ECHL Announces Composite Preseason Schedule

Published on September 25, 2006 under ECHL (ECHL) News Release

PRINCETON, N.J. - The ECHL on Monday announced its composite preseason schedule consisting of 24 games beginning on Oct. 10 when defending Kelly Cup champion Alaska will host North Division champion Toledo at Sullivan Arena.

ECHL teams report for training camp on Oct. 5 and on-ice workouts can begin on Oct. 6.

The division and conference alignments and the format for the 2007 Kelly Cup Playoffs will be announced following the Preseason Board of Governors Meeting on Sept. 28.

The regular season will begin on Oct. 20 and continue until Apr. 7. The league welcomes the Cincinnati Cyclones and the Texas Wildcatters back to the ice and will have 25 teams in 15 states and British Columbia playing 900 games. Hockey will make its return to U.S. Bank Arena for the first time since Mar. 26, 2004 when Cincinnati hosts Pensacola on Oct. 20. Following a one-year hiatus created by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Texas returns to Ford Arena on Oct. 28 when they host the Pensacola Ice Pilots.

The ECHL raised its average attendance for the third straight year in 2005-06 drawing 3,934,794 for 900 games which is an average of 4,372 per game, an increase of more than nine percent from 2004-05 and the largest per-game average since 1999-2000. Six teams surpassed 200,000 and nine teams averaged 5,000 per game for the first time since 1999-2000 as the league welcomed 39 sellout crowds and 13 of the 22 returning teams raised their average attendance from a year ago.

The Premier 'AA' Hockey League, the ECHL has affiliations with 24 of the 30 teams in the National Hockey League in 2006-07. There have been 303 former ECHL players who have gone on to play in the NHL after playing in the ECHL, including a record 47 in 2005-06. There have been 158 players who have played in the NHL after the ECHL in the past five seasons and there were 13 former ECHL coaches behind the benches of NHL teams in 2005-06.

The ECHL has affiliations with 23 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.

2006 ECHL Preseason Schedule (Start Times are Local)

Tuesday, Oct. 10
Toledo at Alaska, 7:15 p.m. at Sullivan Arena

Wednesday, Oct. 11
Dayton at Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m. at U.S. Bank Arena
Toledo at Alaska, 7:15 p.m. at Sullivan Arena

Thursday, Oct. 12
Charlotte at Columbia, 7 p.m. at Carolina Coliseum
Phoenix at Las Vegas, 7:05 p.m. at Orleans Arena

Friday, Oct. 13
Columbia at South Carolina, 7 p.m. at Carolina Ice Palace in North Charleston, S.C.
Texas at Florida, 7:30 p.m. at Germain Arena
Johnstown at Wheeling, 7:30 p.m. at WesBanco Arena
Cincinnati at Toledo, 7:35 p.m. at Toledo Sports Arena
Las Vegas at Phoenix at 7:15 p.m. at Alltel Ice Den in North Scottsdale, Ariz.
Victoria at Idaho, 7:30 p.m. at Manchester Ice and Event Centre in McCall, Idaho
Bakersfield at Long Beach, 7:30 p.m. at Glacial Garden in Lakewood, Calif.
Stockton at Fresno, 7:30 p.m. at Gateway Ice Center in Fresno, Calif.

Saturday, Oct. 14
South Carolina at Charlotte, 1:30 p.m. at Extreme Ice Center in Indian Trail, N.C.
Cincinnati at Dayton, 7 p.m. at Kettering Recreation Center in Dayton, Ohio
Trenton at Reading, 7 p.m. at Body Zone Sports and Wellness Complex in Wyomissing, Pa.
Wheeling at Johnstown, 7 p.m. at Cambria County War Memorial
Texas at Florida, 7:30 p.m. at Germain Arena
Gwinnett at Augusta, 7:35 p.m. at Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center
Victoria at Idaho, 7:30 p.m. at Manchester Ice and Event Centre in McCall, Idaho
Long Beach at Bakersfield, 7 p.m. at Rabobank Arena

Sunday, Oct. 15
Reading at Trenton, 3 p.m. at Grundy Recreation Center in Bristol, Pa.
Columbia at Augusta, 4:05 p.m. at Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center
Fresno at Stockton, 4 p.m. at Stockton Arena

ECHL Stories from September 25, 2006

• Condors help Habitat for Humanity at the Kern County Fair September 28 - Bakersfield Condors
• R. Quincy Bird named Promotional Operations Manager of the Wildcatters - Texas Wildcatters
• Salmon Kings develop defence with AHL experience - Victoria Salmon Kings
• Victoria coaching staff assists at Manitoba training camp - Victoria Salmon Kings
• Stingrays Up to Bat for the Charleston Miracle League - South Carolina Stingrays
• ECHL Announces Composite Preseason Schedule - ECHL
• Macri Returns to Falcons Blue Line - Fresno Falcons
• Wildcatters Single Game Tickets Go on Sale September 25 - Texas Wildcatters
• Royals Agree To Terms With Chris Bala - Reading Royals
• Stingrays Weekly - South Carolina Stingrays

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