World Championships Has Five Former ECHL Players
Published on July 9, 2008 under ECHL (ECHL) News Release
PRINCETON, N.J. - The ECHL was represented by five players in the
2008
International Ice Hockey Federation InLine Hockey World Championships
held in Slovakia.
The championship concluded June 28 with Sweden beating Slovakia for the
gold medal and Germany defeating the United States for the bronze medal.
There were ECHL players on four of the 16 teams with Sam
Ftorek and Chris Peterson representing the United States, Mike Souza
playing for Brazil, Tamas
Lencses representing Hungary and Martin Galik playing for Slovakia.
Ftorek and Peterson helped the United States capture the gold medal in 2006
while Lencses was making his second straight appearance with Hungary.
ECHL Players in 2008 IIHF Inline World Championships
Brazil - Mike Souza (Florence Pride, 2003-04 and Reading Royals,
2004-05)
Hungary - Tamas
Lencses (Bakersfield Condors, 2007-08)
Slovakia - Martin Galik (Greensboro Generals, 1999-2001 and Pee Dee
Pride, 2000-01)
United States - Sam
Ftorek (Augusta Lynx, 1998-2000 and 2005-06; Mobile Mysticks, 2000-01;
Greensboro Generals, 2002-04; Gwinnett Gladiators, 2004-05; Fresno Falcons,
2004-05; and Cincinnati Cyclones, 2006-07) and Chris Peterson (Augusta
Lynx, Bakersfield Condors and Gwinnett Gladiators, 2004-05).
ECHL
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.
The Premier 'AA' Hockey League began in 1988-89 with five teams in four
states and has grown to be a coast-to-coast league that will play with 23
teams in 16 states and British Columbia in 2008-09.
The league officially changed its name to ECHL on May
19, 2003.
The ECHL and its member teams donated more than $3.9 million to charitable
and non-profit organizations during the 2007-08 season, including almost $2
million in monetary contributions, while also making thousands of
appearances at schools, hospitals, libraries and charity
functions.
The ECHL has affiliations with 26 of the 30 teams in the NHL in 2007-08,
marking the 11th consecutive season that the league has had affiliations
with at least 20 teams in the NHL.
There have been 355
former ECHL players who have gone on to play in the NHL after playing in
the ECHL, including 99 in the last three seasons. There have been 210
former ECHL players who have played their first game in the NHL in the past
seven seasons.
There are 15 coaches in the NHL who have ECHL experience including former
Mississippi and current Washington Capitals coach Bruce
Boudreau, who is the 2007-08 winner of the NHL
Coach of the Year award, and former Wheeling coach Peter Laviolette,
who is head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes.
The ECHL is represented for the eighth consecutive year on the National
Hockey League championship team in 2008 with Detroit Red Wings forward Aaron
Downey.
The ECHL has affiliations with 26 of the 29 teams in the American Hockey
League in 2007-08 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 2,300 call ups involving more
than 1,200 players. In each of the last three seasons there have been more
than 225 players who have played in both the ECHL and the AHL in the same
season.
Further information on the ECHL is available from its website at ECHL.com.
ECHL Stories from July 9, 2008
- Royals Ink Affiliation Agreement with Toronto Maple Leafs - Reading Royals
- Local Native Adamek Returns to Thunder Blueline - Stockton Thunder
- Falcons Agree to Terms with Two Returnees - Fresno Falcons
- World Championships Has Five Former ECHL Players - ECHL
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.
