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34 Players, Six Coaches Represent ECHL In NHL Playoffs

April 16, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release


PRINCETON, N.J. - The ECHL is represented by 34 players and six coaches in the National Hockey League Stanley Cup Playoffs. There is an ECHL player or coach on 15 of the 16 teams with Detroit being the only team that does not have a former player or coach from the Premier 'AA' Hockey League.

It is the second consecutive season that there have been more than 30 former ECHL players in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the fourth year in a row that more than 25 players with ECHL experience have played in the NHL postseason. It is the third straight time that the ECHL has been represented by six coaches including Calgary head coach Jim Playfair, who was named the ECHL Coach of the Year in 1994-95.

The ECHL has been represented on the last six Stanley Cup champions including 2006 by Carolina head coach Peter Laviolette, who became the first ECHL coach to hoist the coveted trophy, Chad LaRose, Andrew Hutchinson and assistant athletic trainer Chris Stewart.

There are 11 former ECHL players whose names are on the Stanley Cup: Chad LaRose and Andrew Hutchinson (Carolina - 2006), Ruslan Fedotenko, Nolan Pratt and Andre Roy (Tampa Bay - 2004), Corey Schwab (New Jersey - 2003), Manny Legace (Detroit - 2002), David Aebischer and Nolan Pratt (Colorado - 2001), Krzysztof Oliwa (New Jersey - 2000) and Kevin Dean (New Jersey - 1995). Pratt is the only ECHL player to have his name engraved twice on the Stanley Cup.

The Premier 'AA' Hockey League, the ECHL has affiliations with 25 of the 30 teams in the National Hockey League in 2006-07, marking the 10th consecutive season that the league has had affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL.

There have been 329 players who have played in the NHL after the ECHL and 184 who have made their debut in the last five seasons. There were a record 47 former ECHL players who played their first NHL game in 2005-06, and there were 112 former ECHL players who played in the NHL a year ago, including five goaltenders who played in both the ECHL and the NHL.

There have been over 50 former ECHL players on NHL opening-day rosters each of the past four seasons including a record 57 players this season. In each of the past five seasons there have been more than 100 players on NHL contracts who have played in the ECHL including 130 in 2006-07.

There have been 26 ECHL players who have played their first NHL game this season: former Greenville and Richmond right wing Krys Barch (Dallas on Jan. 15), former Mississippi defenseman Sheldon Brookbank (Nashville on Feb. 6), former Reading goaltender Barry Brust (Los Angeles on Nov. 30), former Wheeling left wing Daniel Carcillo (Phoenix on Mar. 3), former Dayton left wing Riley Cote (Philadelphia on Mar. 24), former Toledo center Matt Ellis (Detroit on Dec. 18), former Wheeling defenseman Drew Fata (New York Islanders on Feb. 4), former Reading defenseman Jeff Finger (Colorado on Feb. 20), former Bakersfield and Reading goaltender Yutaka Fukufuji (Los Angeles on Jan. 13), former Charlotte defenseman Daniel Girardi (New York Rangers on Jan. 27), former Long Beach goaltender Jaroslav Halak (Montreal on Feb. 18), former Trenton goaltender Martin Houle (Philadelphia on Dec. 13), former Alaska left wing D.J. King (St. Louis on Oct. 5), former Wheeling defenseman David Koci (Chicago on Mar. 10), former Texas center Kamil Kreps (Florida on Jan. 7), former Florida center Drew Larman (Florida on Nov. 13), former Florida defenseman Martin Lojek (Florida on Feb. 3), former Toledo goaltender Joey MacDonald (Detroit on Oct. 19), former Pensacola center Kris Newbury (Toronto on Dec. 23), former South Carolina and Reading center Rich Peverley (Nashville on Mar. 4), former Augusta right wing Pierre Parenteau (Chicago on Feb. 7), former Columbia right wing Jesse Schultz (Vancouver on Nov. 28), former ECHL All-Star goaltender Mike Smith (Dallas on Oct. 21), former Reading left wing Shay Stephenson (Los Angeles on Mar. 1), former Augusta goaltender Mike Wall (Anaheim on Nov. 26) and former Stockton defenseman Bryan Young (Edmonton on Mar. 9).

