2017–18 ECHL season

The 2017–18 ECHL season is the 30th season of the ECHL. The regular season ran from October 13, 2017 to April 8, 2018, with the 2018 Kelly Cup playoffs following. Twenty-seven teams in 21 states and one Canadian province each played a 72-game schedule.

2017–18 ECHL season
LeagueECHL
SportIce hockey
DurationOctober 13, 2017 – June 9, 2018
Regular season
Brabham CupFlorida Everblades
Season MVPShawn Szydlowski (Fort Wayne)
Top scorerShawn Szydlowski (Fort Wayne)
Playoffs
Eastern championsFlorida Everblades
  Eastern runners-upAdirondack Thunder
Western championsColorado Eagles
  Western runners-upFort Wayne Komets
Playoffs MVPMichael Joly (Colorado)
Kelly Cup
ChampionsColorado Eagles
  Runners-upFlorida Everblades

The Kelly Cup was won by the Colorado Eagles, playing in their last season in the ECHL before joining the American Hockey League, in seven games over the regular season champions, the Florida Everblades.

League business

Team changes

Conference realignment

With the addition of another ECHL team in the South, the Jacksonville Icemen, the Cincinnati Cyclones returned to the Western Conference and Central Division after one season in the Eastern Conference. The Worcester Railers took the North Division spot vacated by the folded Elmira Jackals. The Western Conference divisions were reshuffled with the Kansas City Mavericks moving to the Central while the Tulsa Oilers and Wichita Thunder joined the Mountain Division.[7]

Affiliation changes

ECHL team New affiliates Former affiliates
Adirondack Thunder New Jersey Devils (NHL)
Binghamton Devils (AHL)
Calgary Flames (NHL)
Stockton Heat (AHL)
Cincinnati Cyclones Buffalo Sabres (NHL)
Rochester Americans (AHL)
Nashville Predators (NHL)
Milwaukee Admirals (AHL)
Fort Wayne Komets Arizona Coyotes (NHL)
Tucson Roadrunners (AHL)
Independent
Jacksonville Icemen Winnipeg Jets (NHL)
Manitoba Moose (AHL)
Dormant
Kalamazoo Wings Vancouver Canucks (NHL)
Utica Comets (AHL)
Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL)
Syracuse Crunch (AHL)
Kansas City Mavericks Calgary Flames (NHL)
Stockton Heat (AHL)[8]
New York Islanders (NHL)
Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL)
Norfolk Admirals Nashville Predators (NHL)
Milwaukee Admirals (AHL)[9]
Edmonton Oilers (NHL)
Bakersfield Condors (AHL)
Independent
As of November 28, 2017
Nashville Predators
Milwaukee Admirals
Quad City Mallards Vegas Golden Knights (NHL)
Chicago Wolves (AHL)
Minnesota Wild (NHL)
Iowa Wild (AHL)
Rapid City Rush[10] Minnesota Wild (NHL)
Iowa Wild (AHL)
Arizona Coyotes (NHL)
Tucson Roadrunners (AHL)
Tulsa Oilers St. Louis Blues (NHL) Winnipeg Jets (NHL)
Manitoba Moose (AHL)
Wichita Thunder Edmonton Oilers (NHL)
Bakersfield Condors (AHL)
Ottawa Senators (NHL)
Binghamton Senators (AHL)
Worcester Railers New York Islanders (NHL)
Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL)
Expansion team

Annual Board of Governors meeting

The annual ECHL Board of Governors meeting were held at the New York-New York Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, on June 12 and 13, 2017.[11] The ECHL Board of Governors re-elected Cincinnati Cyclones' president Ray Harris as chairman for a third season. The Board also approved of the transfer of the Alaska Aces franchise to Portland, Maine, for the 2018–19 season as well as the 2017–18 alignment.[7]

All-star game

The 2018 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic was held on January 15, 2018, at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis.[12] In a change from previous all-star game formats used by the ECHL, the league used the divisional format that has been used in the NHL and AHL since 2016. There were four teams, one for each division, playing a 3-on-3 player tournament with the winners of each conference match facing each other for a final game. Each game consisted of two seven-minute periods and each team was made up from seven players.[13] In the semifinal round, the South Division defeated the North Division 3–1 and the Mountain Division defeated the Central Division 5–2.[14]

