ECHL
The ECHL is a professional minor-league double-A hockey association based in the United States and Canada. The League began play 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 steadily grown, reaching its largest size in 2003 of 31 teams before being reduced to 28 teams for the 2004 season. In September 2002, 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 for 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 membership approved for Ontario will begin play as an expansion team in Phoenix in 2005–06. The East Coast Hockey League and West Coast Hockey League did not merge. The WCHL ceased operations after completing its season in 2002–03. The teams from the defunct WCHL, along with Las Vegas, joined as expansion teams for the ECHLs 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. The leading professional developmental league for the American Hockey and the National Hockey League, ECHL has an identity that is well known within North American hockey circles. In 2004, the ECHL added its first Canadian team, the Victoria Salmon Kings of Victoria, British Columbia. On February 1, 2005, it was announced that a new franchise to be called the Phoenix Roadrunners will begin play in the 2005–06 season. On February 3, 2005, it was announced that the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies were sold to an ownership group that plans to relocated the team to Stockton, California, for the 2005–06 season.
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Teams
(NHL affiliates in parentheses)
National Conference
North Division
- Dayton Bombers (Columbus Blue Jackets)
- Johnstown Chiefs (San Jose Sharks, Tampa Bay Lightning)
- Peoria Rivermen (St. Louis Blues)
- 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)
- 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)
- Pee Dee Pride play in Florence, SC
- 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)
- Louisiana IceGators play in Lafayette, LA (Minnesota Wild)
- 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.
- Arkansas RiverBlades
- Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies (Moved to Stockton, California and team name not announced yet)
- Cincinnati Cyclones
- Columbus Cottonmouths (Team will return for the 2005–2006 season as the Gulf Coast Swords)
- Greensboro Generals
- Greensboro Monarchs
- Jackson Bandits
- Jacksonville Lizard Kings
- Lexington Men O' War
- Macon Whoopee
- New Orleans Brass
- Richmond Renegades
- Roanoke Express
See also
External links
- Official ECHL site
- Archive of ECHL standings and statistics – at Internet Hockey Database
Categories: Ice hockey leagues