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The ECHL announced on Thursday its preseason schedule of 18 games taking place from Thursday, October 8 through Sunday, October 11. The Premier ‘AA’ Hockey League will open its 39th season on Friday, Oct. 16 with eight games. Opening Weekend continues with 14 games on Saturday, Oct. 17 before concluding with five games on Sunday, Oct. 18. The third-longest tenured professional hockey league behind only the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League, the 2025-26 ECHL season features 30 teams in 23 states and one Canadian province playing 1,080 games from Oct. 16, 2026 to April 11, 2027. 2026 … Continue reading →

WHEELING, W.Va. – The Wheeling Nailers announced the team has signed forward Zach Bannister to a contract for the 2026-27 season. Bannister is set to begin his third full season in the ECHL, and the Nailers become his sixth team. The 27-year-old began his professional career in the spring of 2024, following the conclusion of his collegiate playing career. He distributed one assist in two games with the Norfolk Admirals, before joining the Adirondack Thunder that summer. Bannister split his rookie season between Adirondack and Indy, then played the majority of last season with the Reading Royals. Last season was … Continue reading →

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Greensboro Gargoyles, ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes and the American Hockey League’s Chicago Wolves, announced that the team has signed forwards Ryan Hughes, Chase Lefebvre and Markus Oden to contracts for the 2026-27 season. Hughes, 27, will enter his first professional season in North America after playing the last three seasons overseas. Most recently, he represented was with the Rødovre Mighty Bulls in Denmark’s Metal Ligaen, the top tier of Danish professional hockey. Hughes appeared in 47 games, registering 31 points (9g-22a). The Edmonton, Alberta native previously spent two seasons in the … Continue reading →

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Solar Bears, ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Tampa Bay Lightning, announced the club has re-signed defenseman Xavier Lapointe to a contract for the 2026-27 season. Lapointe, 24, rejoins the Solar Bears after joining the team following the completion of his collegiate career at Rochester Institute of Technology. He recorded two goals and six penalty minutes in eight games. The Saint-Jerome, Quebec, Canada native appeared in 100 games over four seasons at RIT, scoring 36 points (10g-26a) and adding 105 penalty minutes. Prior to his collegiate career, Lapointe suited up for the Flin Flon Bombers of … Continue reading →

NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk Admirals announced that they have re-signed forward Brody Crane to a contract for the 2026-27 season. Crane enters his third season of professional hockey and second with the Admirals. He suited up for 28 games in Norfolk in 2025-26, recording 19 points (9g-10a). He was acquiored on Jan. 13 from the Jacksonville Icemen to complete a trade for forward David Jankowski. Crane played in 93 games across a season and a half with the Icemen, scoring 37 points (18g-19a). The Union, Ontario native spent five seasons in the Ontario Hockey League with the London Knights, Niagara IceDogs and Guelph … Continue reading →