Junior hockey team the Traverse City Hounds are reviving a popular former name, changing back to the Traverse City North Stars as of the 2016-17 season.

It's been four years since the North Stars name has been used for junior hockey locally. Former North Stars teams played in the North American Hockey League from 2005 to 2012. The team then took a year's hiatus, and came back as the TC Hounds in 2013, and moved to the U.S. Premier Hockey League in 2015. The home team for Centre ICE Arena will now play as the TC North Stars, but will remain in the U.S. Premier Hockey League. Additionally, all travel teams in Traverse City, from Squirts on up, will now be the North Stars.

“With all of the travel teams on up to junior teams being one name, that shows our commitment to growing the game in this area,” says North Stars Owner-GM Scott Gardiner. “It also brings back some great memories for myself when we played in the NAHL, and we feel we can build on what we learned way back when to make the North Stars brand bigger and better here.”

Next up for the North Stars is the main hockey camp at Centre ICE on August 5-6, which is free to all players.