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4 unusual facts about ECHL


ECHL

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.

Freddie Falcon

He is not to be confused with the namesake mascot of Bowling Green State University or that of the mascot of the ECHL's Fresno Falcons.

Knoxville Civic Auditorium and Coliseum

In the past, the arena hosted the Knoxville Speed, of the UHL, the Knoxville Cherokees, of the ECHL and the Knoxville Knights, of the EHL.

Roanoke Valley Rebels

Roanoke Valley Rebels (ECHL), a minor professional ice hockey franchise that played in the ECHL from 1990-92


1992–93 ECHL season

The Winston-Salem Thunderbirds move to Wheeling, WV, becoming the first franchise to make a major relocation, the Roanoke Valley Rebels announced that they were changing their name to the Roanoke Valley Rampage, and the Cincinnati Cyclones announced that they were moving to the International Hockey League and were being replaced with a franchise in Birmingham, AL.

2007–08 ECHL season

The award is given in honor of Ryan Birmingham, a former ECHL referee who died in an automobile accident, while driving from Chattanooga, Tennessee to Snellville, Georgia in May 2007.

2010 ECHL All-Star Game

On Tuesday, a skills competition among the ECHL players, called the ECHL All-Star Skills Competition presented by Reebok Hockey and was also sponsored by Toyota and the city of Ontario, California.

2012–13 ECHL season

After not holding its All-Star Game and Skills Challenge for 2011-12, the ECHL will bring it back for this season, holding it on January 23 at Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, Colorado, home of the Colorado Eagles.

The San Francisco Bulls joined the Western Conference's Pacific Division, while in the Eastern Conference, the Orlando Solar Bears joined the South Division and the Fort Wayne Komets and Evansville IceMen joined the North Division following the departure of the Chicago Express.

The league announced on April 6, 2012, that the expansion franchise Chicago Express had withdrawn from the ECHL, effective immediately.

B. J. Young

Young spent the majority of his career in the minor leagues playing for the Adirondack Red Wings and Cincinnati Mighty Ducks of the American Hockey League, the Manitoba Moose of the International Hockey League, and the Anchorage/Alaska Aces in both the West Coast Hockey League and ECHL.

Ben Storey

In 2001 he moved to the Austrian Hockey League with EK Zell am See for one season before returning to North America in the ECHL for the Lexington Men O' War and the Louisiana IceGators as well as brief spells for the AHL's Utah Grizzlies and the Houston Aeros.

Blake Kessel

Blake Kessel (born April 13, 1989) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman who currently plays for the Orlando Solar Bears of the ECHL.

Brian Boucher

Boucher was named the team's starting goaltender, relegating previous starter Scott Munroe to backup duty and sending Phantoms backup Cal Heeter to the Trenton Titans, the Flyers' ECHL affiliate.

Chris Valicevic

Valicevic was joined by ECHL founder Henry Brabham, the league's first commissioner Patrick J. Kelly, and goaltender Nick Vitucci as members of the Hall of Fame's inaugural class.

Corey Schwab

Following a three year WHL career in Seattle, Schwab saw time with the ECHL's Cincinnati Cyclones and the AHL's Utica Devils before settling in with the AHL's Albany River Rats for two seasons.

Darren Schwartz

After seven seasons in the ECHL, Schwartz returned to the Winston-Salem area, joining the Winston-Salem IceHawks of the United Hockey League.

He scored the fastest hat trick in ECHL history, scoring three goals on December 20, 1992 against the Roanoke Valley Rampage.

Dave Gagnon

In 1990 and 1991 he was traded three times, but enjoyed success with Hampton Roads of ECHL, when he was named as co-MVP.

ECHL Hall of Fame

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.

Evan Trupp

On March 8, 2013, the 2012-13 ECHL trading deadline, the Condors moved Trupp to the Alaska Aces in exchange for Shawn Skelly and Chris Haltigin.

Florida Seals

Former NHL'er Jim Paek coached the team for one season after Drulia left to coach the Augusta Lynx of the ECHL.

