Tonight's Preview, Offense the Key, Belleville Injury Report, Mountain Division Penalty Percentages, Veteran Numbers, ECHL Shooting Percentages and More

 

It is game day for the Allen Americans as they take on the Rapid City Rush tonight in the second of a three-game series, having lost game one 2-1 in overtime. The key to the game tonight is more offense. Here are some stats that highlight the offensive struggles:

• Allen has yet to have a lead in regulation time this season.
• Allen has not scored the first goal of the game this season.
• Allen hasn't scored a first-period goal this season. 
• Allen has trailed after the first and second periods of every game this season.
• Allen is averaging 1.75 goals per game, tied for last in the ECHL.
• Allen is mid-pack in shots per game (30.50) but has a low shooting percentage, converting on only 7 of 122 shots.
• Allen doesn't have a power play goal in the last three games.

 

- While the offense has struggled, the defense has allowed only 12 goals in four games for a 3.00 goals per game average, ranked #12 in the league. Three of the 12 goals allowed were empty-net goals. Not including them, Allen's goals allowed average is 2.25 goals per game. 

 

- It is just a matter of time before Allen's high-powered offense breaks out. The question is, will it be tonight? Scoring first will be a big indicator, and an early power play goal will be a big boost. 

 

- Another key to the game tonight is limiting the damage caused by Rapid City's top offensive weapons, #13 Ryan Wagner and #91 Blake Bennett. They combined on the winning overtime goal on Wednesday, with Wagner setting up Bennett. Since rejoining the Rush last season, Bennett has averaged .71 goals per game. He has three goals in five games this season. Wagner was #2 in the ECHL in scoring last season with 79 points (29G, 50A). He has four assists in five games this season. This duo, along with #10 Carter Wilkie, comprises the Rush top line. They have accounted for 43% of the Rapid City goals this season. Having the last change at home will help Coach Martinson get the matchups he wants. One strategy you can use against Wagner (5'8" 185) and Bennett (5'10" 185) is checking them every time you get the chance. Allen needs to be tougher to play against; the style they need to play to be successful. 

 

- Allen has only one player with two goals, and that is defenseman Matt Register. Four other players have a single goal (Asuchak, Gildon, Hargrove, Watts). Only two players have two assists (Duarte and Sedley). Five players have a single assist (Asuchak, Caron, Crone, Hargrove, Register). That is all the scoring in four games: seven goals and nine assists.  

 

- Marco Costantini will start in goal as the Americans will use an EBUG again tonight. Marco has been outstanding in his two starts this season, even though his record (0-1-1-0) doesn't show it. Marco has stopped 77 of 81  shots for a GAA of 1.98 and a .951 save percentage. 

 

- The EBUG tonight will again be Landry Laird, a 23-year-old who played for Prosper High School in 2018-19. He had a record of 8-1-0, a GAA of 0.87, and a .937 save percentage. He played a couple of years of junior hockey and a little in a Division III program.

 

- There will be just one referee working the game tonight. David Lilly (#25), who was one of two referees on Wednesday, will work alone tonight. The linesmen will be Joey Kramer (#90) and Aaron Schacht (#51). 

 

OTHER COMMENTS 

- Danny Katic, who was recalled by Belleville on October 16, finally got to play in a game on Wednesday, the 29th. His stat line was all zeros except 2 PIM and a plus/minus of -1. I heard Belleville is getting players back, so hopefully, Katic will be back in Allen soon. 

 

- Allen's other contract player, Jackson Parsons, was recalled to Belleville on Monday after goalie Mads Sogaard was injured in a game on Sunday in Toronto. Coach Martinson still hasn't heard how long Sogaard will be out. Here are the details: https://sports.yahoo.com/article/weekly-farm-report-mads-sogaard-231440159.html   

 

- There are 11 games on the ECHL schedule tonight. All eight Mountain Division teams will be in action. Here is the ECHL Today with the previews: https://echl.com/news/2025/10/echl-today-oct-31 

 

-  Here are the penalty kill percentages for the Mountain Division teams:

• 100.0% - Kansas City
• 90.0% - Utah
• 85.7% - Wichita
• 84.2% - Allen
• 83.3% - Tahoe
• 78.9% - Idaho
• 77.8% - Rapid City
• 73.7% - Tulsa

 

- The Allen Americans have a maximum of four veterans (Register, Asuchak, Watts, Hargrove) on the roster, which is uncommon these days in the ECHL. The only other teams with four veterans are Fort Wayne and Idaho. There are four teams with no veterans on the roster (Iowa, Savannah, Utah, Wheeling). Teams can add a fifth veteran if a vet goes on the 14-day injured reserve.

 

- Allen has nine players on the roster who are 6'2" or taller, led by Braidan Simmons- Fischer, who is just shy of 6'8", and he is also the heaviest of the eight guys listed as weighing over 200 pounds. He weighs 240 pounds, with a single-digit body fat percentage.  

 

DID YOU KNOW: Here are the best and worst shooting teams thus far in 2025-26 by shooting percentage. Source: ECHL daily report: 

BEST

15.1% - Reading

14.9% - Trois Rivières

14.3% - Tahoe

13.5% - Wheeling

12.9% - Kalamazoo

 

WORST

5.0% - Allen

5.7% - Worcester

6.3% - Greensboro

6.3% - Indy

6.6% - Greenville

40 Shots Produce a Single Goal in OT Loss, Game Recap, Video Highlights, Coach's Comments, Standings, 14-Day IR List and More

 

Everyone I talked to after the game last night, from the coach, players and fans agreed that the Allen Americans played their best game of the season last night, but it was only good for a 2-1 overtime loss to the Rapid City Rush. Here is a synopsis with the good and the bad:

• Allen exploded for 40 shots after totaling 48 shots in two games against Kansas City last weekend.
• Allen gave up 41 shots to the Rush, who were averaging 27.75 shots per game before last night.
• The two best players on the ice were the goalies. Allen goalie Marco Costantini's save percentage was .951, topped by Rapid City goalie Connor Murphy, who had a .975 save percentage.
• The Americans have given up the first goal in all four of their games and also trailed after the first period in all four games. 
• Allen has yet to have a lead in regulation time this season.
• The new lines put together last night by Coach Martinson created a lot more opportunities. Allen outshot Rapid City 15-13 in the first period and 16-6 in the second period.
• Allen's power play was 0-4. Rapid City's power play was 1-3. Allen took a penalty with 13 seconds remaining in regulation, which carried over to overtime. Blake Bennett made the Americans pay with a 4-on-3, power-play, game-winning goal at the 1:23 mark of overtime. 
• Bennett joined the Rush in the middle of January last season after starting the year in Europe. Since his return, he has scored 30 goals in 42 games, including three goals in five games this season. Based on a full season, his goals-per-game average would produce 51 goals. Allen better have a plan to control him this weekend.
• Allen finally broke through on its 38th shot of the game. Andre Anania didn't get an assist on the goal, but did a great job keeping the puck in the zone. Then two nice passes from behind the goal line led to the goal. Hank Crone passed to Mark Duarte, who passed to Colton Hargrove, who was net front. Hargrove was getting checked, but got the puck in the net from the crease. If you watch the highlights below, take a moment to see how the hard work by all four players contributed to the goal.  
• Allen was outshot 3-0 in overtime, because they were penalty killing the entire time. Allen has been involved in two overtime games this season and have been outshot 8-0. 

