
North Division Comes Down To Final Week
March 30, 2009 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release
The race in the North Division has come down to the final week with five
teams separated by four points battling for four Kelly Cup Playoff berths.
The five were separated by a single point last week and by only two points
two weeks ago.
Trenton is 38-25-6 and in first place with 82 points, one point ahead of
defending Kelly Cup champion Cincinnati at 38-25-6 and Elmira at 37-26-7.
Johnstown at 37-28-4 and Wheeling at 35-26-8 are tied for fourth with 78
points.
The top four finishers in the division will advance to the Kelly Cup
Playoffs where they will be seeded based on regular season point totals.
The Division Semifinals will be played Apr. 9-22 with the first seed
meeting the fourth seed and the second seed meeting the third seed in a
best-of-seven series. The series format is 2-3-2 with game dates determined
by the participants based upon arena availability. Teams in close proximity
may agree to deviate from the standard series format subject to league
guidelines.
Trenton plays at Wheeling on Wednesday and at Reading on Friday before
hosting Wheeling on Saturday. The Devils can qualify for the Kelly Cup
Playoffs for the eighth time in 10 years with a win. Trenton won the Kelly
Cup in 2005 and advanced to the Kelly Cup Finals in 2001. Wheeling has won
the last four meetings to improve to 7-2-1 overall and 2-2-0 on the road in
the season series with the Devils. Trenton has won the last five meetings
with the Royals to improve to 10-2-1 overall and 5-1-0 at Reading this
season.
Cincinnati hosts Johnstown on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. The Cyclones
can qualify for the third straight year with a win. Cincinnati is 1-1-1 at
home and 5-3-1 overall in the season series with the Chiefs.
Elmira hosts Reading on Wednesday and Dayton on Thursday. The Jackals are
looking to qualify for the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the second time in two
seasons. Elmira is 2-1-1 at home and 4-3-2 overall in the season series
with Reading and 2-2-0 at home and 6-2-0 overall in the season series with
Dayton.
Wheeling hosts Trenton on Wednesday and Dayton on Friday before traveling to Trenton on Saturday. The Nailers are looking to reach the postseason for the ninth time since moving to Wheeling in 1992-93 and the first time since 2006. Wheeling has won the last four meetings with Trenton and is 5-0-1 at home and 7-2-1 overall in the season series with the Devils. Dayton has won the last four meetings with the Nailers to lead the season series 8-3-2 including 4-2-0 at Wheeling.
Condors, Grizzlies, RoadRunners Fight For Last Two Berths
Heading into the final week of the season there are three teams
mathematically alive for two Kelly Cup Playoff berths in the National
Conference.
Bakersfield and Utah need only one point to secure their spot while Phoenix
must win its remaining four games to remain in contention.
The top four finishers in the West Division will advance to the Kelly Cup
Playoffs where they will be seeded based on regular season winning
percentage. In the Pacific Division there will be four postseason
qualifiers based on winning percentage, including the fifth-place finisher
from the West Division if it has a better winning percentage than the
fourth-place team in the Pacific. The seeding is being done by winning
percentage rather than points because Las Vegas and Ontario are each
playing one more game than the other seven teams following Fresno ceasing
operations. The Division Semifinals will be played Apr. 9-22 with the first
seed meeting the fourth seed and the second seed meeting the third seed in
a best-of-seven series. The series format is 2-3-2 with game dates
determined by the participants based upon arena availability. Teams in
close proximity may agree to deviate from the standard series format
subject to league guidelines.
Stockton became the second Pacific Division team to clinch a berth with a
3-1 win over Las Vegas on Sunday. The Thunder will be making their third
straight Kelly Cup Playoffs appearance.
The defending National Conference champion Wranglers have qualified for the
fourth year in a row and the fifth time in six seasons. The Wranglers host
Stockton on Friday and Saturday. Stockton has won the last three meetings
to lead the season series 3-1-0 with the one Las Vegas win coming at home.
Ontario is 37-29-5 and has clinched the Pacific Division while Alaska and
Idaho continue to battle for first place in the West Division. The Aces are
44-23-3 and in first place with a winning percentage of .650 and 91 points
while Idaho is 41-23-4 and in second place with a winning percentage of
.632 and 86 points. The Aces need three points to clinch their fourth
division title and their third conference title in the last five years.
