Allen Americans Weekly Update With Chad Costello, Including His Involvement as a Player in a New 3-on-3 Professional Hockey League that Begins in June

 

I had a chance to sit down with Allen Americans coach and general manager Chad Costello earlier this week to see how his first week has gone. Chad's to do list is as long as your arm and he is already fully engaged trying to get up to speed on the many issues related to the on ice product but also the myriad of off ice issues he has to deal with. 

 

- The Kelly Cup playoffs are still in the conference finals round and the ECHL could go as late as June 15 before a champion is crowned. But the playoffs do not stop the planning for the 2022-23 season. Here are the critical dates that Chad Costello and all ECHL coaches will be dealing with in the month of June.

• June 1: Protected lists due (3:00 pm EDT) - Teams are allowed to protect as many players as they wish as long as they meet the guidelines. Players that signed a SPC in 2021-22 and were not traded or released, signed a SPC and were recalled to NHL/AHL and were not traded or released and players that received a qualifying offer last summer but did not sign the SPC and were not traded or released, can be included on the protected list.
  

 

• June 13: Future considerations trade deadline (3:00 pm EDT) - Allen made a lot of trades between February and April and most were for future considerations. The Americans acquired Luke Peressini, Jake Kearley, Josh Winquist, Nick Albano and Colby McAuley in trades. Costello will have to deal with these future considerations by June 13 and it may not be pretty.
  

• June 15: Season-ending rosters due (3:00 pm EDT) - This list may include up to 20 players and cannot include any players who did not sign a 2021-22 contract with Allen.

• June 16: First day to sign contracts for 2022-23 season - Costello can come to agreements with players before this date but the first day to sign contracts for 2022-23 is June 16. Allen typically spaces out player signings over the summer, but with a new coach I would expect the Americans will try to make a big splash with some early signing announcements.

• June 30: Qualifying offers due to players (11:59 pm EDT) - This is a big date because Costello will only be able to issue eight qualifying offers to reserve a player's rights. Players who have signed contracts prior to June 30 do not have to be given qualifying offers so Costello will be working hard between June 16-30 to sign players that want to return to Allen. Veterans do not typically get  qualifying offers because they can become free agents if they don't sign the qualifying offer.

-  Talking to all of the Allen players/agents will be critical as June 1st approaches, but Chad also has to develop relationships with the ECHL front office as they drive so many action items and reporting requirements. Then there is the recruitment of an assistant coach and other coaches (skating coach, goalie coach) to help out. Another huge issue on Chad's to do list is finding a NHL affiliation which will be critical to success. Then Chad has to start recruiting players that will be new to Allen. As you can see everything is a tip top priority and this just scratches the surface of all the things on Chad's to do list. 

 

 

- Way before Chad was called by Jack Gulati about the Allen coaching job he had made a commitment to play in a new professional 3-on-3 hockey league that will begin in June. Part of Costello's agreement to take the Allen coaching job was that he could fulfill this playing commitment. The league is called 3ICE and it will consist of six teams each coached by NHL legends (Guy Carbonneau, Grant Fuhr, John LeClair, Joe Mullen, Larry Murphy and Bryan Trottier). The league commissioner is Hall of Famer Craig Patrick. All six teams will travel to eight locations for a one day single elimination tournament. The teams will fly in on Friday, play the tournament on Saturday and fly home on Sunday. The schedule is:

 

• June 18 - Las Vegas
• June 25 - Denver
• July 2 - Grand Rapids
• July 9  - Hershey
• July 16 - London, Ontario
• July 23 - Pittsburgh
• July 30 - Quebec City
• August 6 - Nashville  

The league will conclude with a championship tournament back in Las Vegas on August 20.  

- As they say on their website, 3ICE was created to bring fans one thing, pure unadulterated excitement. The games are two halves of eight minutes running time with the winners advancing. Six teams, six skaters, one goalie and a Hall of Fame coach on a full sized sheet of ice. Here are some of the rules that will ensure a fast paced game of 3-on-3 hockey. 