 

- Here are the game recaps from both teams, plus the video highlights:

Allen Americans game recap: https://allenamericans.com/news/2025/10/americans-fall-in-ot-to-rapid-city 

Rapid City Rush game recap: https://rapidcityrush.com/news/2025/10/game-recap-bennett-plays-hero-in-overtime-rush-defeat-allen-in-series-opener

Video Highlights: https://echl.com/videos/rapid-city-rush-vs-allen-americans-oct-29-2025 

 

- Allen's goals for and against by period really tell the story of the season thus far;

• 0-5 - 1st Period
• 2-2 - 2nd Period
• 4-4 - 3rd Period
• 0-1 - Overtime
• 1-0 - Shootouts  

 

- After last night, Allen's average goals scored per game is now down to 1.75. Indy (1.67) is the only team with a worse average. The Americans' average goals allowed (3.00) is ranked #12 in the ECHL.   

 

COACH MARTINSON'S COMMENTS

"We stayed out of the penalty box until the end. We did a much better job of that. The difference in the game is they scored on the power play and we didn't." 

"I thought we showed a little bit more speed tonight. The goal now is to get everybody capable of scoring to score. I liked our effort tonight, but we have to get some offense going."

"I tried juggling the lines tonight to split some guys up that like to play together, and then I put them back together in the third period, and they got a goal."

"We have a lot of guys with a history of scoring, and they have to start scoring. Conditioning is part of the problem, as some guys are a step behind. Rapid City has 10 NHL/AHL contracted players who were all on the ice at least two weeks before us, and some for a month before us."

"It is pretty frustrating, but guys who have a history of scoring will start scoring. I don't think this is the year they will stop scoring."

"I am going to bring in another proven goal scorer, who is hard to play against, as soon as he gets his passport."  

"I want to win, not next month, but now. We have to win, and we have to win rights now. The fact that there isn't a new CBA, and we have no contracted players, is not an excuse; we have to win on Friday night and then build on that. I am confident the guys that aren't scoring will start scoring."

"If I get the word back from Ottawa, that it might be a week or two before Parsons' return, I will sign a goalie whom I have already identified. Marco will play both games this weekend, and we will have an EBUG."    

 

OTHER COMMENTS

- There were six games in the ECHL last night, and six Mountain Division teams were in action, as a couple of South Division teams are visiting. Here were the results:

• Wichita beat Florida 2-1 after the Everblades scored first at the 16:21 mark of the second period.
• Jacksonville beat Utah 3-1.
• Idaho beat Utah 5-1, but the final score included two empty net goals.
• Rapid City beat Allen 2-1 in overtime.  

 

Here are the current Mountain Division standings by point percentage. The team's rank in the ECHL is in parentheses:

• .800 - Kansas City (3rd)
• .750 - Wichita (7th)
• .667 - Idaho (9th)
• .600 - Rapid City (17th)
• .500 - Tahoe (19th)
• .417 - Utah (21st)
• .375 - Allen (23rd)
• .200 - Tulsa (27th) 

 

- Here is the odd stat of the day. I noticed it while doing my ECHL Stats post this morning about the number of players on the 14-day injured reserve (see below). The Bloomington Bison have three players on 14-day injured reserve, and all of them are former Allen Americans (Theo Calvas, Ayden MacDonald, Noah Kane). 

 

- Years ago, I had a section of the blog called "Question of the Day" where I would track down answers to questions fans asked. Even though I no longer have that as part of the blog, if any of you have questions, please email them to me at janssenfamily@msn.com. If I don't know the answer, I can track it down. I am at the rink most days, I talk to Coach Martinson every day, and I have many sources around the league.

 

- I had a question myself last night about the website that tracked fights that is no longer in business. It was very comprehensive and easy to use, and I still miss it. Here is my answer to myself:

• The name of the website was DropYourGloves.com
• It was a fan-maintained hockey fight database that tracked fights from virtually every professional and junior league around the world.
• It was founded in the early 2000s by a Swedish hockey fan.
• Is closed around 2022.
• The site's owner chose to shut it down due to time, cost, and maintenance issues. It wasn't taken over or officially archived.

Since the DropYourGloves.com shutdown, no website has replicated its depth and ease of use, though HockeyFights.com is currently the best hockey fight database you can use to research player and team hockey fights. 

 

DID YOU KNOW: The ECHL Stats post from today.

 

Here are the number of players on 14-day injured reserve for each ECHL team. The top teams, those who currently have point percentages of .750 or more, are marked with asterisks.

 

It is an open secret in the ECHL that players are placed on 14-day IR with phantom injuries, for roster-related reasons, not for injuries. 

 

There is no limit on the number of players teams can place on 14-day IR, and their salary doesn’t count toward the salary cap:

 

6: *FW*

5: FLA, KAL, *REA*

4: IND, MNE. ORL, TUL

3: ADK, BLM, *JAX*, *SAV*, TOL, TR, WOR

2: *ATL*, *SC*, WHL

1: ALN, GSO, GVL, IA, IDH, NOR, RC, TAH, UTA, *WIC*

0: CIN, *KC*        

Allen vs Rapid City Series Preview, NHL/AHL Players Assigned Update, Allen's All-Time Most Prolific Scores and More

It is game day for the Allen Americans as they start a three-game series against the Rapid City Rush tonight at the CUTX Event Center. Let's start with an update on the roster:

• Goalie Jackson Parsons has been recalled to Belleville.
• Allen will be going with an EBUG tonight and possibly for the weekend.
• Allen now has no NHL/AHL contracted players assigned. FYI, Rapid City has 10.
• Because of salary cap issues related to no CBA, Allen will play two skaters short in the game tonight and going forward.
• Coach Martinson has shaken up the lines for tonight to help get the offense going after scoring a total of three goals in two games against Kansas City.
• There will also be changes to the power play units, which went 0-6 against Kansas City.   

 

- Allen has a long history with the Rapid City Rush that started in the first year of the Americans' franchise (2009-10) when the teams met in the Central Hockey League President's Cup Final, which Rapid City won. Allen went on to win four straight championships (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016). Since joining the ECHL in 2014-15, when the CHL folded, Allen has won two championships and missed the playoffs twice. Rapid City has missed the playoffs every season except 2015 and 2022, when they lost in the division finals. In 2015, Allen beat Rapid City in the division final on the way to its first Kelly Cup. In 2022, Rapid City beat Allen 4-1 in the first round of the playoffs.

 

- From my records, Allen's regular-season record against Rapid City is:

• 47-22-6-1 since joining the ECHL.
• 15-11-0-1 in the last five seasons.
• 5-2-0-1 last season.

 

- Rapid City arrives in Allen with a 2-2 record, having split series with Kansas City and Wichita. The Rush played Kansas City on the road, losing 3-2 and winning 5-2. By comparison, Allen just lost to Kansas City twice at home, by scores of 4-2 and 4-1, which included one empty net goal in the first game and two in the second game.   