Idaho hosts Phoenix on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday while Alaska
plays at Utah on Friday and Saturday. The Steelheads won the last meeting
and are 1-1-0 at home and 2-2-0 overall in the season series with Phoenix.
The Aces have won the last six meetings with Utah and lead the season
series 6-1-0.
Bakersfield needs one point to reach the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the fifth
year in a row. The Condors, who are 18-5-1 in their last 24 games, host
Ontario on Friday and Saturday. Bakersfield is 2-1-1 at home and 3-4-2
overall against the Reign.
Utah, which advanced to the conference finals a year ago, also needs only
one point to qualify for the third time in four seasons. The Grizzlies host
Alaska on Friday and Saturday. The Aces have won the last six meetings and
lead the season series 6-1-0 with the one Utah win coming at home.
Alaska has qualified for the Kelly Cup Playoffs in every one of their six
seasons and they won the Kelly Cup in 2006 and reached the conference
finals in 2005 and 2007. Idaho has reached the Kelly Cup Playoffs all six
years and became only the second expansion team in league history to
capture the Kelly Cup championship in 2003-04 and became the second
two-time Kelly Cup winner in 2007.
Everblades Win Brabham Cup
The Florida Everblades clinched their second Brabham Cup championship on
Saturday with a 6-3 win against Charlotte.
The Everblades are 45-17-5 and lead the ECHL with a winning percentage of
.709. Alaska is second at 44-23-3 and a winning percentage of .650 and
Idaho is third at 41-23-4 and a winning percentage of .632. Florida hosts
Gwinnett on Tuesday and Wednesday and Mississippi on Friday and Saturday
while Idaho hosts Phoenix on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and
Alaska plays at Utah on Friday and Saturday.
The Brabham Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the ECHL team that
finishes with the most points in the regular season. The recipient is
guaranteed home-ice advantage throughout its participation in the Kelly Cup
Playoffs. The trophy is being awarded on winning percentage rather than
points because Florida is playing only 71 games following Augusta ceasing
operations.
The award is named in recognition of Henry Brabham, who founded the ECHL in
1988-89 with five teams in four states. Brabham, who was the first inductee
into the ECHL Hall of Fame in 2008, owned three of the original five teams,
including the legendary Johnstown Chiefs who are celebrating their 20th
season in 2007-08. The dedication of the Virginia businessman was crucial
to the league surviving to span from coast-to-coast while advancing 353
players and countless coaches, on-ice officials and front office personnel
to the National Hockey League.
The Everblades, who have already clinched home ice through the conference
finals, won the Brabham Cup in 1999-2000 and set ECHL records with 53 wins
and 108 points. The 53 wins are now tied for the third most in league
history while the 108 points are tied for sixth.
Alaska won the Brabham Cup in 2005-06 in 2005-06 with 53 wins and 113
points. The 53 wins are tied for the third most in league history while the
113 points are fourth behind Cincinnati and Texas, who each had 115 points
in 2007-08, and Louisiana, which holds the record with 116 points and 56
wins in 2001-02.
Florida was the first team to qualify for the postseason on Mar. 7 followed
by Alaska on Mar. 13 and Idaho on Mar. 18. The Everblades have reached the
Kelly Cup Playoffs in every one of their 11 seasons and advanced to the
Kelly Cup Finals in 2004 and 2005 and to the conference finals in 2007.
Alaska has qualified for the Kelly Cup Playoffs in every one of their six
seasons and they won the Kelly Cup in 2006 and reached the conference
finals in 2005 and 2007. Idaho has reached the Kelly Cup Playoffs all six
years and became only the second expansion team in league history to
capture the Kelly Cup championship in 2003-04 and became the second
two-time Kelly Cup winner in 2007.
Brabham Cup Trophy Winners
2008-09 Florida Everblades
2007-08 Cincinnati Cyclones (115 points)
2006-07 Las Vegas Wranglers (106 points)
2005-06 Alaska Aces (113 points)
2004-05 Pensacola Ice Pilots (107 points)
2003-04 San Diego Gulls (108 points)
2002-03 Toledo Storm (104 points)
2001-02 Louisiana Ice Gators (116 points)
2000-01 Trenton Titans (104 points)
1999-00 Florida Everblades (108 points)
1998-99 Pee Dee Pride (106 points)
1997-98 Louisiana IceGators (96 points)
1996-97 South Carolina Stingrays (100 points)
1995-96 Richmond Renegades (105 points)
1994-95 Wheeling Thunderbirds (97 points)
1993-94 Knoxville Cherokees (94 points)
1992-93 Wheeling Thunderbirds (88 points)
1991-92 Toledo Storm (95 points)
1990-91 Knoxville Cherokees (97 points)
1989-90 Winston-Salem Thunderbirds (82 points)
1988-89 Erie Panthers (77 points)
Gladiators, Sea Wolves Battle For Final Spot In South
Gwinnett and Mississippi head into the final week continuing their battle
for the last Kelly Cup Playoffs berth in the South Division. The Gladiators
are 30-32-6 and currently hold the spot with a winning percentage of .485
while Mississippi is 27-33-8 for a winning percentage of .456.
