The ECHL kicks off its 33rd season tonight with five games on the schedule. It has already been a trying time with the season starting in the throes of the pandemic. Just 13 teams will start the season with 11 opting out and two still undecided. It has been a long time since so few teams have started an ECHL season. The last time fewer than 13 teams started an ECHL season was way back in 1990-91 when it was an 11 team league. I was looking back at the ECHL history this morning and found the league started with five teams in 1988-89 and had their most teams in 2003-04 with 31. Here are the number of teams in the ECHL over time:
5 1988-89
11 1990-91
19 1993-94
25 1997-98
31 2003-04 (WCHL ceased operations)
25 2007-08
20 2011-12
28 2014-15 (CHL ceased operations)
13 2020-21*
*The ECHL is still a 26 team league as all of the teams that have suspended play for the 2020-21 season have indicated they plan to return in 2021-22.
- Tomorrow I will have a complete game preview for Allen's season opener in Tulsa. I will jokingly call it the second of back to back games against Tulsa, just 403,200 minutes apart. Allen's last game in the 2019-20 canceled season was March 7 against the Oilers, a 4-1 loss at home. However, the Americans overall record against Tulsa last season was 7-3-0-0.
- Tulsa opens their season tonight at home against the Wichita Thunder. The other Mountain Division teams (see below) in action tonight are Utah at Rapid City and Kansas City and Indy. Here is a link to the "ECHL Today" with a preview of all five games on tap tonight. https://www.echl.com/en/news/2020/12/echl-today-dec-11
- Not sure if this will change later but for the start of the ECHL season there will be no divisional standings. All 13 teams will compete as one group.
- The top pro league in Finland (Liiga) has paused until December 26. When they return all players will be required to wear a full face shield to reduce risk of infection.
- European leagues have become more and more restrictive as the number of COVID cases have increased. The top pro leagues in Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania currently allow no attendance. Here is max capacity for some other countries:
8 - Sweden
50 - Switzerland
50 - Ukraine
200 - Norway
375 - Denmark
- Some former Allen Americans players that made the opening day rosters on other ECHL teams:
Bryan Moore - Greenville
Jack Sadek - Greenville
Mathieu Foget - Indy
Andrew Shortridge - Kansas City
Garrett Klotz - Rapid City
Patrick Watling - Wheeling (was in training camp this season)
- The ECHL temporary change to allow three additional roster spots for NHL/AHL contracted players that don't count against the salary cap has resulted in the league allowing two additional skaters (from 16 to 18) for each game. This will be a big change for players and coaches having four lines instead of three lines and one extra forward. Something to watch as the season gets underway.
The oldest player on Allen's roster is Matt Register at 31 years, 3 months and 9 days. With seven rookies on the team the youngest player on the roster is not a rookie. Cole Fraser takes that honor at 21 years, 3 months 18 days. Cole is 14 days younger than rookie Joe Garreffa.
DID YOU KNOW: There have been three players in Allen history that have made a big impact even though they only played a partial year with the Americans. Here are three prolific goals scorers, the only players in team history to play in fewer than 40 games and score more than 20 goals.
Scott Howes - In 2012-13 Scott started the season in Allen and scored 21 goals in 22 games before the AHL came calling.
Jack Combs - In 2014-15 Jack was in Allen for 32 games and scored 22 goals (plus 34 assists). His linemate was Chad Costello. He left the team in January when he signed in Sweden.
Gabe Gagne - In 2019-20 Gabe played 36 games in Allen and scored 24 goals. He was loaned to the AHL (Rockford) in January and never returned.
Even though these three player played just a fraction of one season in Allen they are all in the top 40 all time in goals scored. Here are the top three goal scorers all time and where the three above rank:
#1 - Spencer Asuchak (102)
#2 - Chad Costello (98)
#3 - Greger Hanson (98)
#31 - Gabe Gagne (24)
#34 - Jack Combs (22)
#39 - Scott Howes (21)
No comments:
Post a Comment