 

- It is very early to compare stats with Allen only playing three games thus far, and Rapid City playing four, but here are the stats thus far:

• Goals scored average: 2.00 Allen - 3.00 Rapid City
• Goals allowed average: 3.33 Allen - 2.50 Rapid City
• Shots for average: 27.33 Allen - 27.75 Rapid City
• Shots against average: 38.33 Allen - 38.50 Rapid City
• Power play percentage: 15.4% Allen - 0.0% Rapid City
• Penalty kill percentage: 87.5% Allen - 71.4% Rapid City

 

- It is a small sample size, but the stats above show a clear advantage for the Americans on special teams. Rapid City is 0-10 on the power play compared to Allen's 2-13. Allen has given up two power-play goals on 16 opportunities. Rapid City has given up four goals on 14 opportunities. If the Americans can win the special teams battle in this series, it will go a long way in achieving wins. Allen spent way too much time killing 13 penalties against Kansas City. The Americans only surrendered one power play goal, plus one goal that was scored just as a penalty expired, but it is hard to generate offense when killing penalties. 

 

- Allen has three players with a career points per game average in the ECHL of a point per game or higher. Hank Crone (1.43), Colton Hargrove (1.27), and Brad Morrison (1.00). By the past averages, these three players would have a total of 10 points after three games. Their current total is one point. Look for them to break out in this series with Rapid City, along with the overall Allen offense. 

 

- There is no question that the lack of help from Ottawa/Belleville puts the Americans at a disadvantage compared to all other ECHL teams, but that is not an excuse with the talent on this team. Needless to say, Allen is at the bottom of the list of NHL/AHL players assigned to ECHL teams. Here is my ECHL Stats post from this morning with the stats:

Here is the updated list of NHL/AHL contracted players assigned to each ECHL team. Having a lot of assigned players doesn’t necessarily translate to success. It is very early in the season, but the best teams by point percentage have from 2-11 assigned players. Teams with a .700+ point percentage are marked with an asterisk:

 

11: *SC*

10: RC, *SAV*

9: CIN, FW, TR

8: ADK, FLA, WHL

7: IDH, ORL, WIC, UTA

6: MNE, *REA*, TUL

5: *ATL*, BLM, GVL, IND, *IA*, TAH, WOR

4: GSO, *JAX*, KAL

3: NOR, TOL

2: *KC*

0: ALN

  

- Another key to this series for Allen is getting off to better starts. The Americans have given up the first goal in all three of their games and also trailed after the first period in all three games. Allen's combined record when trailing after the first period, going back to Martinson's last season (when they were 3-13-3-0), is 18-79-6-1 (.207). 

 

- The game tonight will use two referees, Tyler Spott (#32) and David Lilly (#25). The linesmen will be Aaron Schaat (#51) and Joey Kramer (#90). Spott is also an AHL referee. He played Division I hockey at Northeastern University. Lilly has been an ECHL referee since 2022. 

 

OTHER COMMENTS

- Kansas City is the only Mountain Division team in the top 10 in the ECHL standings by point percentage. The Mavericks beat Tulsa yesterday morning, 5-1, to improve their record to 4-1-0-0. They are ranked #3 in points percentage (.800) behind #1 Atlanta, which is a perfect 4-0-0-0, and #2 Reading with a .875 point percentage (3-0-1-0). 

 

- It is early in the season, but a player to keep an eye on is Jaxon Nelson, who plays for the Iowa Heartlanders. Nelson was the captain at the University of Minnesota in 2023-24, after which he immediately signed an entry-level NHL contract with Boston and played in the AHL (Providence) last season. Boston didn't qualify him, so he became an unrestricted free agent and signed with Iowa in August. He is listed at 6'4' and 230 pounds on Iowa's website and is known as a grinder. He currently leads the ECHL in scoring with 10 points (5G, 5A) in five games. Hard to believe he won't get scooped up by some AHL team if he continues his torrid scoring pace. 

 

- There are six games on the ECHL schedule tonight, with six of the eight Mountain Division teams in action. Here is the ECHL Today with all of the previews: https://echl.com/news/2025/10/echl-today-oct-29   

 

DID YOU KNOW: Who are the most prolific scorers in Allen Americans franchise history? There are only six players who have averaged more than a point per game and played more than 100 games in Allen. Colton Hargrove will join this list when he hits 100 games played later this season. He is currently at 79. 

• 1.50 - Chad Costello*
• 1.42 - Hank Crone
• 1.31 - Jack Combs
• 1.28 - Bruce Graham*
• 1.15 - Greger Hanson*
• 1.07 - Colton Yellow Horn 

*Won championships in Allen 

        

More of the Same, Allen Loses 4-1. Game Recap, Video Highlights, Martinson's Comments, Standings, Some WOW Stats and More

 

The Saturday night, big crowd (5966), specialty jersey (Wizzard Night) curse is alive and well. The Allen Americans lost to the Kansas City Mavericks last night, 4-2. The loss looked very similar to the loss to the Mavericks on Friday night.

 

- Here were the keys to the game from yesterday's blog. Let's see how the Americans fared:

- Tonight's preview: In the post-game press conference, Martinson mentioned the need to create more speed at least a half a dozen times. Look for players to show more speed on the outside, as well as driving to the net. FAIL. Here are a few other keys to the game:

• Stay out of the penalty box unless you take a Maverick with you. Power plays were 6-2 last night. You can't expect to win against a talented team like Kansas City, giving up that many power plays and getting so few. FAIL - Allen gave up seven power plays last night. To their credit, the Americans killed them all (one goal was as a penalty expired), but sprnt way too much time killing power plays and not generating offense.

• The Americans have to get off to a better start. Giving up the first goal and trailing after the first period is the kiss of death against the Mavericks. FAIL - Just like Friday night, Allen gave up the first goal of the game and trailed after the first period (2-0). Since the beginning of last season, Kansas City's record when leading after the first period now stands at 34-1-1-0 (3-0-0-0 this season).

• Put pucks on the net, think greasy goals rather than pretty goals. Kansas City won more games last season when outshooting its opponent (38) than any team in the league. A 38-27 shot discrepancy, like last night, will not be enough to get the job done. FAIL - the shot discrepancy increased to 42-21 last night. Allen was outshot in all three periods (13-7, 14-5, 15-9)    

• Finally, prove the Saturday night, big crowd, specialty jersey curse means nothing this season, 2025-26. FAIL - It wasn't as bad as last year's Saturday Night Wizard loss (7-2), but the curse continues. Allen's record on Saturday night, wearing specialty jerseys, since the beginning of 2023-24, is now 3-13 (.188).

 

- Just like Friday night, Allen was still in the game in the third period despite being outshot and outplayed. The Americans cut the score to 2-1 on a Matt Register shot from the point with just over five minutes left in the game, but could not get the equalizer. Kansas City scored two empty-net goals to make the final score 4-1. The totals for the weekend:

• Allen was outscored 8-3
• Allen was outshot 80-48
• Allen took more penalties, 14-7
• Allen never led in the series.
• Allen was only tied when the score was 0-0.