The skills competition took place before the all-star championship game. The Cincinnati Cyclones' Justin Danforth won the fastest skater event, the Wichita Thunder's Shane Starrett won the rapid fire event, and the Orlando Solar Bears' Nolan Valleau won the hardest shot event.[14]

The championship game was then played with the Mountain Division defeating the South Division after going into a shootout by a final score of 6–5. The South Carolina Stingrays' Taylor Cammarata of the South Division won the tournament's most valuable player award.[14]

Standings

Final standings.[15]

Eastern Conference
North Division GP W L OTL SOL GF GA PTS
yAdirondack Thunder (NJD)7241243423322189
xManchester Monarchs (LAK)7241253325721488
xReading Royals (PHI)7239249023219987
xWorcester Railers (NYI)7237274419419382
Wheeling Nailers (PIT)7235288124824579
Brampton Beast (MTL)7228346421024566
South Division GP W L OTL SOL GF GA PTS
zFlorida Everblades (CAR)72531324261171112
xSouth Carolina Stingrays (WSH)72481671214153104
xOrlando Solar Bears (TOR)7233306321222875
xAtlanta Gladiators (BOS)7232352320522969
Jacksonville Icemen (WPG)7226394320324659
Norfolk Admirals (Ind.)7226396121126959
Greenville Swamp Rabbits (NYR)7224407120228456

Western Conference
Central Division GP W L OTL SOL GF GA PTS
yToledo Walleye (DET)72501732242170105
xFort Wayne Komets (ARI)7246205129021698
xCincinnati Cyclones (BUF)7239303022622081
xIndy Fuel (CHI)7236305124224878
Kalamazoo Wings (VAN)7234314325125175
Kansas City Mavericks (CGY)7234324220422374
Quad City Mallards (VGK)7225424119629555
Mountain Division GP W L OTL SOL GF GA PTS
yColorado Eagles (COL)72481842265214102
xIdaho Steelheads (DAL)7244205324418896
xAllen Americans (SJS)7235296223523278
xWichita Thunder (EDM)7234306222223576
Tulsa Oilers (STL)7231293921423374
Utah Grizzlies (ANA)7228299623025671
Rapid City Rush (MIN)7225413320326856

 x  - clinched playoff spot,  y  - clinched regular season division title,  z  - Brabham Cup (regular season) champion

Postseason

Playoffs format

At the end of the regular season the top four teams in each division qualifies for the 2018 Kelly Cup playoffs and be seeded one through four based on highest point total earned in the season. Then the first two rounds of the playoffs are held within the division with the first seed facing the fourth seed and the second seed facing the third. The division champions then play each other in a conference championship. The Kelly Cup finals pits the Eastern Conference champion against the Western Conference champion. All four rounds are a best-of-seven format.[7]

Bracket

Division Semifinals Division Finals Conference Finals Kelly Cup Finals
            
N1 Adirondack Thunder 4
N4 Worcester Railers 2
N1 Adirondack 4
North Division
N2 Manchester 2
N2 Manchester Monarchs 4
N3 Reading Royals 0
N1 Adirondack 1
Eastern Conference
S1 Florida 4
S1 Florida Everblades 4
S4 Atlanta Gladiators 0
S1 Florida 4
South Division
S3 Orlando 1
S2 South Carolina Stingrays 0
S3 Orlando Solar Bears 4
S1 Florida 3
M1 Colorado 4
C1 Toledo Walleye 4
C4 Indy Fuel 0
C1 Toledo 2
Central Division
C2 Fort Wayne 4
C2 Fort Wayne Komets 4
C3 Cincinnati Cyclones 1
C2 Fort Wayne 3
Western Conference
M1 Colorado 4
M1 Colorado Eagles 4
M4 Wichita Thunder 2
M1 Colorado 4
Mountain Division
M2 Idaho 0
M2 Idaho Steelheads 4
M3 Allen Americans 3

Awards

AwardWinner
Patrick Kelly Cup:Colorado Eagles
Henry Brabham Cup:Florida Everblades
Gingher Memorial Trophy:Florida Everblades
Bruce Taylor Trophy:Colorado Eagles
John Brophy Award:Brad Ralph, Florida
CCM Most Valuable Player:Shawn Szydlowski, Fort Wayne
Kelly Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player:Michael Joly, Colorado
Warrior Hockey Goaltender of the Year:Parker Milner, South Carolina
CCM Rookie of the Year:Justin Danforth, Cincinnati
CCM Defenseman of the Year:Matt Register, Colorado
Leading Scorer:Shawn Szydlowski, Fort Wayne
AMI Graphics Plus Performer Award:Logan Roe, Florida
Sportsmanship Award:Brodie Dupont, Norfolk
Community Service Award:Jeremy Beaudry, Wichita
Birmingham Memorial Award:Charlie O'Connor