• All penalties are penalty shots
• If goalie freezes the puck it is a penalty
• Pucks going into the netting remain in play
• No open ice checking (will still be puck battles)
• No video replay stoppages

- Chad will play on the Bryan Trottier team with a couple of other former Allen players (Matt Foget and Jake Newton). Other former Allen players in the league are J.C. Campagna and Jeremy Brodeur who are on team Carbonneau. 

- What started out to be a summer job for Chad Costello and the chance to play hockey has turned into a recruiting and networking opportunity for coach Chad Costello.

 

 

- Here is a story from the Hockey News on 3ICE with details about the league and the rosters for all six teams: https://thehockeynews.com/news/former-nhlers-highlight-3ice-rosters-for-inaugural-season

 

 

- How can the 3ICE league afford all of this high profile talent. A big part of the answer has to be the fact the league sold its international media rights to ESPN who plans to stream all games to 185 countries. Here are the details:  https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/3ice-announces-international-media-rights-agreement-with-espn-301477999.html

 

 

 

DID YOU KNOW: The ECHL Stat post today is about playoff special teams this season. As a comparison to the final four in the playoffs, the Allen Americans total in the playoffs was 90.2%. In their five playoff games the Americans were ranked #5 on the penalty kill (85.2%) and #15 on the power play (5.3%). 

 

 

Special teams are usually the difference maker in the playoffs. One way to compare special teams is to add together the power play (PP) percentage and penalty kill (PK) percentage for the four teams remaining in the Kelly Cup playoffs. Anything above 105% is considered excellent. The two Western Conference teams have had the better special teams thus far in the playoffs:

 

117.8% - Toledo (PP 31.3%, PK 86.5%)

113.9% - Utah (PP 34.4%, PK 79.5%)

102.4% - Newfoundland (PP 23.1%, PK 79.3%)

102.0% - Florida (PP 21.6%, PK 80.4%)

 

Chad Costello Signs Three Year Deal as Coach and General Manager of the Allen Americans - The Details

 

Costello Family - Camden, Avery, Cayne (front), Ashley, Adelyn, Chad (back)

 

In a move that caught many by surprise, Allen Americans owner Jack Gulati has selected Chad Costello to become the third coach in Allen Americans franchise history, following Dwight Mullins (2009-2012) and Steve Martinson (2012-22). It is a big step for the 35 year old Costello to go from player to head coach in Allen but eerily familiar to the coach he is replacing. Steve Martinson went from playing for the San Diego Gulls to the coach as a 36 year old in 1995 and that turned out pretty well.

 

-  If you haven't seen the press release issued by the Allen Americans here is the link: https://allenamericans.com/media/americans-announce-third-coach-in-team-history/  

I have been able to talk to Chad at some length since he agreed to take the Allen coaching job and attended the press conference yesterday where he answered questions from the media. Here are my thoughts and conclusions:

 

• Chad does not shy away from the expectation and culture in Allen that any season without a Kelly Cup is a disappointment, he embraces it. I found this quote in the archives when Costello was playing in Europe and I asked him about his experience with the Americans. "Allen is home to us, we love it there. I love the culture and the expectation to win. The fans are amazing in every aspect. Coach Martinson is the best coach I have ever had. He always got the best out of me and my teammates. He is a good coach, great motivator and a good person. Playing for him was challenging and rewarding at the same time. I think Allen is the best place to play because of the 10 year history and the people surrounding the organization." 

• Chad is very comfortable in his own skin and knows what he knows but more importantly knows what he doesn't know. By my count he has played for well over 20 coaches in leagues from the NAHL, USHL, NCAA, IHL, CHL, ECHL, AHL to leagues in Germany and Norway. He has played with a lot of players who are now coaches. His coaching style will be an amalgamation of what he has learned from all of these coaches and he has mentors all over hockey.

 

• Chad's coaching style will be reflective of who he is as a person. If you read articles about old school versus new school coaching styles, his personality has him more in the new school camp. 
  