The top four finishers in the division will advance to the Kelly Cup
Playoffs where they will be seeded based on regular season winning
percentage. The seeding is being done by winning percentage rather than
points because Gwinnett is playing one more game than the other four teams
following Augusta ceasing operations. The Division Semifinals will be
played Apr. 9-22 with the first seed meeting the fourth seed and the second
seed meeting the third seed in a best-of-seven series. The series format is
2-3-2 with game dates determined by the participants based upon arena
availability. Teams in close proximity may agree to deviate from the
standard series format subject to league guidelines.
The Gladiators have not missed the Kelly Cup Playoffs since moving to
Georgia in 2003-04 while the Sea Wolves are trying to reach the Kelly Cup
Playoffs for the sixth straight time and the ninth time in 11 seasons.
Mississippi plays at Charlotte on Monday and at Florida on Friday and
Saturday. Charlotte has won the last two meetings and is 4-1-0 at home and
8-2-1 against the Sea Wolves. Florida is 6-0-0 at home and 9-0-1 overall
against Mississippi.
Gwinnett plays at Florida on Tuesday and Wednesday and at Charlotte on
Saturday while hosting South Carolina on Friday. Gwinnett has won the last
two meetings against the Everblades to improve to 4-7-1 in the season
series. The Gladiators are 8-6-1 against Charlotte and 6-6-1 against South
Carolina including 4-3-1 at home.
The winner will meet Florida which is 45-17-5 and clinched their second
Brabham Cup championship as the overall leader of the ECHL. Florida will
host Games 1 and 2 of the South Division Semifinals on Apr. 10 and 11. If
Gwinnett qualifies they would host Games 3 and 4 on Apr. 16 and 17 and Game
5, if necessary, on Apr. 19 while Florida would host Game 6, if necessary,
on Apr. 21 and Game 7, if necessary, on Apr. 22. If Mississippi qualifies
they would host Game 3 on Apr. 13 and Game 4 on Apr. 14 and Game 5, if
necessary, on Apr. 15 while Florida would host Game 6, if necessary, on
Apr. 17 and Game 7, if necessary, on Apr. 20.
South Carolina is 40-23-6 with a winning percentage of .623 and has
clinched second place while Charlotte is 34-26-8 with a winning percentage
of .559 and has secured third place. Charlotte will host Game 1 of the
South Division Semifinals on Apr. 9 and Game 2 on Apr. 11 while South
Carolina will host Game 3 on Apr. 14 and Game 4 on Apr. 16. Game 5, if
necessary, will be played at South Carolina on Apr. 17 while Game 6, if
necessary, would be at Charlotte on Apr. 19 and Game 7, if necessary, would
be played at South Carolina on Apr. 20.
South Carolina has qualified for the Kelly Cup Playoffs for a league record 15th time while Florida was the first team to qualify for the postseason on Mar. 7. The Stingrays won the first Kelly Cup in 1997 and became the first two-time winner in 2001. South Carolina holds the ECHL record for most playoff games with 116 and most playoff wins with 61. The Everblades have reached the Kelly Cup Playoffs in every one of their11 seasons and advanced to the Kelly Cup Finals in 2004 and 2005 and to the conference finals in 2007. Charlotte is in the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the fifth straight year, tying its record for consecutive appearances set their first five seasons from 1993-98, and for the 12th time in 16 seasons.
Jackals, Checkers Lead League In Sellouts
Elmira had its league-leading fifth sellout of the year with 3,987 on
Saturday and Charlotte had its fourth sellout of the season with 8,146 on
Friday while Stockton welcomed over 25,500 for its final four regular
season games.
Stockton leads the league with 6,218 per game and 223,854 fans as the
Thunder look to become the first team to finish atop the ECHL in attendance
for four years in a row since Florida led the league for a record five
straight years from 2000-05.
