The ECHL gets ready for its 20th season

PRINCETON, N.J. – While most of the attention in the hockey world focuses on the start of the new NHL season, the ECHL quietly began opening training camps on October 3^rd in preparation of the leagues 20^th season. It’s hard to believe that not long ago the league began in 1988-89 with only five teams, yet here we are 20 years later with 23 teams spread out all across the United States and Canada. The league goes by the moniker of the ECHL, but the league use to be known as the East Coast Hockey League. Oddly enough, the American Hockey League is known as having more teams based on the east coast than the ECHL does. You would think one day the leagues might trade names rather than teams in the future. Still, both leagues are established as the AAA and AA leagues of professional hockey. One thing that both leagues have in common these days is the number of NHL affiliates. In the ECHL, only the Dayton Bombers and the Mississippi Sea Wolves are currently without an NHL affiliate. Some teams have more than one affiliate such as the reigning ECHL champion Cincinnati Cyclones (Nashville and Montreal), the Florida Everblades (Florida and Carolina), Johnstown Chiefs (Colorado and Columbus), and the Wheeling Nailers (Pittsburgh and Philadelphia). The Columbus Blue Jackets replace the Boston Bruins as the teams secondary affiliate this season. Boston will not have an ECHL affiliate this season. In fact, last season was the only season that Boston had an affiliation in the ECHL. The Buffalo Sabres have never had an ECHL affiliate in the team’s history. The Bakersfield Condors will go into this season with their first ever NHL affiliation. The Anaheim Ducks will hold that honor. In fact, the Ducks will also have a new AHL affiliate as well with the Iowa Chops, formerly known as the Iowa Stars. The Detroit Red Wings will not have an ECHL affiliate this season choosing to renew their affiliation with the Flint Generals of the IHL. The Red Wings were affiliated with the Toledo Storm in the ECHL, but Toledo will not

return to the league until next season when their new arena is completed. The team will also come back to the league with a new name, the Walleye, and new team colors. The Columbia Inferno will not be back in the ECHL this season, also awaiting a new arena as well. The Toronto Maple Leafs, who were affiliated with Columbia, will now be affiliated with the Reading Royals, who also have an affiliation with the Los Angeles Kings. The Texas Wildcatters have moved to Ontario, Ca., and will also be affiliated with the Kings. The Elmira Jackals enter their second season with the ECHL and have also changed their affiliation from the Columbus Blue Jackets to the Ottawa Senators. With Ottawa already having an AHL affiliation with the Binghamton Senators in the AHL, and because Elmira and Binghamton are an hours drive away from one another, the inevitable partnership made a ton of sense for everyone involved. Another change is the Fresno Falcons being affiliated this season with the Chicago Blackhawks. The Hawks did not have an ECHL affiliation last season due to the Greenville Grrrowl folding two seasons ago. Logistically the San Jose Sharks would have made since, but the Sharks will be affiliated with the Phoenix RoadRunners this season. While the ECHL has taken a small step back in terms of the number of teams it will have this season, the return of Columbia and Toledo, as well as the addition of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and Reno, Nevada will give the league more teams than ever before. With the growth of the league, and it’s working relationships with the AHL and NHL, the model that baseball has had for years with it’s minor league teams for player development will soon become a reality in professional hockey. For now, the ECHL is in good hands with it’s footing in AA hockey. The NHL is set to officially begin on October 9^th, the AHL begins its season on the 11^th, and the ECHL begins it’s 20^th season on the 17^th. Let the games begin. Contact the author at Brian.Jennings@prohockeynews.com