• Chad signed a three year deal which provides stability for Chad, the Allen organization and the fans.
• Chad has committed to having post game chats with season ticket holders like was done in the past before COVID. As long as there are no restrictions from the ECHL or the CUTX Event Center on gatherings, he will meet with STM's after each game.

 

• After talking to Chad one on one, listening to him answer questions yesterday and talking to current and former Allen players, there is little doubt in my mind Costello will be able to recruit a good team to Allen. He has many advantages when recruiting players to Allen from being in a major metro area with a major airport, a great arena, good housing, good weather with year around golf, a great shopping area and a history of winning and loaning players.

 

• The one area that is still a question mark for me and it is a big one is a NHL/AHL affiliation. Last season Allen was like the last kid picked in a pickup game when you were a kid. Nobody wanted them but the last team to pick had to pick them. Getting an affiliation is something Chad will work hard to lineup but there are few NHL teams looking for an affiliation and finding a good one is even tougher. One thing is certain and that is, if Chad can't get some AHL training camp spots to use in recruitment and if Allen can't find an affiliation that will place 8-10 players with the Americans over the course of the season, they will not be able to compete with the top teams in the league. Over a month ago I heard Seattle was unlikely to affiliate with Allen in 2022-23. In my opinion finding a good affiliate is the biggest obstacle in front of Chad Costello in his role as a general manager.

 

Here are some quotes from the press conference and conversations I have had the last few days:

"Changing a coach is never easy but I chose Chad because of his leadership qualities. In my book Chad brings a great amount of leadership. It is leadership that brings players together and wins championships.".....Jack Gulati

 

"Transition from player to coach is something I have been dealing with over the last week. My goals as a player (captain) like winning the Kelly Cup, being the best teammate I could be, assisting players in personal goals, help them with their career and be dedicated to the team 100% are similar to coaching. As I transition to coach I realized my goals are almost exactly the same.".....Chad Costello

 

"I have high expectations. Here in Allen it is championship or fail and that expectation will not change. That is something coach Martinson has left. Looking forward, I will strive to keep that expectation in Allen".....Chad Costello

 

"I am completely dedicated to coaching, there is no player/coach in the plan. I did make a promise to Asuchak that I am only 35 so when we do bag skates I will do them with the team.".....Chad Costello

 

"Maybe some of the younger players don't know what I have done as a player and I think that is a great thing. I have seen some coaches that lean on their playing career for respect. I don't want my players to really care what I did as a player. I am a coach now and I haven't won a game yet. I will work toward that every day from now on.".....Chad Costello 

 

"I have guys in mind that will be on the staff to help me and that should be out soon.".....Chad Costello

 

"As far as my approach with the players, I will be myself with honesty, truthfulness and being open and upfront with the players. The way the young players are now, I want to show these guys that I care before I show them what I know about hockey. If you are playing for someone or working for someone and you know they care about you, that is what is important to me. I want to build as strong a relationship as possible with the players. I want to know their family, do they have a girlfriend, a wife, kids, where are they from etc. Honesty will lead to some hard conversations down the road with some players. Open communication and man to man talks I think will be good for the room."....Chad Costello

 

"When it comes to style of play I have been watching a lot of NHL playoffs and the team that comes to mind is Tampa. Obviously they have won two Stanley Cups in a row. If you want to play rough with Tampa they have no problem with that. If you take runs at them they will beat you on the power play. Their speed is up with the best teams. Teams play very different styles in the ECHL so we need to be flexible and versatile and change on demand depending on who we are playing. I am not solely set on exactly how we want to play until I see our personnel, who our affiliate is and until I see exactly who we have. As far as signing players I have a lot of guys in mind. I would say right now it is more culture and character over how hard they shoot and how fast they skate."....Chad Costello

 

"I can't wait to sit down with our fans in as many forums as possible. While there are some things that are best left in the locker room I believe in being as transparent as possible. One thing I would like to tell the fans is the expectations are the exact same if not higher and we are going to hit the ground running.".....Chad Costello

 

"I know how important an affiliate is and we are working on an that right now and we have a few options we are pursuing. I just got the job so I am just learning about where we are at. Whoever ends up being our affiliate I plan to work very closely with them to get the I will scratch your back if you scratch my back relationship you need to be successful.".....Chad Costello    