Jean-Philippe Lamoureux

His younger brother, Jacques, born 1986, is currently playing professional hockey in the ECHL with the Alaska Aces.

Jeff Salzbrunn

Along with teammates Joe Gurney, Rob Hrytsak, Tom Sasso, and Mike Marcinkiewicz, Salzbrunn's 1988-89 Chiefs' team is one of four teams in ECHL history to have five 30 goal scorers on its roster in one season.

Joe Gurney

Along with teammates Rob Hrytsak, Tom Sasso, Mike Marcinkiewicz, and Jeff Salzbrunn, Gurney's 1988-89 Chiefs' team is one of four teams in ECHL history to have five 30 goal scorers on its roster in one season.

John Muse

Muse's first full professional season saw him spending time in both the ECHL and AHL, recording 15 games in Charlotte and 25 in Florida, where he shared netminding duties with Pat Nagle.

Keith Primeau

He is currently the Special Assistant to the General Manager and Director of Player Development of the Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL, Assistant Hockey Coach at Bishop Eustace Preparatory School, and the owner of a franchise of Bain's Deli in Philadelphia, PA.

Kenny MacAulay

He has gone on to play at various levels of minor league hockey in the United States, suiting up for the Stockton Thunder also of the ECHL, while playing for four American Hockey League teams; Rockford IceHogs, Portland Pirates, San Antonio Rampage, and Norfolk Admirals.

Luke Stauffacher

Due to his points production, Stauffacher would move back to the ECHL for the start of the 2007–08 season, but would only manage five appearances before moving to sign for the Manchester Phoenix mid-season, where he played alongside former Quad City Mallards line-mate Sean Starke.

Mark Bultje

After 15 games for the Panthers, he moved to ECHL rivals the Huntsville Blast.

Mississippi Sea Wolves

Damages from Hurricane Katrina to the Mississippi Coast Coliseum forced the team to suspend operations for the 2005–06 and 2006–07 seasons under the ECHL's hardship provisions caused by Hurricane Katrina.

Nick Mazzolini

Mazzolini played his rookie 2009–10 season in the ECHL with the Alaska Aces where he led his team in goals, assists, and points.

Nick Vitucci

Vitucci was joined by ECHL founder Henry Brabham, the league's first commissioner Patrick J. Kelly, and defenceman Chris Valicevic as members of the Hall of Fame's inaugural class.

In the 1996 season, while playing for the Charlotte Checkers, Vitucci shot the puck up the ice toward opposing goaltender Alain Morissette of the Louisville River Frogs.

Private Idaho

The song was also the rink entrance/warmup song for the ECHL's Idaho Steelheads through the 2005-2006 hockey season.

Roanoke Valley Vipers

The Virginia Lancers were a charter member of the East Coast Hockey League in 1988, later known as the Roanoke Valley Rebels and Roanoke Valley Rampage before moving to Huntsville, Alabama after the 1992-93 season.

Rob Laurie

After a four-year career at Western Michigan University, Laurie joined the Roanoke Valley Rampage of the East Coast Hockey League in 1992.

Sutter family

He spent the early stages of his career in the ECHL, before heading to Europe to play in the British Elite Ice Hockey League in 2005 where he has since played with the Nottingham Panthers, Sheffield Steelers and Belfast Giants.

T. J. Luxmore

Luxmore worked as a full-time as a referee in the ECHL for both the 2011–12 and 2012–13 seasons.

Trevor Gillies

Trevor Gillies (born January 30, 1979) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently playing for the Orlando Solar Bears of the ECHL.

Trevor Hendrikx

As a prospect, Hendrikx has spent most of his career in the ECHL as a member of the Blue Jackets' affiliate, with stops with the Dayton Bombers, Elmira Jackals and Johnstown Chiefs.

Zach McKelvie

Zach McKelvie (born February 22, 1985) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman who is currently playing with the Alaska Aces in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL).


see also