The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States. It is generally regarded as a tier below the American Hockey League.

The ECHL, along with the AHL, are the only minor leagues recognized by the collective bargaining agreement between the National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players' Association, meaning any player signed to an entry-level NHL contract and designated for assignment must report to a club either in the AHL or the ECHL.^[1] Additionally, the league's players are represented by the Professional Hockey Players' Association in negotiations with the ECHL itself.

The league, which combined teams from the defunct Atlantic Coast Hockey League and All-American Hockey League, began play as the East Coast Hockey League in 1988 with 5 teams—the (Winston-Salem, North) Carolina Thunderbirds (now the Wheeling Nailers); the Erie Panthers (folded after 2011 as the Victoria Salmon Kings); the Johnstown Chiefs (now the Greenville Road Warriors); the Knoxville Cherokees (ceased operations as the Pee Dee Pride after 2005; folded after 2009 following failed relocation efforts); and the Virginia Lancers (now the Utah Grizzlies).

In September 2002, the West Coast Hockey League ceased operations, and the ECHL Board of Governors approved membership applications from the Anchorage (now Alaska) Aces, the Bakersfield Condors, the Fresno Falcons, the Idaho Steelheads, the Las Vegas Wranglers, the Long Beach Ice Dogs and the San Diego Gulls as well as from teams in Ontario, California and Reno, Nevada. Alaska, Bakersfield, Fresno, Idaho, Las Vegas, Long Beach and San Diego began play in the 2003–04 season as expansion teams. In a change reflective of the league's now-nationwide presence, the East Coast Hockey League shortened its name to the orphan initialism ECHL on May 19, 2003. The ECHL reached its largest size to date (31 teams) that season before being reduced to 28 teams for the 2004–05 season.

The league, because of geographical anomalies, has used unbalanced conferences and divisions, making for some extremely varied playoff formats and limited interconference play. Due to travel costs, the league has attempted to placate owners in keeping those costs down, which has led to the sometimes-odd playoff structures.

The ECHL has attempted to be more tech-friendly to its fans. Some improvements on the league's website have included a new schedule and statistics engine powered by League Stat, Inc. (introduced in 2006), internet radio coverage for most teams, and pay-per view broadcasting of ECHL games through B2 Networks (a subsidiary of America One Broadcasting). In 2008, the league introduced the ECHL toolbar for internet browsers which gave users short cut access to statistics, scores, transactions, and news updates.^[2]

At the annual ECHL Board of Governors Meeting on June 15, 2010 in Henderson, Nevada, the Board of Governors approved changes to the names of the conferences and divisions. The former American Conference (comprising eleven East Coast and Midwest teams) was renamed the Eastern Conference, while the National Conference (consisting of 8 West Coast teams, including the league's only Canadian team at the time), was re-designated the Western Conference. Within the Eastern Conference, the East Division was renamed the Atlantic Division, and the Western Conference's former West Division was dubbed the Mountain Division.^[3]

The league lost its only Canadian team with the folding of the Victoria Salmon Kings subsequent to the 2010–11 season.^[4] The league will increase to 20 teams for the 2011–12 season with the addition of the expansion franchise Chicago Express^[5] and the Colorado Eagles who previously played in the Central Hockey League.^[6]

Following suspension of the Trenton Devils by the parent club New Jersey Devils in early July 2011,^[7] the league announced the return of the Trenton Titans (last seen in 2007) with a press conference that was made on July 28.^[8][9] It is uncertain if the Trenton Titans are the returning Trenton Devils franchise.

League alignment as of conclusion of annual ECHL Board of Governors meeting on August 1, 2011.^[10]

Notes

One team which was under suspension should resume operations in a new home arena for the 2011–12 season. Teams are being developed in two new markets, and considered in several markets that have hosted ECHL teams in the past. Representatives from all potential expansion franchises, markets that have been granted expansion franchises and franchises that have suspended operations must attend the league's annual Board of Governors Meeting between seasons and provide progress reports on their situations in order to keep their ECHL franchise rights. The Board of Governors then votes whether or not to extend the franchises' league licenses until the next Board of Governors Meeting.

• Columbia Inferno, earliest return 2011–12; granted a one-year voluntary suspension while the team attempts to find a new home arena, then granted a one-year extension onto their voluntary suspension as they attempt to construct a new arena to host the franchise.^[11]

• Thunder Bay, Ontario; led by Ice Edge, a Thunder Bay franchise would be the second Canadian team in ECHL history (following the Victoria Salmon Kings, 2004–2011). As of May 2011, a start date for the potential franchise is unknown and no announcement of arena construction has been made.^[12]
• Reno, Nevada; the franchise (originally in the WCHL) has been dormant since 2000, becoming part of the ECHL following the 2003 merger. The city of Sparks, Nevada has announced its intent to build an arena; however, no announcement of arena construction has been made. ^[13]

In an article in the spring of 2009, Commissioner Brian McKenna said, "We have an interest in returning to several markets. Richmond has had a team in the Southern Professional (Hockey) League for several years, but it's a market that's of interest. Other markets like Greensboro and Greenville, we're having discussions as we speak about the possibility of going back into some of those places. But history dictates that when we do it properly, we have a very high-percentage chance of succeeding for the longer term...We’d still like to add a team in the Pacific Northwest at some point. Other markets like San Diego, Reno, Fresno...we still have interest. But again, we have to make sure that it’s done properly."^[14]

