The ECHL is a professional hockey minor league based in the United States and Canada, generally regarded as a tier below the American Hockey League.
The league, which combined teams from the defunct Atlantic Coast Hockey League and All-American Hockey League, began play as the East Coast Hockey League in 1988 with 5 teams, the Carolina Thunderbirds (now the Wheeling Nailers), the Erie Panthers (now the Victoria Salmon Kings), the Johnstown Chiefs, the Knoxville Cherokees (the franchise, as the Pee Dee Pride, is currently suspended, becoming the Myrtle Beach Thunderboltz in 2006-07), and the Virginia Lancers (now the Utah Grizzlies).
Since that time, the League has met with great success, reaching its largest size in 2003 of 31 teams before being reduced to 28 teams for the 2004 season. In September 2002, the West Coast Hockey League ceased operations, and the ECHL Board of Governors approved membership applications from the Anchorage (now Alaska) Aces, the Bakersfield Condors, the Fresno Falcons, the Idaho Steelheads, the Las Vegas Wranglers, the Long Beach Ice Dogs and the San Diego Gulls as well as from teams in Ontario, California and Reno, Nevada. Alaska, Bakersfield, Fresno, Idaho, Las Vegas, Long Beach and San Diego began play in 2003-04 as expansion teams in the league. The teams from the defunct WCHL, along with Las Vegas, joined as expansion teams for the ECHL’s 16th season in 2003-04. In a change reflective of the nationwide presence of the ECHL, the East Coast Hockey League changed its name to simply ECHL on May 19, 2003.
Future Expansion Teams
Teams
(2005-06 NHL affiliates in parentheses)
National Conference
West Division
Pacific Division
American Conference
North Division
South Division
2005-2006 Season
Standings
As of March 14, 2006.
Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L= Loses; T = Ties; GF = Goals For; GA = Goals Against; PTS = Points; Playoffs = Playoff Status; Green = Clinched Playoff Spot; (y) = Clinched Division; (z) = Clinched Conference
American Conference
National Conference
Scoring Leaders
As of March 12, 2006
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty Minutes
| Player |
Team |
GP |
G |
A |
Pts |
| Jeff Campbell |
 GWT |
58 |
29 |
46 |
75 |
| Luke Curtin |
 FRE |
58 |
20 |
55 |
75 |
| Alex Leavitt |
 AK |
60 |
18 |
56 |
74 |
| Mike Scott |
AK |
60 |
29 |
44 |
73 |
| Matt Dzieduszycki |
 LV |
57 |
31 |
40 |
71 |
| Ryan Kinasewich |
 UT |
49 |
31 |
39 |
70 |
| Dan Tudin |
LV |
57 |
28 |
42 |
70 |
| Brad Schell |
GWT |
50 |
22 |
47 |
69 |
| Daniel Sisca |
 FL |
59 |
21 |
45 |
66 |
| Scott Bertoli |
 TRE |
60 |
18 |
45 |
63 |
Leading Goaltenders
As of March 12, 2006.
Note: GP = Games Played; Mins = Minutes Played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals Allowed; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals Against Average
| Player |
Team |
GP |
Mins |
W |
L |
T |
GA |
SO |
Sv% |
GAA |
| Matt Underhill |
AK |
41 |
2476 |
31 |
8 |
2 |
85 |
5 |
.923 |
2.06 |
| Drew MacIntyre |
 TOL |
27 |
1615 |
18 |
7 |
2 |
60 |
1 |
.920 |
2.23 |
| Cody Rudkowsky |
 REA |
30 |
1815 |
20 |
7 |
3 |
69 |
2 |
.926 |
2.28 |
| Andy Franck |
 WHL |
42 |
2437 |
24 |
12 |
4 |
94 |
3 |
.919 |
2.31 |
| Marc Magliarditi |
LV |
45 |
2628 |
30 |
9 |
5 |
108 |
3 |
.909 |
2.47 |
2006 Kelly Cup Playoffs
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North Division Semifinals
(Best of 5)
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North Division Finals
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South Division Semifinals
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South Division Finals
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West Division Semifinals
(Best of 7)
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West Division Finals
(Best of 7)
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Pacific Division Semifinals
(Best of 7)
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Pacific Division Finals
(Best of 7)
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Conference Finals
(Best of 7)
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Kelly Cup Finals
(Best of 7)
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North Division Champions |
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South Division Champions |
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West Division Champions |
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Pacific Division Champions |
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Defunct teams
Like any minor league, the ECHL has its share of defunct teams. Teams that no longer play within the ECHL are listed below. All of the teams, except for the Greensboro Generals and the Roanoke Express, which were terminated by the ECHL, and the teams which have relocated, are considered to have suspended operations and the franchises placed for sale. Also excepted are the Mississippi Sea Wolves and Texas Wildcatters, which were suspended by request from team ownership and the ECHL because of the impact of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita, and will resume play in 2006-07.