 

- I made it a point to talk to a lot of people before, during, and after the game, from knowledgeable fans to media to people employed in hockey, and the feedback was consistent. Here is a summary of the comments I heard:

• Allen needs to stay out of the penalty box.
• Allen needs to put more pucks on net, they are trying to be too cute.
• Allen needs more traffic in front of the net.
• Allen did not match Kansas City's speed.
• Allen didn't score even on their "A" chances.
• Allen's passes were not crisp and off the mark too often. 

The consensus of my conversations was that the results this weekend are frustrating, but nothing to worry about. Kansas City is one of the best teams in the league, and the Americans will be fine; it will just take some time to have it all come together. 

 

- Here is the Allen game recap, and the video highlights:

Game recap: https://allenamericans.com/news/2025/10/americans-offense-struggles-in-4-1-loss-to-kc   

Video highlights: https://echl.com/videos/kansas-city-mavericks-vs-allen-americans-oct-25-2025 

 

- Next up for the Americans is a visit from Rapid City on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. The Rush record is 2-2, which includes a 5-2 road win in Kansas City and a home win against Wichita. The last time I checked, Rapid City has 10 NHL/AHL contracted players assigned. I will do a series preview on Wednesday. 

 

COACH'S COMMENTS

"It was more of the same last night. We actually had more puck possession than they did when we were at even strength. When we are not scoring, we can't spend almost 25% of the game in the penalty box, like we did last night."

"We're getting beat in faceoffs, which has always been a strength in the past."

"One of the reasons passes are not on the mark is that we are trying to make passes that are too hard. Too many times, players are not supporting the puck by getting to places to take the pass."

"What I told the players before the game was we are not going to out-skate or outwork Kansas City. If we match their skating and work ethic, we will be okay because we have more players with a history of scoring. But that means nothing if we are not ready to compete."

"The bottom line is, we don't have everybody ready to compete physically at the level they need to be to have success."

"We have some guys with speed that are pulling up at the blue line, rather than driving. It is something we work on in practice."

"How do we play better? By supporting the puck, better decisions, getting the puck in, and more middle speed. Everyone is not on the same page yet, we will get there, but we have a game on Wednesday." 

   

  

OTHER COMMENTS

- Of all of the players on the Allen roster, the one name I hear mispronounced most often is one of the shortest names. It only has four vowels and two "Ns", which would seem simple, but it is not. I am talking about defenseman Andre Anania. Here is a video where you can hear the correct pronunciation several times and learn a little about Andre from his junior career in the OHL (Sudbury): 

 

              

 

- After a poor start (0-3-1-0), Belleville has won two straight games, beating Laval (6-2) and last night beating Toronto 4-2. They play Toronto again this afternoon. The Senators rank sixth in the seven-team North Division. Danny Katic, who was recalled from Allen 10 days ago, has not played in a game. 

 

-  The Mountain Division is starting to show some distance from the top to the bottom. Kansas City is in a familiar spot at the top of the standings. Here are the current point percentages:

• .750 - Kansas City
• .667 - Wichita 
• .600 - Idaho 
• .500 - Utah
• .500 - Tahoe
• .500 - Rapid City
• .333 - Tulsa
• .333 - Allen

 

- I know many of you try to keep up with Chad Costello in Greenville. It has been a tough start for the Swamp Rabbits. They are 1-4-0-0 and rank #29 in ECHL point percentage at .200. FYI, the 30th-ranked team is Indy at .167. Just like Coach Martinson in Allen, Chad has a good team and will take some time to get everything to jell, being a new coach, in a new division, and with a new team.  

 

DID YOU KNOW: Here is my ECHL Stats post from this morning: 

Some wow stats early in the season:

 

- Atlanta (4-0) is the only undefeated team.

- Average ECHL attendance is 5198.

- 9 goalies have save percentages above .950.

- Cincinnati has a 57.1% power play percentage.

- Toledo has scored 3 shorthanded goals in 3 games, all on the road.

- Reading is averaging 5.25 goals per game.

- Iowa had a 51-shot game.

- Savannah scored 9 goals against South Carolina.  

     

Martinson Homecoming Spoiled, Game Recap, Video Highlights, Coach's Comments, Asuchak Sets Record, Female ECHL Coaches and More

 

The Kansas City Mavericks spoiled Steve Martinson's homecoming last night with a 4-2 victory over the Allen Americans before an enthusiastic crowd of 6056 at the CUTX Event Center. There is a lot that needs to be cleaned up if the Americans expect to win the rematch against the Mavericks tonight. Here are some things that got in Allen's way last night:

• Allen took three penalties in the first period, including a long 5-on-3 power play. 
• Allen killed the 5-on-3, but by the end of the first period, the Mavericks had scored a power play goal, outshot the Americans 14-5, and took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission. 
• It wasn't a good sign when you consider the team that scores first in the ECHL wins 76% of the points.
• History also wasn't good for the Americans when they trailed after the first period. Allen's record last season when trailing after the first period was 2-29-2-1. More importantly, Kansas City's record last season when leading after the first period was a gaudy 31-1-1-0.
• The second period saw each team score a goal. Kansas City took a 2-0 lead at the 6:02 mark, and Allen cut the score to 2-1 at 15:06 on a goal by Michael Gildon, assisted by Colton Hargrove.
•  The third period started with hope, but was dashed when the Mavericks extended their lead to 3-1 at 7:34. 
• Allen had a few opportunities to score in the third period when trailing 3-1, but could not get the puck in the net. 
• To add insult to injury, Hudson Wilson, who was waived by the Americans a week ago and claimed by Kansas City, scored a 200-foot empty net goal to make the score 4-1.
• Spencer Asuchak scored a meaningless goal in terms of the outcome of the game with 30 seconds remaining, but it was a huge goal in terms of Spencer's career with Allen. The goal was the 423rd point in Ashchak's time in Allen. He passed Chad Costello for #1 all-time. 
• Allen was outshot 38-27.
• Allen was 0-2 on the power play, Kansas City 1-6.

 

- Here is the Allen game recap, and the video highlights:

• Allen game recap: https://allenamericans.com/news/2025/10/game-recap-americans-fall-in-home-opener  
•  Video highlights: https://echl.com/videos/kansas-city-mavericks-vs-allen-americans-oct-24-2025

 

- Coach Martinson spoke to the season ticket holders (Patriots Club Members) after the game, and this is what he had to say. I always say these sessions with Martinson are much better (more entertaining and inside information) live than my summary, so I encourage you to stop by after the game and hear Martinson hold court.

"We can make excuses like the discrepancy in power plays, but I thought we needed to be in better shape. It looked to me like Kansas City was in better shape than us, which allowed them to create more offense than us with their speed on the outside."

"We finally got some traffic in front of the goalie at the end of the game that produced a goal, but it was a frustrating and disappointing start for sure."

"We just have to get in a little bit better shape and create more speed, which we need from the guys that are capable of that. We need to get more offense from our top guys, and I think that will come. We have a lot of guys with a history of scoring that haven't scored yet."