Ontario is second with 5,856 fans per game while Florida, which has
finished second the last three seasons, is third with 5,629 per game. The
Everblades had their fourth-largest crowd of the year with 6,503 on
Saturday when they clinched the Brabham Cup.
The Jackals raised their average to 3,318 per game after drawing more than
10,300 for three games against Wheeling while Charlotte increased its
average to 5,275 per game.
Gwinnett, which had 8,123 on Saturday, is fourth at 5,538 per game while
Bakersfield is fifth with 5,480 per game after having more 12,000 for games
on Friday and Saturday. South Carolina averaged more than 5,000 for the
fourth straight year and the 15th time in 16 seasons.
Johnstown had its fourth-largest crowd of the year with 3,206 on Saturday
while Idaho had almost 13,000 for three games to raise its average to 3,975
per game and Reading had over 10,000 for two games to increase its average
to 4,963 per game.
National Conference - West Division
Alaska Aces
*Aces are 44-23-3 marking the fifth season in a row that they have won 40
games.
* Scott
Burt has a five-game goal streak (6g) and seven points (7g-0a) in his
last seven games.
* Aces play at Utah on Friday and Saturday.
Idaho Steelheads
* Steelheads are 41-23-4 and need two wins to tie their team record of 43
wins set in 2005-06.
* Rookie Matt
Climie has back-to-back shutouts to improve to 6-0-0 in his last six
home starts.
* Steelheads host Phoenix on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
Phoenix RoadRunners
* Phoenix is 20-10-0 when scoring first.
* Kyle
Jones has a goals-against average of 2.22 and a save percentage of .934
in 10 games in March.
* Phoenix plays at Idaho on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
Utah Grizzlies
* Grizzlies are 6-0-1 in their last seven games when scoring first.
* Tim
Verbeek has four assists and five points in his last three games.
* Grizzlies host Alaska on Friday and Saturday.
Victoria Salmon Kings
* Victoria finished with the second-best record in team history at 38-27-7
and 83 points.
* Wes
Goldie has played in 216 consecutive games for the Salmon Kings.
* Victoria concluded its regular season on Saturday at Stockton.
National Conference - Pacific Division
Bakersfield Condors
* Condors are fifth in the league in scoring with 3.43 goals per game.
* Dave
Bonk is fourth in the league with 81 points (31g-50a) and Mark
Derlago is tied for fifth with 73 points (31g-42a).
* Condors host Ontario on Friday and Saturday.
Las Vegas Wranglers
* Las Vegas is 5-2-0 in its last seven home games and 20-12-2 overall at
the Orleans Arena.
* Rookie Scott
McCulloch has six points (3g-3a) in his last four games.
* Las Vegas hosts Stockton on Friday and Saturday.
Ontario Reign
* Reign are 24-5-4 when scoring the first goal.
* Tim
Kraus is tied for 17th among league rookies with 47 points (14g-33a).
* Reign play at Bakersfield on Friday and Saturday.
Stockton Thunder
* Stockton is second in the National Conference with a road winning
percentage of .544 (16-13-5).
* Ryan
Huddy is second among ECHL rookies with a team record 73 points
(35g-38a).
* Stockton plays at Las Vegas on Friday and Saturday.
American Conference - North Division
Cincinnati Cyclones
* Cyclones have led the ECHL in road wins the last two seasons (22-13-1 in
2008-09 and 26-8-2 in 2007-08).
* Cincinnati limited Johnstown to an ECHL season-low 11 shots in 2-1 win on
Saturday.
* Cyclones host Johnstown on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
Dayton Bombers
* Dayton is outscoring its opponents 79-64 in the third period.
* Rookie Nino
Musitelli has six points (1g-5a) in his last six games.
* Dayton plays at Elmira on Thursday, at Wheeling on Friday and at Reading
on Saturday.
Elmira Jackals
* Rookie Michael
Teslak is 6-2-2 with a shutout and a goals-against average of 2.29 in
his last 10 starts.
* Rookie Wes
Cunningham is 10th among ECHL defensemen with 36 points (10g-26a) in 68
games.
* Jackals host Reading on Wednesday and Dayton on Thursday.
Johnstown Chiefs
* Johnstown is 37-28-4 and has improved its win total every year since
2004-05.