- Arkansas RiverBlades (1999-2003)
- Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies (2001-2005; moved to Stockton, CA)
- Baton Rouge Kingfish (1996-2003; moved to Victoria, BC)
- Birmingham Bulls (1992-2001; moved to Atlantic City, NJ)
- Chesapeake Icebreakers (played in Upper Marlboro, MD, 1997-1999; moved to Jackson, MS)
- Cincinnati Cyclones (1990-1992, 2001-2004; suspended play for 2005-06)
- Columbus Chill (OH) (1991-1999; moved to Reading, PA)
- Columbus Cottonmouths (GA) (2001-2004; moved to Bradenton, FL)
- Erie Panthers (1988-1996; moved to Baton Rouge, LA)
- Greensboro Generals (1999-2004; team franchise revoked)
- Greensboro Monarchs (1989-1995; replaced by the Carolina Monarchs of the AHL)
- Hampton Roads Admirals (1989-2000; moved to Columbus, GA)
- Huntington Blizzard (1993-2000; now in Beaumont as Texas Wildcatters)
- Huntsville Blast (1993-1994; moved to Tallahassee, FL)
- Jackson Bandits (1999-2003)
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- Jacksonville Lizard Kings (1995-2000)
- Knoxville Cherokees (1988-1997; moved to Florence, SC)
- Lexington Men O' War (2002-2003)
- Louisiana IceGators (1995-2005)
- Louisville Icehawks (1990-1994; moved to Jacksonville, FL)
- Louisville River Frogs (1995-1998; moved to Miami, FL)
- Macon Whoopee (2001-2002; moved to Lexington, KY)
- Miami Matadors (1998-1999; moved to Cincinnati, OH)
- Mississippi Sea Wolves (Biloxi-Gulfport, MS) - Team suspended operations in 2005 because of Hurricane Katrina, will resume in 2006.
- Mobile Mysticks (1995-2002; moved to Duluth, Gwinnett County, GA)
- Nashville Knights (1989-1996; moved to Pensacola, FL)
- New Orleans Brass (1997-2002; team suspended operations after the arrival of the NBA's Hornets when arena lease was not given)
- Pee Dee Pride (2004-2005; team suspended operations after the 2004-05 season and will become the Myrtle Beach Thunderboltz once a new arena is completed in nearby Conway, SC)
- Peoria Rivermen (1996-2005; replaced by the Peoria Rivermen of the AHL)
- Raleigh Icecaps (1991-1998; moved to Augusta, GA)
- Richmond Renegades (1990-2003)
- Roanoke Express (1993-2004; franchise revoked)
- Tallahassee Tiger Sharks (1994-2001; moved to Macon, GA)
- Texas Wildcatters -- (Beaumont,TX) - Team suspended operations because of Hurricane Rita, will resume in 2006.)
- Virginia Lancers (1988-1993 in Vinton, VA; franchise later renamed the Roanoke Valley Rebels and Rampage; moved to Huntsville, AL)
- Winston-Salem Thunderbirds (1988-1992; originally called Carolina before reverting to city name; moved to Wheeling, WV, and eventually become the Nailers)
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See also
External links
The content of this page is retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ECHL under GFDL