In 2006-07 there were two NHL head coaches (Peter Laviolette and Jim Playfair) and nine NHL assistant coaches with an ECHL background.

Here is a list of the teams in the Stanley Cup Playoffs who have ECHL representatives. The ECHL affiliate, where applicable, is listed in parenthesis.

Anaheim (Augusta Lynx) - Assistant coach Dave Farrish (Louisiana, 2000-04 and Pensacola, 2004-05), Francois Beauchemin (Mississippi, 2001-02) and George Parros (Reading, 2004-05).

Atlanta (Gwinnett Gladiators) - Eric Boulton (Charlotte, 1996-98; Florida, 1998-99 and Columbia, 2004-05), Johan Hedberg (Baton Rouge, 1997-98) and Shane Hnidy (Baton Rouge, 1996-97 and Florida, 2004-05).

Buffalo - Associate coach Brian McCutcheon (Columbus, 1996-97).

Calgary (Las Vegas Wranglers) - Head coach Jim Playfair (Dayton, 1994-95) and Jamie McLennan (Richmond, 1991-92).

Dallas (Idaho Steelheads) - Krys Barch (Richmond, 2001-02 and Greenville 2004-05 and 2005-06) and Mike Smith (Lexington, 2002-03).

Minnesota - Derek Boogaard (Louisiana, 2002-03).

Nashville - Assistant coach Peter Horachek (Louisville, 1990-91 and Trenton, 2001-02), Vernon Fiddler (Arkansas, 2000-01 and Roanoke, 2001-02), Pat Leahy (Trenton, 2001-02), Jerred Smithson (Trenton, 2000-01) and Tomas Vokoun (Wheeling, 1995-96).

New Jersey (Trenton Titans) - Scott Gomez (Alaska, 2004-05).

New York Islanders (Pensacola Ice Pilots) - Assistant coach Daniel Lacroix (Atlantic City, 2001-02) and Michael Dunham (Gwinnett, 2005-06).

New York Rangers (Charlotte Checkers) - Daniel Girardi (Charlotte, 2005-06), Thomas Pock (Charlotte, 2004-05) and Stephen Valiquette (Dayton, 1996-97; Hampton Roads, 1998-99 and Trenton, 1999-2000).

Ottawa - Joe Corvo (Hampton Roads, 1998-99), Chris Neil (Mobile, 1999-2000) and Lawrence Nycholat (Jackson, 2000-01).

Pittsburgh (Wheeling Nailers) - Eric Cairns (Birmingham, 1994-95 and Charlotte, 1995-96) and Michel Ouellet (Wheeling, 2002-03).

San Jose (Fresno Falcons) - Curtis Brown (San Diego, 2004-05), Patrick Rissmiller (Cincinnati, 2002-03), and Mark Smith (Victoria, 2004-05).

Tampa Bay (Johnstown Chiefs) - Ryan Craig (Pensacola, 2003-04), Ruslan Fedotenko (Trenton, 1999-2000), Johan Holmqvist (Charlotte, 2002-03), Nolan Pratt (Richmond, 1995-96) and Andre Roy (Charlotte, 1997-98).

Vancouver (Victoria Salmon Kings) - Assistant coach Barry Smith (Erie, 1992-96 and Baton Rouge, 1997-2000), Alexandre Burrows (Greenville, 2002-03; Baton Rouge, 2002-03 and Columbia, 2003-05), Jeff Cowan (Roanoke, 1996-97) and Dany Sabourin (Johnstown, 2000-01, 2001-02, Las Vegas, 2003-04 and Wheeling, 2004-05).

ECHL

The league officially changed its name to ECHL on May 19, 2003.

The ECHL has affiliations with 24 of the 27 teams in the American Hockey League in 2006-07 and for the past 17 years there has been an ECHL player on the Calder Cup champion. The ECHL has had more players called up to the AHL than all other professional leagues combined each of the past four seasons with 1,646 call ups involving almost 1,000 players.

Further information on the ECHL is available from its website at ECHL.com.

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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.


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