* Petr
Pohl's 73 points (31g-42a) are the most by a Chief since 2001-02 when
Eric Schneider had 78 points (38g-40a).
* Johnstown plays at Cincinnati on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
Reading Royals
* Royals are 6-1-0 when allowing one goal or less and 18-2-0 when allowing
two goals or less.
* Tyler
Doig (5g-7a) and Ben
Gordon (4g-8a) each have a seven-game point streak.
* Royals play at Elmira on Wednesday and host Trenton on Friday and Dayton
on Saturday.
Trenton Devils
* Jeff
Prough scored his first career hat trick on Friday.
* Devils are 13-1-0 when Jim
Henkel has a multiple-point game.
* Trenton plays at Wheeling on Wednesday and at Reading on Friday before
hosting Wheeling on Saturday.
Wheeling Nailers
* Nailers lead the league with 257 goals and are second with 3.72 goals per
game.
* Bryan
Ewing has 90 points (43g-47a) and is first Wheeling player to score 90
points since Eric Royal had 92 points in 1996-97.
* Nailers host Trenton on Wednesday and Dayton on Friday before traveling
to Trenton on Saturday.
American Conference - South Division
Charlotte Checkers
* Jeff
Jakaitis is 5-2-3 with a goals-against average of 2.45 and a save
percentage of .939 in March.
* Rookie Matt
Schepke has five goals and seven points in his first nine professional
games.
* Charlotte hosts Mississippi on Monday, South Carolina on Friday and
Gwinnett on Saturday.
Florida Everblades
* Everblades lead the ECHL on the power-play with 22.1 percent
(97-for-438).
* Kevin
Baker needs one power-play goal to tie the ECHL record of 27 power-play
goals by Colin Ward of Nashville in 1995-96.
* Everblades host Gwinnett on Tuesday and Wednesday and Mississippi on
Friday and Saturday.
Gwinnett Gladiators
* Gwinnett is 21-0-1 when leading after two periods.
* Gladiators lead the league with 17 shorthand goals.
* Gwinnett plays at Florida on Tuesday and Wednesday and at Charlotte on
Saturday while hosting South Carolina on Friday.
Mississippi Sea Wolves
* Sea Wolves are 15-0-3 when leading after two periods.
* Ryan
Cruthers is tied for fourth among league rookies with 64 points
(28g-36a).
* Sea Wolves play at Charlotte on Monday and at Florida on Friday and
Saturday.
South Carolina Stingrays
* South Carolina is third in the league on the power play with 21.8 percent
(78-for-357).
* Travis
Morin has 62 assists breaking the team record of 60 assists by Mike
Ross in 1996-97 and Dave Seitz in 2002-03.
* South Carolina plays at Charlotte on Wednesday and at Gwinnett on Friday.
ECHL Record Book Look
Most Power-Play Goals, Season
27 - Colin Ward, Nashville, 1995-96
26 - Kevin Baker, Florida, 2008-09
- Andrew Williamson, Toledo, 1999-2000
- Darren Colbourne, Dayton, 1991-92
25 - Darren Colbourne, Richmond, 1993-94
24 - five times, most recent; Don Parsons, Louisiana, 1997-98
Most Shutouts By Goaltender, Season
7 - Jean-Philippe Lamoureux, Alaska, 2008-09
- Frederic Cloutier, Louisiana, 2001-02
- David Brumby, Jackson, 1999-2000
- Maxime Gingras, Richmond, 1998-99
6 - Alfie Michaud, Peoria, 2004-05
- Matthew Yeats, Texas, 2006-07
Most Shutouts, One Season
11 - Wheeling Nailers, 2003-04
10 - Wheeling Nailers, 2004-05
- Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies, 2003-04
- Louisiana IceGators, 2001-02
9 - four times, most recent; Alaska Aces, 2008-09
Most Ties, One Season
18 - Mobile Mysticks, 2001-02
16 - Utah Grizzlies, 2008-09
Johnstown Chiefs, 2005-06
15 - South Carolina Stingrays, 2005-06
14 - seven times, most recent; Las Vegas Wranglers, 2006-07
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Premier 'AA' Hockey League Fast Facts
* The ECHL celebrated its 20th Anniversary in 2007-08 and 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 21 teams in 16 states and British Columbia in
2008-09.
* The league officially changed its name from East Coast Hockey League to
ECHL on May
19, 2003.