In January 2011, The Telegram reported that several businessman had preliminary talks with the ECHL about a potential expansion franchise to be placed in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. The group attended the league's All-Star Game festivities in Bakersfield, California that month and had planned to attend the league's Board of Governors Meeting in Las Vegas in June where the BOG would vote on whether or not to grant St. John's an expansion franchise for the 2012–13 season.^[15] However, in May 2011, The Telegram reported that the group had withdrawn their application for a franchise from the ECHL as True North Sports & Entertainment was expected to move the American Hockey League's Manitoba Moose to St. John's if True North were able to purchase and relocate the NHL's Atlanta Thrashers to Winnipeg, Manitoba.^[16] The Manitoba Moose were officially relocated to St. John's on June 10, 2011, effectively blocking the ECHL from the market.^[17]

While the ECHL has stated in recent years they would not grant voluntary suspensions of franchises for more than one year, both the Toledo Storm (now the Toledo Walleye) and Mississippi Sea Wolves (now defunct) were granted two-year suspensions—the Sea Wolves because of Hurricane Katrina and the Storm in order to demolish their present arena and construct a new one in downtown Toledo. The Mississippi Sea Wolves resumed play for the 2007–2008 season, while the Toledo Walleye resumed play in their new arena for the 2009–2010 season.

On March 30, 2009, the Dayton Bombers and Mississippi Sea Wolves announced that they would suspend operations for the 2009–10 season, while the Phoenix RoadRunners announced that they will cease operations at the end of the 2008–09 season.^[18] Dayton would receive a franchise in the International Hockey League and Biloxi, MS would receive a team in the Southern Professional Hockey League the following year.

On February 15, 2010, the Tribune-Democrat reported that the Johnstown Chiefs, the only remaining founding franchise of the East Coast Hockey League to remain in its original city, would be relocating to Greenville, South Carolina, the former home of the Greenville Grrrowl (1998–2006) following the completion of the 2009-10 season.^[19]

The Victoria Salmon Kings, the only Canadian franchise in league history, folded following their Western Conference finals loss in the 2011 Kelly Cup playoffs to make way for a Western Hockey League franchise at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre. RG Properties opted to withdraw the franchise from the ECHL with full approval from the league's Board of Governors, folding the franchise instead of selling the club's ECHL rights to be moved to another market, marking the end of a franchise that began with the Erie Panthers, one of the ECHL charter teams.^[4]

Four former ECHL franchises have been directly replaced in their respective markets by American Hockey League franchises. The Greensboro Monarchs were the first, being replaced by the Carolina Monarchs in 1995. The Hampton Roads Admirals were the second, giving way to the Norfolk Admirals in 2000. The Peoria Rivermen were the third. In their case, the replacement franchise retained the Worcester IceCats history but assumed the Rivermen identity for their first AHL season of 2005-06. The Charlotte Checkers were the fourth, yielding to a franchise that retained the Albany River Rats history following the club's move to Charlotte following the 2009-10 season and assumed the Checkers identity.^[20] In each case, the ECHL franchise was relinquished to the league by its respective ownership group.

In the Western Conference, seven teams qualify: two division winners and the next five teams in the conference. The division winner with the best record (most points) receives a bye to the conference semifinal round while the other division winner is seeded second and plays the seventh ranked team in a best of five series. The third seed plays against the sixth while the fourth plays the fifth seed in a best of five series. The top seed plays the winner of the winner of the fourth/fifth series and the other two winners face each other in a best of seven series.

In the Eastern Conference, eight teams qualify: the three division winners plus the next five teams in the conference. Similar to the NHL the division winners will be the top three seeds; the conference winner vs the eighth seed, second vs seventh, third vs sixth and fourth vs fifth in the best of five conference semifinal. The winner of the 1st/8th series will play the winner of the 4th/5th series while 2nd/7th winner plays against the 3rd/6th winner in a best of seven conference semifinal series.

The conference finals and the Kelly Cup final are best of seven series.^[21]

In celebration of the league's 20th year of play, the ECHL Board of Governors created the ECHL Hall of Fame in 2008, to recognize the achievements of players, coaches, and personnel who dedicated their careers to the league. Hall of Fame members are selected in four categories: Player, Developmental Player, Builder, and Referee/Linesman. Players must have concluded their career as an active player for a minimum of three playing seasons, though not continuous or full seasons. Development Players must have begun their career in the ECHL and went on to a distinguished career in the NHL, playing a minimum of 260 regular season games in the NHL, AHL and ECHL. Builders may be active or inactive whereas Referee/Linesman must have concluded their active officiating career for a minimum of three playing seasons.

No more than five candidates are elected to the Hall of Fame each year with no more than three Players, one Developmental Player, two Builders and one Referee/Linesman. The Builder and the Referee/Linesman categories are dependent upon the number of candidates in the Player category.

The nomination and subsequent selection of candidates is determined by the ECHL Hall of Fame Selection Committee which is appointed by the ECHL.

The ECHL Hall of Fame Inaugural Class was inducted during the 2008 ECHL All-Star Game festivities at Stockton Arena in Stockton, California and included ECHL founder Henry Brabham, the ECHL's first commissioner Patrick J. Kelly, and former players Nick Vitucci and Chris Valicevic.

• Kelly Cup
• ECHL All-Star Game
• List of ECHL seasons
• List of developmental and minor sports leagues
• List of ice hockey leagues
• Sports league attendances

• ECHL website