BILLINGS — The Billings Cattle Punchers announced Thursday that a lawsuit against the team has been resolved, clearing the way for the city's new Junior A hockey club to play its inaugural season in the North American Hockey League.
The Cattle Punchers made the announcement via its social media channels, posting on Facebook that "the team and the United States Premier Hockey League have amicably resolved their legal disputes. The Cattle Punchers will play their 2026-27 season as part of the NAHL Mountain division and look forward to welcoming fans to our first games in September."
The Cattle Punchers were originally set to play their first season in the National Collegiate Development Conference of the USPHL but announced in June that they had been approved to join the NAHL, along with teams from Idaho Falls, Idaho, Ogden, Utah, Grand Junction, Colo., and Pueblo, Colo.
The NAHL is sanctioned by USA Hockey while the USPHL is not. Both are classified at Tier II leagues.
The USPHL brought a lawsuit against the Cattle Punchers and the other teams later in June, alleging a breach of contract. The USPHL sought to prevent the teams from competing in the NAHL.
The USPHL estimated its damages at more than $1 million, and hinted that the NAHL might face its own legal action for interfering with contracts.
When reached by MTN Sports on Thursday, Cattle Punchers GM of Business Operations Patrick Greene declined to comment, except to say "we're very happy that this has been resolved and that we'll be playing in the North American Hockey League this season."
The Cattle Punchers will play the 2026-27 season at the new Signal Peak Energy Arena in Billings.
The city has prior history in the North American Hockey League. The Billings Bulls skated in the NAHL from 2003-06 before dropping to Tier III Junior A status.
Before that, the club competed in the Tier II America West Hockey League from 1998-03. The Bulls were an original franchise in the American Frontier Hockey League beginning in 1993.
The Cattle Punchers will play in the NAHL's newly formed Mountain division starting in the 2026-27 season. The team conducted its inaugural tryout camp Aug. 6-8.