* Affiliations with 24 of the 30 teams in the National Hockey League
marking 12th consecutive season that the league has had affiliations with
at least 20 teams in the NHL.
* 402 former ECHL
players have played in NHL.
* 146 have played their first NHL game in the last four seasons.
* 47 former ECHL players have made their NHL debut this season: former
Idaho Steelheads right wing Jay
Beagle (Washington on Feb. 11), former Wheeling Nailers and ECHL
All-Star defenseman Paul
Bissonnette (Pittsburgh on Oct. 4), former Stockton Thunder and ECHL
All-Star right wing Troy
Bodie (Anaheim on Jan. 16), former Bakersfield Condors center Alexandre
Bolduc (Vancouver on Nov. 27), former Florida Everblades defenseman Brett
Carson (Carolina on Dec. 7), former South Carolina Stingrays defenseman
Sean
Collins (Washington on Dec. 6), former Las Vegas Wranglers and Wheeling
Nailers goaltender John
Curry (Pittsburgh on Nov. 26), former Greenville Grrrowl goaltender
Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers (Edmonton on Oct. 17), former Johnstown Chiefs
center Andre
Deveaux (Toronto on Nov. 27), former Dayton Bombers center Philippe
Dupuis (Colorado on Dec. 12), former Gwinnett Gladiators left wing Chris
Durno (Colorado on Jan. 18), former Gwinnett Gladiators right wing Pat
Dwyer (Carolina on Nov. 2), former Columbus Cottonmouths and
Tallahassee Tiger Sharks left wing Mitch
Fritz (New York Islanders on Oct. 30), former South Carolina Stingrays
right wing Andrew
Gordon (Washington on Dec. 23), former Augusta Lynx and Mississippi Sea
Wolves goaltender Riku
Helenius (Tampa Bay on Jan. 30), former Charlotte Checkers center Dwight
Helminen (Carolina on Oct. 28), former Florida Everblades and ECHL
All-Star center Matt
Hendricks (Colorado on Mar. 10), former Las Vegas Wranglers goaltender
Brent
Krahn (Dallas on Feb. 14), former Trenton Devils right wing Pierre-Luc
Letourneau-Leblond (New Jersey on Oct. 22), former Gwinnett Gladiators
defenseman Scott
Lehman (Atlanta on Dec. 18), former Utah Grizzlies defenseman Andrew
MacDonald (New York Islanders on Feb. 28), former Charlotte Checkers
defenseman Steve
MacIntyre (Edmonton on Oct. 15), former Florida Everblades left wing Kenndal
McArdle (Florida on Dec. 2), two-time All-Star and former Las Vegas
Wranglers goaltender Mike
McKenna (Tampa Bay on Feb. 3), former All-Star and Wheeling Nailers
center Kurtis
McLean (New York Islanders on Jan. 19), former South Carolina Stingrays
and ECHL All-Star goaltender Michal
Neuvirth (Washington on Feb. 14), former Johnstown Chiefs defenseman Wes
O'Neill (Toronto on Mar. 9), former Columbia Inferno defenseman Phil
Oreskovic (Toronto on Mar. 9), former Phoenix RoadRunners and Wheeling
Nailers center Cam
Paddock (St. Louis on Nov. 14), former Las Vegas Wranglers defenseman
Adam
Pardy (Calgary on Oct. 9), former Idaho Steelheads left wing Warren
Peters (Calgary on Dec. 7), former Charlotte Checkers center Jakub
Petruzalek (Carolina on Feb. 5), former Charlotte Checkers defenseman
Corey
Potter (New York Rangers on Dec. 7), former Augusta Lynx defenseman Kevin
Quick (Tampa Bay on Jan. 13), former Utah Grizzlies right wing Joel
Rechlicz (New York Islanders on Mar. 4), former Charlotte Checkers,
Columbia Inferno and Elmira Jackals defenseman Bryan
Rodney (Carolina on Dec. 11), former Gwinnett Gladiators center Jared
Ross (Philadelphia on Oct. 11), former Alaska Aces goaltender Marek
Schwarz (St. Louis on Oct. 25), former Greenville Grrrowl and Stockton
Thunder center Tim
Sestito (Edmonton on Nov. 26), former Dayton Bombers and Las Vegas
Wranglers defenseman Tyler
Sloan (Washington on Oct. 21), former Utah Grizzlies and ECHL All-Star
center Trevor
Smith (New York Islanders on Dec. 31), former Johnstown Chiefs and
Mississippi Sea Wolves forward Radek
Smolenak (Tampa Bay on Dec. 2), former Augusta Lynx defenseman Brett
Skinner (New York Islanders on Oct. 27), former Las Vegas Wranglers and
ECHL All-Star defenseman Tyson
Strachan (St. Louis on Dec. 18), former Phoenix RoadRunners goaltender
Josh
Tordjman (Phoenix on Mar. 8), former Wheeling Nailers right wing Tim
Wallace (Pittsburgh on Dec. 10) and former Idaho Steelheads center Tom
Wandell (Dallas on Dec. 10).
