216 Players Play In Both ECHL, AHL In 2003-04

Published on March 20, 2004 under ECHL (ECHL) News Release

PRINCETON, N.J. - Through games of March 17, there have been 216 players who have played in both the ECHL and the American Hockey League in 2003-04.

The Premier "AA" Hockey League, the ECHL had 347 call-ups, involving 222 players, to the AHL through March 17, an average of more than 11 call-ups for each of its 31 teams. A call-up is defined as a player who is either recalled or loaned to a team in the AHL, and there can be multiple call-ups for an individual player.

By comparison during the same time frame, there were a combined total of 60 players who played in both the AHL and leagues other than the ECHL. There were a total of 61 call-ups, involving 43 players, from leagues other than the ECHL to the AHL.

Reading leads the ECHL with 44 call-ups and 34 recalls to the AHL while ranking third in loans to the AHL with 10. Trenton has the highest number of loans to the AHL with 14 and ranks second in total call-ups with 29 and fourth in recalls with 15. Atlantic City has the second highest number of loans to the AHL with 12. Charlotte has the second highest number of recalls to the AHL with 18 and ranks fourth with 20 call-ups, one behind Wheeling which has 21 call-ups and ranks third with 16 recalls. Reading and Trenton have each had 18 players that have had a call-up to the AHL while Wheeling and Peoria have each had 12 players either loaned or recalled and Atlantic City and Augusta have each had 11 players that have received a call-up to the AHL.

The ECHL had 450 call-ups to the AHL in 2002-03, more than all other leagues combined and the most since the ECHL had a record 453 call-ups in 1999-2000 to the 19 teams in the AHL and the 13 teams of the International Hockey League.

There have been 91 players in the ECHL on an AHL contract in 2003-04. The ECHL has official affiliations with 21 teams in the AHL and all 28 teams in the AHL have had an ECHL player take the ice for them in 2003-04. There are eight former ECHL coaches who are head coaches in the AHL and there is a former ECHL coach behind the bench of 14 of the 28 AHL teams. There has been an ECHL player on the Calder Cup Championship team each of the past 14 years, and Houston had five ECHL players, including playoff MVP Johan Holmqvist, on its roster in 2003.

There have been 99 players in the ECHL on an NHL contract in 2003-04. The ECHL has official affiliations with 21 teams in the NHL and all 30 teams in the NHL have had an ECHL player take the ice for them in 2003-04.

There have been 33 ECHL players that have made their NHL debut in 2003-04, surpassing the high of 27 players in 1999-2000 and 2000-02, and there have been 102 ECHL players that have played in the NHL in 2003-04.

There have been 10 players, including eight goaltenders, who have played in both the ECHL and the NHL in 2003-04, doubling the high of five players in 2001-02.

Since the ECHL began in 1988-89, there have been 249 ECHL players that have advanced to the NHL. There were 53 ECHL players on NHL opening-day rosters, surpassing the high of 50 in 2002-03, and there are nine ECHL coaches in the NHL, including Carolina Hurricanes Head Coach Peter Laviolette and Florida Panthers Interim Head Coach John Torchetti.

ECHL Stories from March 20, 2004

• Condors Stumble in Long Beach, 5-2 - Bakersfield Condors
• Brusseau Stuffs Gulls, 2-1 - San Diego Gulls
• Checkers fall to Aces 4-1 - Charlotte Checkers
• Wildcatters comeback falls short in 5-3 loss to Mississippi - Texas Wildcatters
• Titans Shutout Royals 5-0 - Trenton Devils
• Sea Wolves Top Wildcatters 5-3 - Mississippi Sea Wolves
• Eklund Stones IceGators 3-2 - Louisiana IceGators
• Blades Reclaim Second Place With 5-3 Win Over Greensboro - Florida Everblades
• Gladiators lose to Lynx, 5-2 - Atlanta Gladiators
• Aces win 4-1, clinch winning season - Alaska Aces
• Cyclones Drop Heartbreaker to Chiefs - Cincinnati Cyclones
• Pride's unbeaten streak ends at hands of Cottonmouths - Myrtle Beach Thunderboltz
• Aquino reassigned to Gladiators - Atlanta Gladiators
• Falcons Raise $21,350 for United Way - Fresno Falcons
• Goaltender Valley Called Up to Manitoba - Peoria Rivermen
• Rivermen Upend Atlantic City on the Road 3-1; Clinch Berth in 2004 Kelly Cup Playoffs - Peoria Rivermen
• ECHL Transactions - ECHL
• 216 Players Play In Both ECHL, AHL In 2003-04 - ECHL
• Today In The ECHL - ECHL
• Lysak Becomes 249th ECHL Player In NHL - ECHL
• Power Play Comes Alive in 4-3 Condors Win - Bakersfield Condors
• Checkers fall in overtime to Augusta 5-4 - Charlotte Checkers
• Cyclones Come Up Two Goals Short in Gritty Effort vs. Storm - Cincinnati Cyclones
• Gulls Edge Falcons, 3-1 - San Diego Gulls
• Truelson's Shorty Not Enough - Fresno Falcons

The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.