"Tomorrow night, maybe there will be a little scrap. Kyle Pow used to play for me and will be in the lineup tomorrow after sitting out tonight because of a suspension. We will see if there might be a little spark to get us going."

"Troy Murray will be in the lineup tomorrow, which will give us more physicality. Marco Costantini will get the start in goal. I decided before the series started that each goalie would get a game, so it was just a matter of who played which night. 

"Tonight we didn't create enough offense, in part because we didn't have enough center drive, didn't get to the net enough to have those greasy goal opportunities. We just tried too many slick plays."

"We want to make the division more physical, but some teams will decide to not play that way. The bottom line is we need to get all of our top guys up to speed one way or another." 

 

- Tonight's preview: In the post-game press conference, Martinson mentioned the need to create more speed at least a half a dozen times. Look for players to show more speed on the outside, but also driving the net. Here are a few other keys to the game:

• Stay out of the penalty box unless you take a Maverick with you. Power plays were 6-2 last night. You can't expect to win against a talented team like Kansas City, giving up that many power plays and getting so few.

• The Americans have to get off to a better start. Giving up the first goal and trailing after the first period is the kiss of death against the Mavericks.

• Put pucks on the net, think greasy goals rather than pretty goals. Kansas City won more games last season when outshooting its opponent (38) than any team in the league. A 38-27 shot discrepancy, like last night, will not get the job done.  

• Finally, prove the Saturday night, big crowd, specialty jersey curse means nothing in 2025-26.

 

- There will be two referees working the game tonight. Tyler Hascall (#8), who has worked many Allen games over the years, will join Jamie Pavia (#26), who worked the game last night alone.

 

- Lily Martinson made her debut as an ECHL assistant coach last night, becoming the first coach to use an IPad on the Allen bench like you see in the AHL and NHL. As Lily said in her interview between periods, I am more technologically advanced than my dad. Steve Martinson's take was that Lily knows hockey, she knows what she is doing, and free help is always appreciated.

I had a couple of fans ask me if there have been other female coaches in the ECHL. Thanks to ChatGPT, here is the answer:

In February 2022, Danielle Goyette, a two-time Olympic gold medalist for Canada and a member of the IIHF Hockey Hall of Fame, joined the Newfoundland Growlers as an assistant coach when the head coach was unavailable due to COVID protocol. Goyette's role was brief, but widely publicized, with coverage by ESPN, NHL.com, TSN, and Sportsnet.  Now that Lily is officially behind the bench at home games with her IPad, the Americans need to get Coach Lily Martinson some national attention.    

 

   

OTHER COMMENTS

- Spencer Asuchak is #1 all-time for the Americans in all of these statistical categories, except for assists. Here are the #1 and #2 all-time:

Games

• 570: #1 - Asuchak
• 282: #2 - Costello

Points

• 423: #1 - Asuchak
• 422: #2 - Costello

Goals

• 174: #1 - Asuchak
• 124: #2 - Costello

Assists

• 298: #1 - Costello
• 249: #2 - Asuchak

Penalty Minutes

• 651: #1 - Asuchak
• 487: #2 - Garrett Clarke 

 

- After the games last night, four ECHL teams are remaining with a perfect 1.000 point percentage (Atlanta, Jacksonville, Trois Riviéres, Wheeling), and three teams are at .000 with no points (Kalamazoo, Indy, Worcester). They have a long way to go to beat the all-time record, which is 12 for most regulation wins and losses to start the season. Florida set the record with 12 wins to start the season in 2021-22. Greenville (Grrowl) set the record with 12 regulation losses to start the season in 2002-03.

 

-  The Mountain Division is the only one with no 1.000 teams or .000 teams. Will this parity continue? Here are the current point percentages:

• .750 - Wichita
• .667 - Kansas City
• .625 - Utah
• .500 - Allen
• .500 - Tahoe 
• .500 - Idaho
• .333 - Rapid city
• .333 - Tulsa  

 

DID YOU KNOW: Here is my ECHL Stats post from today. Coach Martinson mentioned last night that he will be playing one or two players short in every game until the new CBA is approved. 

 

Without a new CBA (collective bargaining agreement), the ECHL is limiting teams to the weekly salary cap dollars from the last season of the expired CBA. 

 

- For the first 30 days, ECHL active rosters can be up to 21 players with a salary cap of $15,130. That is an average of $720 per player per week. 

 

- Starting on November 16 and for the balance of the season, active rosters are limited to 20 players with a salary cap of $14,600. ($730 average per player)

 

- Additional roster numbers (these players don’t count against the salary cap):

2 on reserve

1 on 3-day IR

Unlimited on 14-day IR

 

Allen vs Kansas City Series Preview, Roster Update, Steve Martinson's Accomplishments and More

 

Tonight is the night Allen Americans fans have been looking forward to since May 12, when it was announced Steve Martinson would be returning as coach and general manager. It is hard to know where to start when recapping Martinson's career. Here is a sample of his accomplishments:

 

 - Martinson spent 10 seasons in Allen from 2012 to 2022, including winning four straight championships (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016). He has won a total of 10 championships in his coaching career in four different leagues (WCHL, UHL, CHL, ECHL). Martinson won championships in his first year of coaching (San Diego), his first year in Allen, and the first year the Americans joined the ECHL

 

- Martinson has 1123 wins as an AA professional coach. Scotty Bowman is the only North American coach with more wins (1244) than Martinson. If you add his 43 wins in the FPHL (A) last season, his total is now 1166 wins as a pro coach.  

 

- More Martinson Stats:

• Martinson finished in the top five in the ECHL in points in seven of his 10 seasons.. 
• In addition to winning four championships in Allen, Martinson lost to the eventual Kelly Cup winner in 2016-17 (Colorado) and 2020-21 (Fort Wayne).
• Martinson's playoff record in Allen is 70-45 (.607).
• Martinson has coached 20 playoff series as the coach in Allen and won 16 of them.
  

 

-  Having a team capable of winning the Kelly Cup and winning one are two different things. There is a reason in the 37-year history of the ECHL, which has had close to 200 coaches, only eight, including Steve Martinson, have won more than one championship. What team owner Myles Jack has tasked Steve Martinson to do is "get back to winning."

 

- Because Steve Martinson has been around minor pro hockey for so long, he has a real advantage when it comes to recruiting. Even with the contacts he has developed over the years, he spends many hours going over stats to determine who to recruit. He has a couple of techniques that he uses to find those diamonds in the rough, players who have underperformed, but will thrive in his system, and players who have not been used in the right way on their current teams. It is no coincidence that each year, several players come in and have career years in Allen.   
 


- One thing is certain: Steve Martinson will have the same type of team as he has always had. They will compete hard, be physical, and be difficult to play against. The team will be tough but also skillful. He recruits guys who understand you must work hard, be in great shape, follow the system, be a team guy, and finish checks. I am sure you have heard him say many times that his team is the same every year; the only thing that changes is the names on the back of the jerseys.

Martinson has said many times over the last few months, "We are fortunate to have an owner in Myles Jack, who is now in control of the team and understands from his NFL experience what it takes to win. He wants to do everything he can to do things right. He wants the players to have a good experience and have a good place to play. He understands the importance of having the right culture. He will provide the resources needed to win."

