USPHL Ousts Reaves Syndicate Amid Fallout From Casper Warbirds Turmoil

The United States Premier Hockey League has stripped control of the Casper Warbirds from their embattled ownership group following months of financial chaos, broken promises and unpaid bills tied to Chris and Rhea Reaves — operators of a sprawling, collapsing network of junior hockey franchises across North America.

The USPHL confirmed that the Warbirds, a Tier II junior team in the National Collegiate Development Conference, will be reassigned to new ownership in the coming days. League officials are also preparing to remove the Woodstock Slammers from the same group.

League sources and community members have described the Reaves’ operation as a “modern-day Bonnie and Clyde” act — without the glamour, the getaway car, or the charm. Instead, what’s left behind is a trail of unpaid bills, suspended operations, and frustrated players, parents and billet families from Wyoming to Ontario.

A hockey empire built on smoke and mirrors

According to multiple reports, the Reaves couple established a patchwork of limited-liability companies and short-term leases to give the appearance of significant financial backing. Those companies, however, were allegedly used to obtain control of multiple junior franchises across the U.S. and Canada without any meaningful hockey business experience.

Among the teams tied to the group are the Bold City Battalion, Burlington Beavers, Evansville Mariners, Dells Ducks, Casper Warbirds, and Presque Isle Frontiers. The Woodstock Slammers, still under Reaves control as of this week, are expected to be next in line for removal.

Of the 32 “pay-to-play” programs going dark this season, league insiders say the Reaves operation accounts for as many as 13 closures — including both of the league’s NCDC teams in Casper and Presque Isle, now in need of rebuilding.

Federal and local law enforcement agencies — including the FBI and, reportedly, the IRS and Canadian revenue authorities — have opened investigations into the couple’s activities.

Casper fallout and a broken promise

The turmoil in Casper began in early 2025, when Chris Reaves publicly announced plans to build a new hockey arena in the city. That declaration prompted local officials to scrutinize the existing lease at the Casper Ice Arena and eventually move to revoke it after repeated late rent payments.

After Reaves temporarily paid down arrears, the city allowed the Warbirds back into the facility — only for new financial disputes to surface weeks later. The USPHL later intervened to keep the team operational through the end of the season.

By late October 2025, the league had formally ended Reaves’ control, calling the situation “unsustainable” and confirming that new ownership will assume the franchise shortly.

A path forward for Casper hockey

The Warbirds’ removal from the Reaves portfolio marks a potential turning point for the city’s fledgling junior hockey program. Despite a difficult inaugural season — finishing 12-39-2 in 2024-25 — the club has built a modest following and a growing youth pipeline.

Local leaders say the focus now is on stability: getting the bills paid, restoring community trust, and ensuring players have a legitimate path for development.

As one longtime league official put it, “Casper deserves better than the circus it was dragged into. Now it’s time to rebuild from the ice up.”