to the league news release, the Blazers had been approached numerous times about rumors of a switch to the AAA American Hockey League (AHL) but had always denied such claims and had been working on a schedule for the upcoming season with the league. Additionally, they were involved on working on a lease in the Cox Center in order to play without conflict with the Ford Center.

"We feel hurt by this late notice and surprising announcement," Lewis said. "Many times as rumors had swirled about another league having interest in the market. We asked about their intentions, and repeatedly they refuted those claims. Representatives from our office have traveled to meet with team and city officials in Oklahoma City to assist and offer advice towards the Blazers' next lease, which turns out wasn't for a CHL team. This decision did not happen overnight, and to continue to work on the schedule and wait until July to inform us is disappointing. We feel for the Blazers staff and for the team's fans who are some of the best in hockey and who will lose their longtime and close rivals around the CHL."

A statement on the Blazers' Web site cited current economic conditions in the team's decision to close shop.

"Despite attempts to reorganize and streamline the operation, the substantial losses from running the team have led to this business decision. We have the most loyal fans of any team, anywhere, and we appreciate the unwavering support they have given the team for many years," said team owner Bob Funk Sr. "The Blazers organization has maintained its commitment to the fans for nine years. We've tried everything to make this model work and explored every available option. If there had been any other choice, we would not have made this decision."

The announcement ends 17 years of CHL hockey in Oklahoma City. The Blazers won league titles in 1996 and 2001.

All Blazers and Scorpions players become free agents effective immediately.

Therein lies the good news for remaining teams, including the Rapid City Rush.

"All of those players are free agents and they are coming off good years, so we will absolutely be looking at some of them," Ferras said.

Both Hill and Ferras expect the league to rebound with new teams and some of the now-dark

franchises coming back to life.

"We lost three teams and gained two. I think you'll see announcements of new teams coming into the league in the near future. There are more teams coming in that have good business models like we and the Colorado Eagles have," Hill said.

"We are still the strongest AA hockey business model and it works, but unfortunately with the economy, times are tough. We still have 15 strong teams and 12 of those 15 are playing in new facilities," Ferras said. "I think what will happen with New Mexico and Rocky Mountain is they will revamp the business side and come back strong next season or the year after that."