   

- One thing is certain: the 2025-26 Allen Americans team will be exciting and entertaining. A combination of a high-powered offensive team that will be hard to play against. Just making the playoffs will not be considered a success. Myles Jack will provide the resources to have a winning team, and it will be up to Steve Martinson to make it happen. 

 

-  It is clear there is a lot of excitement about the 2025-26 season as I talk to the players, the staff, the front office, and the fans, but this home opener weekend against Kansas City will be a big test for the Americans. The Mavericks have been the best team in the ECHL for the last two seasons with a total of 217 points (114 & 103). They are the only ECHL team that has reached 100 points in each of the last two seasons.  

 

- Kansas City's road record the last two seasons has been off the charts. It was 26-8-0-2 last season and an all-time record of 29-4-2-1 in 2023-24. The combined record of 55-12-4-1 is a point percentage of .800 on the road. And it is hard to forget Allen's opening weekend at home last season. Kansas City spanked the Americans twice, shutting out Allen 4-0 on Friday night and 9-0 on Saturday, when the big crowd specialty jersey curse struck once again.

 

- Stats are just stats, and as the old saying goes, "past performance is not indicative of future results", especially with the team Steve Martinson has put together. Allen has played three games (two preseason and one regular season) and won all of them. The Americans scored 11 goals, allowed two goals, and had two shutouts. 

 

- Except for Malik Johnson (14-day IR), everyone else will be available tonight. With no new CBA in place, the salary cap remains an issue for coach Martinson. While Martinson is an expert in capology, and he has several options available, Allen will be playing short until a new CBA is in place. Some games, like this weekend, the Americans will play one man short, but they will play two men short in the future.   

  

-  Here is Allen's roster as of this morning: two goalies, nine defensemen, and 10 forwards are available. Troy Murray and Braidan Simmons-Fischer can play up front as well as on defense. I will post the lineup on Facebook and X later today. 

UPDATE:

Allen's lineup tonight vs Kansas City:

 

Forwards

67 Crone - 7 Hargrove - 18 Blaisdell

11 Caron - 26 Asuchak - 29 Watts

77 Morrison - 91 Gildon - 27 Duarte

19 Maxwell 6 Simmons-Fischer

 

Defense

43 Register - 2 Warmuth

86 Anania - 23 Sedley

21 Decker - 44 Spinozzi 

 

Goalies

31 Parsons

33 Costantini (Backup)

 

ROSTER 

Goalies

• #31 - Jackson Parsons
• #33 - Marco Costantini  

Defensemen

• #86 - Andre Anania
• #22 - Anthony Costantini
• #21 - Jackson Decker 
• #28 - Troy Murray
• #43 - Matt Register 
• #23 - Sam Sedley
• #6 - Braidan Simmons-Fischer 
• #44 - Kevin Spinozzi 
• #2 - Quinn Warmuth 

Forwards

• #26 - Spencer Asuchak
• #18 - Harrison Blaisdell 
• #11 - Thomas Caron
• #67 - Hank Crone
• #27 - Mark Duarte
• #91 - Michael Gildon
• #7 - Colton Hargrove
• #76 - Malik Johnson (14-day IR)
• #19 - Chase Maxwell 
• #77 - Brad Morrison 
• #29 - Brayden Watts

  

- Look for Lily Martinson to be on the bench tonight in a new coaching role with the team. Lily played four seasons of Division I college hockey at Providence College (2021-2025), graduating as a Finance and Marketing major. Last season Lily, who has always played defense, didn't miss a game. She played in all 35 games for the Friars for the second straight year. She had 18 points (7G, 11A), was a +9, and blocked 23 shots. Lily will be on the bench tonight with an iPad in hand, a first for Coach Martinson. Here is what Martinson had to say about using an iPad on the bench. "Players nowadays like to see a lot of video. In my day, coaches just told you things. Lily will mostly be working with the defense to reinforce good things that are working, and also addressing positioning and decision-making using the IPad. I am too busy to do it, but that is what you see in the NHL. Jason Deitsch will also be on the bench, running the defenseman."    

 

OTHER COMMENTS

 - The on-ice leadership group for the season will be Asuchak and Hargrove, wearing the "C" and they will switch off each month. Wearing the "A" will be Watts and Duarte.  

 

- The ECHL will once again use a two-referee system for 50% of all home games (18 games) in 2025-26. The game tonight will have one referee, Jamie Pavia (#26). The linesmen will be Trent Williams (#48) and Aaron Schaat (#51). Pavia is new to the ECHL and professional hockey. The 26-year-old has been working in the BCHL, a junior league in British Columbia, for the last five years. 

 

- There are 12 games on the ECHL schedule tonight, and all are inter-divisional. It is still very early, as many teams have played only one game, but eight teams haven’t lost (Atlanta, Fort Wayne, Jacksonville, Toledo, Adirondack, Wheeling, Trois Riviéres, Allen), and four teams haven’t earned a point (Kalamazoo, Cincinnati, Worcester, Indy). It all changes tonight as these numbers will definitely dwindle. Here is the ECHL Today with the previews: https://echl.com/news/2025/10/echl-today-oct-24 

 

DID YOU KNOW: Here is an updated list of NHL/AHL contracted players assigned to each ECHL team. Allen is in a familiar spot at the bottom of the list:

11: SC

10: CIN, RC, SAV, WHL

9: FLA

8: ADK, TR

7: FW, ORL, UTA, IDH

6: REA, TUL, MNE, TAH

5: WOR, ATL GVL. IND, WIC

4: BLM, GSO, KAL, KC, IA, JAX

3: NOR, TOL

1: ALN

  

Allen Earns a 3-2 Comeback Win in a Shootout, Game Recap, Video Highlights, Former Allen Players Overseas and More

 It wasn't the cleanest of games and at times sloppy, but the Allen Americans found a way to win with, a 3-2 shootout victory in Wichita last night before a crowd of 4393 at INTRUST Bank Arena. It is always a good sign when you win a road game when you don't play your best game. Hank Crone, who was just acquired from Greenville this week, made his presence known, scoring the game winning shootout goal.

- Here is the game recap from both teams:

Allen Americans - https://allenamericans.com/news/2025/10/americans-win-opener-in-a-shootout 

Wichita - https://wichitathunder.com/news/2025/10/wichita-comes-up-short-in-shootout-loss-to-allen

- Here are the video highlights: https://echl.com/videos/allen-americans-vs-wichita-thunder-oct-18-2025

- Here are some of my observations from the game:

• Allen's opening game record has not been great, but with the win last night it is now 9-8. The Americans have a winning record when the season opener has been on the road (5-4).
• Wichita's first goal of the 2025-26 season was a power play goal, scored by Kyle Crnkovic, a former Allen player.
• Allen's first goal of the season was a power play goal, scored by Brayden Watts, a former Wichita player.
• Allen did not score an even strength goal.
• Allen held Wichita to two goals after two shutouts in preseason games. The defensive side of the puck seems much improved from last season when Allen allowed an ECHL worst 4.32 goals per game.
• Allen scored two power play goals which is great, but the Americans had seven power plays, including four straight in the third period with two 5-on-3 opportunities.
• Matt Register's game tying goal in the third period was a 5-on-3 power play goal.
• Jackson Parsons earned his first professional win, stopping 33 of 35 shots. Parsons was outstanding in overtime when Allen had to kill a 4-on-3 power play and were outshot 5-0. Jackson has a 1.79 GAA and a .943 save percentage after his first pro game.
• It is no surprise Hank Crone scored the shootout game winner. His record in shootouts as an Allen American is 3-4 with two of the three being game winners. How good is a 75% shootout percentage? The NHL averages is 25-28%, 30-39% is considered good, 40-49% is considered very good and 50% or more is considered elite.  
• Defenseman Sam Sedley assisted on both Allen goals and was the only player with multiple points. Sedley also had a multiple assist game in the preseason. 