* There were 72
former ECHL players on NHL opening-day rosters.
* Twenty-six former ECHL players made their NHL debut in 2007-08 including
six who played in both the ECHL and the NHL: Chris
Beckford-Tseu (Alaska and St. Louis), Adam
Berti (Pensacola and Chicago), Joe
Jensen (Wheeling and Carolina), Dan
LaCosta (Elmira and Columbus), Jonathan
Quick (Reading and Los Angeles) and Danny
Taylor (Reading and Los Angeles).
* Record 47 former ECHL players played their first NHL game in 2005-06.
* ECHL is represented for the eighth consecutive year on the National
Hockey League championship team in 2008 by
Aaron Downey of the Detroit Red Wings.
* Former ECHL coaches working as head coaches in the NHL are Bruce
Boudreau of the Washington Capitals and Scott
Gordon of the New York Islanders while former ECHL player Dan
Bylsma is the interim head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Boudreau,
who coached Mississippi for three seasons winning the Kelly Cup
championship in 1999, was named
NHL Coach of the Year in 2007-08 becoming the first former ECHL coach
to receive the award. Peter Laviolette, who began his coaching career with
the Wheeling Nailers, led Carolina Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup in
2006.
* There are 18 assistant coaches in the NHL who were players or coaches in
the ECHL.
* There are 18 former ECHL officials scheduled to work as part of the NHL
officiating team in 2008-09 with referees David
Banfield, Chris
Ciamaga, Ghislain
Hebert, Marc Joannette, Mike Leggo, Wes McCauley, Dean Morton, Dan
O'Rourke, Brian Pochmara, Kevin Pollock, Kyle Rehman, Chris Rooney, Justin
St. Pierre and Ian Walsh and linesmen Steve Barton, Brian Mach, Tim
Nowak and Jay Sharrers. Barton, Joannette, Leggo, McCauley, Nowak, Pollock,
Rooney and Sharrers all worked the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
* ECHL has affiliations with 23 of the 29 teams in the American Hockey
League and for the past 19 years there has been an ECHL player on the
Calder Cup Champion.
* In the last six 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.
* Further information on the ECHL is available from its website at ECHL.com.
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- Royals Host Annual Fans' Choice Awards Banquet - Reading Royals
- Checkers Come Unglued, Falling To Sea Wolves, 5-4 - Charlotte Checkers
- Final Forty Minutes All Sea Wolves As Pack Makes Incredible Comeback - Mississippi Sea Wolves
- Phoenix Concludes 2008-09 Season with Four-Game Series at Idaho - Phoenix RoadRunners
- Condors Kids Club Party Tonight - Bakersfield Condors
- Thunder In Playoffs, Pursues Home Ice - Stockton Thunder
- Off The Hook: Steelheads Update - Idaho Steelheads
- North Division Comes Down To Final Week - ECHL
- SEA WOLVES WEEKLY - Mississippi Sea Wolves
- Grizzlies Complete Regular Season Friday, Saturday At Home - Utah Grizzlies
- ECHL Transactions - ECHL
- Condors in second place with Lucky 7's in weekend wins - Bakersfield Condors
- Steelheads Announce First Round Playoff Dates - Idaho Steelheads
- Rowe and Del Monte Return from AHL - Johnstown Chiefs
- ECHL Concludes Mid-Season Board of Governors Meeting - ECHL
- Weekly Arrowhead - Johnstown Chiefs
- Everblades Weekly - Florida Everblades
- Devils sweep through three in the Buckeye State, can clinch playoff spot Wednesday - Trenton Devils
- Cyclones One Point Out Of First - Cincinnati Cyclones
- ECHL Today - ECHL
- Gladiators Weekly Update - Atlanta Gladiators
- Chiefs Fall In Reading - Johnstown Chiefs
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