ECHL
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ECHL_Logo.jpg
ECHL
The ECHL is a professional hockey minor league based in the United States and Canada, generally regarded as being a tier below the American Hockey League.
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 Carolina Thunderbirds (now the Wheeling Nailers), the Erie Panthers (now the Victoria Salmon Kings), the Johnstown Chiefs, the Knoxville Cherokees (now the Pee Dee Pride), and the Virginia Lancers (the team is currently defunct, last playing as the Lexington Men O' War in 2003).
Since that time, the League has met with great success, reaching its largest size in 2003 of 31 teams before being reduced to 28 teams for the 2004 season. In September 2002, with the collapse of the West Coast Hockey League, 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 2003-04 as expansion teams in the league. The teams from the defunct WCHL, along with Las Vegas, joined as expansion teams for the ECHL’s 16th season in 2003-04. In a change reflective of the nationwide presence of the ECHL, the East Coast Hockey League changed its name to simply ECHL on May 19, 2003.
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Future Expansion Teams
- Phoenix Roadrunners (2005-06)
- Stockton Thunder,(2005-06)-relocation of Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
- Burlington Vt.(2006-07; waiting arena completion)
- Gulf Coast Swords will play in Manatee County, FL (2006-07; waiting arena completion)
- Myrtle Beach Thunderboltz(2006-07; waiting arena completion)
Teams
(NHL affiliates in parentheses)
National Conference
North Division
- Dayton Bombers (Columbus Blue Jackets)
- Johnstown Chiefs (San Jose Sharks, Tampa Bay Lightning)
- Reading Royals (Los Angeles Kings)
- Toledo Storm (Detroit Red Wings)
- Trenton Titans (Philadelphia Flyers)
- Wheeling Nailers (Pittsburgh Penguins)
West Division
- Alaska Aces play in Anchorage
- Bakersfield Condors
- Fresno Falcons (San Jose Sharks)
- Idaho Steelheads play in Boise (Phoenix Coyotes)
- Las Vegas Wranglers (Calgary Flames)
- Long Beach Ice Dogs (Montreal Canadiens)
- Phoenix Roadrunners
- Stockton Thunder
- San Diego Gulls (Mighty Ducks of Anaheim)
- Victoria Salmon Kings
American Conference
East Division
- Augusta Lynx
- Charlotte Checkers (New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators)
- Columbia Inferno (Vancouver Canucks)
- Greenville Grrrowl (Chicago Blackhawks, Edmonton Oilers)
- South Carolina Stingrays play in North Charleston, SC (Washington Capitals)
South Division
- Florida Everblades play in Estero, FL (Carolina Hurricanes)
- Gwinnett Gladiators play in Duluth, GA (Atlanta Thrashers)
- Mississippi Sea Wolves play in Biloxi-Gulfport, MS
- Pensacola Ice Pilots (Toronto Maple Leafs)
- Texas Wildcatters play in Beaumont, TX (Florida Panthers)
Defunct Teams
Like any minor league, the ECHL has its share of defunct teams. Teams that no longer play within the ECHL are listed below. All of the teams, except for the Greensboro Generals and the Roanoke Express, which were terminated by the ECHL, and the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies, which were relocated to Stockton, California, are considered to have suspended operations and the franchises placed for sale.
- Peoria Rivermen (Team folded, AHL team now)
- Arkansas RiverBlades
- Atantic City Admirals
- Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies (Moved to Stockton, California and bacame Stockton Thunder)
- Baton Rouge Kingfish (Moved to Victoria, BC and became Victoria Salmon Kings)
- Birmingham Bulls
- Carolina Thunderbirds
- Chesapeake Icebreakers
- Cincinnati Cyclones
- Columbus Chill (OH) (moved to Jacksonville and reverted to old name)
- Columbus Cottonmouths (GA) (dropped down to the SPHL, Franchise will return for the 2006-2007 season as the Gulf Coast Swords)
- Columbus Lizard Kings (OH) (became Chill)
- Erie Panthers
- Florence Pride
- Greensboro Generals
- Greensboro Monarchs
- Hampton Roads Admirals
- Huntington Blizzard (left Huntington following the 1999-2000 season, reborn as Texas Wildcatters starting in 2003-04 season)
- Huntsville Blast
- Jackson Bandits
- Jacksonville Lizard Kings
- Knoxville Cherokees
- Lexington Men O' War
- Louisiana Ice Gators
- Louisville Ice Hawks
- Louisville River Frogs
- Macon Whoopee
- Miami Matadors
- Mobile Mysticks (moved to Duluth, Ga and became Gwinnett Gladiators)
- Nashville Knights
- New Orleans Brass
- Pee Dee Pride
- Peoria Rivermen
- Raleigh Icecaps
- Richmond Renegades
- Roanoke Express
- Roanoke Valley Rampage
- Roanoke Valley Rebels
- South Carolina Sharks (never played; became Stingrays)
- Tallahassee Tiger Sharks
- Virginia Lancers
- Wheeling Thunderbirds
- Winston-Salem Thunderbirds
See also
External links
- Official ECHL site (http://www.echl.com)
- Archive of ECHL standings and statistics (http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/echl1989.html) - at Internet Hockey Database