- The Americans now have the week off before starting a six game homestand, beginning with two games against Kansas City on Friday and Saturday. Coach Martinson has planned all along to take advantage of the schedule, with only one game the first week of the season, to tweak some things after the first game. Remember, Martinson has not coached most of the players on the roster, so he is now seeing them in game conditions for the first time. Conditioning will also be an emphasis this week as some players need to improve their conditioning.

- Kevin Spinozzi and Brad Morrison will be available for the games against Kansas City this weekend. Spinozzi is on the 3-day IR and Morrison's arrival was pending immigration. He will arrive in Allen tonight. 

   

OTHER COMMENTS

- The ECHL has gotten off to a great start in attendance. Average attendance after 21 games is 5807. Five teams drew more the 7000 fans for their home opener and the top three teams in attendance last season (Jacksonville, Fort Wayne, Toledo) have yet to play a home game

• 11,398 - Greensboro
• 9049 - Orlando
• 7485 - Savannah (2 game average)
• 7305 - Florida
• 7295 - Greenville

- I went through all of the ECHL transaction reports since the league started publishing them on October 3 to tally up the number of NHL/AHL contracted players assigned to ECHL teams. It is not a surprise that Allen is at the bottom of the list with just one player (Parsons) assigned. The number was two, but Danny Katic was recalled by Belleville. By my count there are five ECHL teams with double digit players assigned. South Carolina leads with 11 assigned players. Cincinnati, Rapid City, Savannah, Trois Rivieres and Wheeling have 10 NHL/AHL contracted players assigned. 

- The Mountain Division has just one undefeated team after the teams in the division have played one or two games. Allen is the only undefeated team. It is still very early but could the Mountain Division have more parity in 2025-26 than in the recent past. It is silly even talking about it at this point, but here are the point percentages.

• 1.000 - Allen
• .750 - Utah
• .500 - Rapid City
• .500 - Wichita
• .500 - Idaho
• .500 - Tahoe
• .500 - Kansas City
• .000 - Tulsa

- One third of the 21 games played in the ECHL thus far have gone extra time. Four games have been decided in overtime and three went to a shootout. 

- Former Allen Americans players playing overseas. This is not a complete list:

• *Alex Breton, Germany - 15 games, 16 points (7G, 9A)
• Josh Winquist, Scotland - 12 games, 14 points (3G, 11A)
• Matt Marcinew, England - 12 games, 13 points (6G, 7A)
• Jared VanWormer, Romania - 15 games, 12 points (6G, 6A)
• Corey Mackin, Germany - 9 games, 11 points (3G, 8A)
• Alex Lavoie, France - 8 games, 10 points (4G, 6A)
• Olivier Archambault, Slovakia - 11 games, 10 points (3G, 7A)
• Brett Neumann, Scotland - 12 games, 9 points (6G, 3A)
• *Colton Saucerman, England - 10 games, 9 points (4G, 5A)
• Scott Conway, Northern Ireland - 16 games, 8 points (3G, 5A)
• Kameron Kielly, Scotland - 9 games, 8 points (2G, 6A)
• Brandon Troock, Slovakia - 11 games, 8 points (2G, 6A)
• Dante Salituro, France - 10 games, 6 points (1G, 5A)
• Rylan Schwartz, Scotland - 8 games, 5 points (2G, 3A)
• Zane Franklin, Austria - 11 games, 5 points (2G, 3A)
• *Ty Farmer, Denmark - 9 games, 5 points (1G, 4A)
• *Travis Brown, England - 9 games, 5 points (0G, 5A)
• Braylon Schmyr, Sweden - 2 games, 3 points (1G, 2A)
• *Stepan Falkovsky, Russia - 16 games, 2 points (1G, 1A)
• *Konrad Abeltshauser, Germany - 10 games, 1 point (0G, 1A) 

*Defensemen

DID YOU KNOW: In the 37-year history of the ECHL, 760 players have gone on to play in the NHL, including 16 who made their NHL debut in 2024-25. 

If you count players, coaches, trainers, equipment staff, scouts, front office staff and broadcaster, the 2025 Stanley Cup Champion, Florida Panthers, had 16 employees with ECHL experience.

Allen Roster Update, Season Opener in Wichita, Potential Roster Moves, Former Allen Players on ECHL Rosters and More

 I made it back to Minneapolis from our pheasant hunting trip to North Dakota (625 miles) but still have a 925-mile drive back to Texas on Monday. I will share about the hunting trip next week after we get home. I had a chance to talk to Coach Martinson this morning to get an update on the team.  

The ECHL season has finally arrived with eight games on tap tonight. The Allen Americans will kick off the season tomorrow night in Wichita with a 6:05 pm CDT start. Season-opening rosters were published yesterday. It is important to note the season-opening rosters are merely a starting point and changes were made before they were officially released. Case in point is Danny Katic has already been recalled to Belleville. Here is Allen's season-opening roster which totals 23 players: 

Goalies

• #31 - Jackson Parsons
• #33 - Marco Costantini  

Defensemen

• #86 - Andre Anania
• #22 - Anthony Costantini
• #21 - Jackson Decker 
• #28 - Troy Murray
• #43 - Matt Register (reserve)
• #23 - Sam Sedley
• #6 - Braidan Simmons-Fischer 
• #44 - Kevin Spinozzi (3-day IR)
• #2 - Quinn Warmuth 
• #9 - Hudson Wilson

Forwards

• #26 - Spencer Asuchak
• #18 - Harrison Blaisdell 
• #11 - Thomas Caron
• #67 - Hank Crone
• #27 - Mark Duarte
• #91 - Michael Gildon
• #7 - Colton Hargrove
• #76 - Malik Johnson (14-day IR)
• #?? - Danny Katic (recalled to Belleville)
• #77 - Brad Morrison (delayed arrival in Allen) 
• #29 - Brayden Wattts

- The fact that a new CBA has not been agreed to means teams are operating under the salary cap from last season. Because there has been no increase in the salary cap, coach Martinson will play short in Wichita. The Americans will be playing with only 19 (2 goalies 17 skaters to stay under the salary cap.  With Katic recalled, here are Allen's numbers as of this morning:

• 18 - active roster
• 1 - on reserve
• 1 - 3-day IR
• 1 - 14=day IR
• 1 - pending immigration

- As a reminder here are the roster rules:

1st 30 days

21 on active roster

19 skaters

2 goalies 

After 30 days

20 on active roster

18 skaters

2 goalies

Other Rules

2 players maximum on reserve list

1 player on 3-day injured reserve

Unlimited number of players on 14-day injured reserve

- Coach Martinson could still make roster moves today. Matt Register will come off reserve and a couple of other moves are likely as Martinson deals with salary cap issues and player mix. Spinozzi and Johnson are not available for Wichita. 

