ECHL Welcomes WCHL Teams

September 10, 2002 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release

Columbia, S.C. ­ The East Coast Hockey League announced on Tuesday that the ECHL Board of Governors has approved the membership applications of the Anchorage Aces, the Bakersfield Condors, the Fresno Falcons, the Idaho (Boise) Steelheads, the Las Vegas Wranglers, the Long Beach Ice Dogs, the San Diego Gulls, Ontario, California, and Reno, Nevada for admission to the ECHL.

Anchorage, Bakersfield, Fresno, Idaho, Las Vegas, Long Beach, and San Diego are scheduled to begin play in the ECHL in the 2003-04 season with Ontario and Reno scheduled to begin play in 2004-05.

The applicants were approved at the ECHL Board of Governors Preseason Meeting.

"The ECHL is excited to welcome these new members to the League," said Richard W. Adams, President/CEO of the ECHL. "The members have strong ownership and play in excellent markets with solid track records of fan support. This expansion provides the ECHL with a national presence, strengthening the ECHL's position as the largest developmental league in professional hockey."

The ECHL opens its 15th Anniversary Season on October 11 with 27 teams in 14 states, including its newest market, Lexington, Kentucky. The ECHL is scheduled to welcome new markets in Beaumont, Texas and Gwinnett County, Georgia in 2003-04.

There have been 191 former East Coast Hockey League players that have advanced to the National Hockey League along with coaches, officials and front office personnel. In 2001-02, 82 ECHL alumni played in the NHL including 17 who made their NHL debut and 25 of the 30 teams in the NHL developed players with ECHL affiliates.

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