All-ECHL teams

First Team[16]

  • Parker Milner (G) – South Carolina Stingrays
  • David Makowski (D) – Allen Americans
  • Matt Register (D) – Colorado Eagles
  • Michael Joly (F) – Colorado Eagles
  • Jordan LeVallee-Smotherman (F) – Manchester Monarchs
  • Shawn Szydlowski (F) – Fort Wayne Komets

Second Team[17]

  • Pat Nagle (G) – Toledo Walleye
  • Eric Knodel (D) – Cincinnati Cyclones
  • Nolan Zajac (D) – Reading Royals
  • Justin Danforth (F) – Cincinnati Cyclones
  • Jesse Schultz (F) – Cincinnati Cyclones
  • Matt Willows (F) – Reading Royals

Rookie Team[18]

  • Mitch Gillam (G) – Worcester Railers
  • Aaron Irving (D) – Kalamazoo Wings
  • TJ Melancon (D) – Norfolk Admirals
  • Grant Besse (F) – Norfolk Admirals
  • Justin Danforth (F) – Cincinnati Cyclones
  • Reid Gardiner (F) – Wheeling Nailers

See also

References

  1. "Alaska Aces to Cease Operations at Conclusion of 2016-17 Season". KTUU-TV. February 23, 2017. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  2. "Portland lands a pro hockey team for the fall of 2018". Portland Press Herald. June 15, 2017.
  3. "First Arena Gets New Owner, Jackals Will Fold". WETM-TV. March 10, 2017.
  4. "MISSOURI MAVERICKS TO BECOME KANSAS CITY MAVERICKS IN 2017-18". ECHL. March 11, 2017. Archived from the original on March 13, 2017. Retrieved March 13, 2017.
  5. "Meet the Jacksonville Icemen, our new hockey team". WTLV. February 8, 2017.
  6. "Introducing the Worcester Railers professional hockey team". Worcester Magazine. April 3, 2016.
  7. "Annual ECHL Board of Governors Meeting Concludes". ECHL. June 20, 2017. Archived from the original on June 20, 2017. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
  8. "MAVERICKS BECOME ECHL AFFILIATE OF CALGARY, STOCKTON". ECHL. June 8, 2017. Archived from the original on June 8, 2017. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
  9. Cicero, Joe (May 4, 2017). "Nashville Predators become new parent club of the Admirals". The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved May 5, 2017.
  10. "RUSH JOIN FORCES WITH MINNESOTA, IOWA". ECHL. June 19, 2017. Archived from the original on June 19, 2017. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  11. "2017 ECHL HOCKEY SUMMER MEETINGS PRESENTED BY BRANDIOSE TO BE HELD JUNE 12-16 IN LAS VEGAS". ECHL. May 2, 2017. Archived from the original on May 2, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
  12. "INDY FUEL TO HOST 2018 CCM/ECHL ALL-STAR CLASSIC". ECHL. January 18, 2017. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved January 19, 2017.
  13. "FORMAT REVEALED FOR 2018 CCM/ECHL ALL-STAR CLASSIC". ECHL. October 5, 2017. Archived from the original on October 6, 2017. Retrieved October 5, 2017.
  14. "MOUNTAIN DIVISION WINS 2018 CCM/ECHL ALL-STAR CLASSIC". ECHL. January 15, 2018. Archived from the original on January 18, 2018. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
  15. "ECHL Standings - Division". ECHL. Archived from the original on August 1, 2017. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
  16. "2017–18 All-ECHL First Team Announced". ECHL. April 5, 2018. Archived from the original on April 5, 2018. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
  17. "2017–18 All-ECHL Second Team Announced". ECHL. April 5, 2018. Archived from the original on April 5, 2018. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
  18. "ECHL Announces 2017-18 All-Rookie Team". ECHL. April 4, 2018. Archived from the original on April 6, 2018. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
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