- The Allen Americans scored 175 goals and 464 points last season, the lowest in the ECHL. 

• In 2022-23 when Hargrove and Crone were linemates as they will be this season, they combined for 88 goals and 190 points all by themselves.
•  Matt Register had 51 assists last season; no Allen player had more than 34.
•  The firepower Martinson has added, along with the returning players from last season, look for the Americans to have plenty of offense in 2025-26.

 

- The Americans have a much-improved defense from last season when Allen allowed 311 goals, an average of 4.32 goals per game, last in the league. It is only two preseason games, but the Americans shout out Tulsa twice. Last season the Americans played 73 games (72 regular season and one preseason) with zero shutouts. Martinson has assembled a defensive group that will be much more offensive, but also better defensively. 

- What are the risks for this team? Two big ones are losing players to loans and callups to AHL teams and injuries. 

• Since all of Allen's players (except Jackson Parsons) are AHL free agents any team can ask for them, not just Belleville. 
• Injuries play a key role in team success, and the Americans have had more than their share the last few seasons. If Allen can stay relatively healthy and avoid season-ending injuries to key players, it will go a long way to a successful season.

OTHER COMMENTS

- With Katic being recalled to Belleville, Martinson will have to adjust the lines he had planned for the Wichita game. The team practiced this morning, before they got on the bus for the 365-mile trip to Wichita. I will try and post the lineup a few hours before the game tomorrow (Facebook and Twitter/X). The season-opening roster for Wichita shows Michal Stinil as immigration pending so he may not be in the lineup tomorrow. Stinil led Wichita, averaging 1.22 points per game last season.

- Allen's all-time opening game of the season record is 8-8. Ironically the home and road opening game of the season record is exactly the same, 4-4.   

- Lots of former Allen Americans players on the season-opening rosters. Here are the ones I noticed:

•  Mikael Robidoux - Bloomington
• Brandon Yeamans - Bloomington
• Theo Calvas - Bloomington
• Ayden MacDonald - Bloomington
• Tarun Fizer - Florida
• Nico Blachman - Florida
• Blake Murray - Fort Wayne
• Dalton Skelly - Greensboro
• Josh Atkinson - Greenville
• Patrick Polino - Greenville
• Nolan Orzeck - Iowa
• Bennett MacArthur - Jacksonville
• Will Gavin - Kansas City
• Grant Hebert - Norfolk
• Justin Young - Norfolk
• JC Brassard - Orlando
• Mike Van Unen - Rapid City
• Chaz Smedsrud - Rapid City
• Jared Westcott - Rapid City
• Artem Kulakov - Reading
• Jake McGrew - Tahoe
• Duggie LaGrone - Tulsa
• Tyler Poulsen - Tulsa
• Dakota Seaman - Tulsa
• Dylan Wells - Utah
• Trevor LaDonne - Wheeling
• Ryan Mashie - Wheeling
• Logan Neaton - Wheeling
• Nolan Kneen - Wichita
• Kyle Crnkovic - Wichita
• Cole Fraser - Worcester
• Riley Ginnell - Worcester

- The Allen Americans "Season Launch Party" will take place next Wednesday (October 22, 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm) at Northside Draft House. Coach Martinson, most of the players, Jonny Mydra, and the front office staff will be in attendance for the open house, meet and mingle type of event. 

- The CUTX Event Center staff has informed the Allen Americans that there will be no bar service in the season ticket holder lounge this season. It was a venue decision not an Allen Americans decision.

DID YOU KNOW: The 2025-26 ECHL regular season begins tonight. Only two players, both locks for the ECHL Hall of Fame, have 800+ games played and 600 career points (regular season & playoffs).  Both will be playing for new teams this season:

- Justin Taylor, Adirondack - 940 games played, 612 points, will become the ECHL all-time leader in games played this season. 

- Matt Register, Allen - 839 games played 665 points, will become the ECHL all-time leader in points by a defenseman this season.

Preseason Game Update, Players Returning from Belleville, Transaction Report, Roster Rules and More

 

Wanted to let everyone know I am leaving at 5:30 am this morning to start my long trek for a week of pheasant hunting in North Dakota. It is a 950-mile drive to Minneapolis, where my hunting buddy of 60+ years lives. We are driving because I have so much hunting gear, and Nancy will stay in Minnesota to visit friends and family. Then on Friday, my hunting buddy and I will drive another 600 miles to NW North Dakota to our hunting spot. I will return on October 20. I am taking my laptop, and Coach Martinson will send information after the preseason games and during training camp, so I will try to write a blog or two while I am gone. At a minimum, I will post information on Facebook and X (Twitter).

 

- The team is getting ready for the first preseason game against Tulsa on Thursday at NYTEX Centre. I know Coach Martinson's plan is to have everyone on the training camp roster play in a game before he makes any cuts. Typically, when you have home and away preseason games, the experienced players will play at home, and the tryout guys will play on the road, that is, if everyone arrives on time. If you want to see the type of line combinations Martinson has in mind and see the top players, make the trip to NYTEX on Thursday.  You can look for each line to have at least one of the top puck carriers (playmaker), a goal scorer, a net front player, and a physical player.  

 

- Coach Martinson told me he has talked to most of the players who went to Belleville, and they all felt good about the camp and their meetings. Belleville likes things about all of the players. I don't know all of the details, but I heard Simmons-Fischer flew in last night, and Danny Katic arrives today. Duarte and Costantini are driving and will arrive on Wednesday. Not sure about the other players. 

 

- If you are tracking ECHL transactions, today was a big day for some teams to get NHL/AHL contracted players assigned. Cincinnati, South Carolina, and Wheeling all had eight players assigned. The only former Allen Americans player that was assigned today is Kyle Crnkovic, who was assigned to Wichita by the San Jose Barracuda.

 

- As the 2025-26 ECHL season is about to get underway, a reminder of the last year each team advanced past the 1st round of the Kelly Cup playoffs:

2025: TR, NOR, FLA, ORL, TOL, FW, KC, TAH

2024: ADK, IDH, WHL

2023: ALN, CIN, JAX, REA

2022: RC, UTA

2021: GVL, SC

2019: TUL

2013: ATL

2012: KAL

Never: IND, IA, MNE, SAV, WIC, WOR, BLM

 

 

 

- ECHL 2025-26 Roster Rules:

 

1st 30 days

21 on active roster

19 skaters

2 goalies

 

After 30 days

20 on active roster

18 skaters

2 goalies

 

Other rules

2 players maximum on the reserve list

1 player on 3-day injured reserve

An unlimited number of players on the 14-day injured reserve