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ECHL Joins Hockey Weekend Across America February 15-17

Published on February 13, 2008 under ECHL (ECHL) News Release


PRINCETON, N.J. - The ECHL announced that it will join USA Hockey and the National Hockey League in celebrating Hockey Weekend Across America on Feb. 15-17.

Sponsored by Rbk Hockey, the three-day celebration of the sport of hockey was created by USA Hockey, the national governing body for the sport of ice hockey in the United States.

Hockey Weekend Across America's objective is to celebrate hockey and all those involved in the game at all levels and also expose the game to additional audiences to attract more players, coaches, officials and volunteers to the sport.

Each of the three days has a theme with "Wear Your Jersey To School/Work Day" on Feb. 15, "Bring A Friend To The Rink Day" on Feb. 16 and "Celebrate Local Hockey Heroes" on Feb. 17.

There are 23 games scheduled in the ECHL during the three days and teams are to receive special Hockey Weekend Across America pucks to utilize in a ceremonial puck drop to celebrate the event. The ECHL has 10 games in eight states scheduled on Friday while there are 11 games in nine states on Saturday and three games from coast-to-coast in California, Florida and Pennsylvania on Sunday.

Fans can sign up for the "Great Prize Giveaway" at HockeyWeekendAcrossAmerica.com. There will be one grand prize winner selected each day to receive a head-to-toe Rbk Hockey prize package. There will also be 12 other winners selected each day who will receive prizes, including USA jerseys and sticks signed by past Olympians and Reebok all-purpose sport bags.

ECHL

- Celebrating its 20th Anniversary in 2007-08, the ECHL is the third-longest tenured professional hockey league behind only the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League.

- ECHL began in 1988-89 with five teams in four states and has grown to be a coast-to-coast league with 25 teams playing 900 games in 17 states and British Columbia in 2007-08.

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

- Affiliations with 26 of the 30 teams in the National Hockey League, marking the 11th consecutive season that the league has had affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL.

- 348 former ECHL players have played in NHL.

- 19 former ECHL players have made their NHL debut this season: former Florida Everblades center David Brine (Florida on Feb. 2), former Idaho Steelheads right wing B.J. Crombeen (Dallas on Jan. 19), former Gwinnett Gladiators left wing Kevin Doell (Atlanta on Jan. 4), former Alaska defenseman Zack FitzGerald (Vancouver on Feb. 5), former Fresno goaltender Thomas Greiss (San Jose on Jan. 14), former Roanoke Express and Wheeling Nailers left wing Jason Jaffray (Vancouver on Dec. 12), former Toledo Storm goaltender Drew MacIntyre (Vancouver on Dec. 13), former San Diego Gulls left wing Cody McLeod (Colorado on Dec. 19), former Alaska Aces and Pensacola Ice Pilots center Chris Minard (Pittsburgh on Jan. 21), former Columbia Inferno center Brandon Nolan (Carolina on Dec. 22), former Johnstown Chiefs and Fresno Falcons goaltender Dmitri Patzold (San Jose on Oct. 7), former Gwinnett Gladiators and Louisiana IceGators left wing Pascal Pelletier (Boston on Jan. 17), former Reading Royals goaltender Jonathan Quick (Los Angeles on Dec. 6), former Stockton Thunder left wing Liam Reddox (Edmonton on Dec. 7), former Gwinnett Gladiators left wing Colin Stuart (Atlanta on Dec. 29), former Columbus Chill, Richmond Renegades and Trenton Titans left wing Pete Vandermeer (Phoenix on Feb. 10), former San Diego goaltender Tyler Weiman (Colorado on Oct. 4), former Charlotte Checkers right wing Craig Weller (Phoenix on Oct. 4) and former Phoenix RoadRunners center Daniel Winnik (Phoenix Coyotes on Oct. 4).

- 203 former ECHL players have played their first game in the NHL in the past seven seasons .

- Twenty-six former ECHL players made their NHL debut in 2006-07, including two who played in both the ECHL and the NHL as goaltender Yutaka Fukufuji played for Reading and Los Angeles while defenseman Bryan Young skated for Stockton and Edmonton. Dave McKee played for Augusta and dressed for five games as the backup goaltender for Stanley Cup champion Anaheim.

- Record 51 former ECHL players played their first NHL game in 2005-06.

- ECHL has been represented on last seven Stanley Cup champions.

- There are 15 coaches in the NHL who have ECHL experience including former Wheeling coach Peter Laviolette, who is head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes, and former Mississippi coach Bruce Boudreau, who is head coach of the Washington Capitals.
- ECHL has affiliations with 26 of the 29 teams in the American Hockey League, marking the seventh consecutive season that it has had affiliations with 20 or more teams in the AHL.

- ECHL has been represented on last 18 Calder Cup champions.

- In the last five seasons the ECHL has had more call-ups to the AHL than all other professional leagues combined with over 2,000 call-ups involving more than 1,000 players since 2002-03.
ECHL and its member teams contributed nearly $3 million for charity and relief funds in 2006-07.

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

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