"You can have all the systems and structure in the world but we need talented players to make plays. I need to get some young talent, some fast talent, some guys that are hungry to further their career and then mix in some veteran presence to help them along the way. I feel sometimes the championship is won in the off season. I think one thing I am good at is I get along with all different kinds of personalities. I am able to respectively see what pushes people's buttons. I won't be afraid of bringing in a so called project to see if I can help them grow while they help us win games.".....Chad Costello   

"We are super excited and it is such an accomplishment for Chad. I haven't even thought about all the issues this will create for me. When we got this opportunity we just couldn't let it go. Chad has worked so hard in his career. I think this shows his character and personality and I am here to support him.".....Ashley Costello.  

"Costy is a great hockey mind and is one of the most determined people I know so I look forward to see how that transfers over to coaching and I am excited to be part of it.".....Spencer Asuchak

 

"I am sure I will be saying what would Marty do a lot as I transition into this job.".....Chad Costello  

             

It was startling to get home after the press conference and see that eliteprospects.com had already sent out a notification that Chad Costello had retired. It is impossible to talk about Chad Costello the coach without talking about Chad Costello the player. Here is a short recap. 

The story of Chad Costello and the Allen Americans began in the summer of 2014. Chad had played just 14 games in the 2013-14 season and his hockey future was in real doubt because of serious concussion issues he was dealing with. When Costello arrived at training camp he was on a tryout contract because it was uncertain he would be able to play symptom free. Chad got through training camp just fine, signed a contract and began a three year career in Allen that is the best three seasons in the history of the ECHL. Maybe the most amazing record and there are many is the fact that Chad went from a tryout contract because of health issues to not missing a single game regular season or playoffs for three straight seasons. That was 276 straight games and he played hurt for many of those games. When Chad returned to Allen in 2021-22 he played in 64 more games before his streak of consecutive games played ended at a mind boggling 340 straight games.


It is hard to know where to start when describing Chad Costello's impressive accomplishments with the Allen Americans. He played in Allen four seasons, led the league in scoring the first three and led the team in scoring this season.  Chad was selected as the ECHL MVP in 2016 and 2017.  He was selected as the ECHL MVP by the PHPA in 2015. He won two Kelly Cups, was the Kelly Cup MVP in 2016 and was a captain of the team his last three seasons.

Chad lifts the Kelly Cup in 2016

As for Allen Americans team records, many of these will never be broken. Here is a list of where Chad stands in the all time and single season record book.


Allen Americans all-time career records:
Points - Chad leads with 422 which is 51 more than second place
Assists - Chad leads with 298 which is 77 more than second place

Allen Americans single season records:
Points - Chad is #1 (125), #2 (122) and #3 (103) in team history, no other player has more than 88 points.
Assists - Chad is #1 (89), #2 (84) and #3 (79) in team history, no other player has more than 55 assists.


Here is my case for Chad Costello as the #1 player in ECHL history. It is important to put scoring in perspective when comparing numbers over time. In the 1990's the style of the game was such that scoring was prolific. For example, in the 1996-97 season there were six fifty goals scorers and six players with over 100 points. In the history of the ECHL, 50 goals have been scored 41 times. All but two took place prior to 2000. There have been 12 times in ECHL history when a player has scored 120 or more points in a season. All but two of those seasons took place before 2000. The two exceptions are Chad Costello.

 In my mind because of the prolific scoring in the 1990's the only way to determine the best player is to compare players with their peers. In the 33 year history of the ECHL the scoring champion has won the scoring title by more than 20 points only six times. Here are the six seasons where the ECHL scoring champion had at least twenty more points than the runner up.

45 points - 2014-2015 (Chad Costello)
43 points - 1992-1993 (Trevor Jobe)
35 points - 1989-1990 (Bill McDougall)
34 points - 2016-2017 (Chad Costello) 
24 points - 1995-1996 (Hugo Belanger)
23 points - 2015-2016 (Chad Costello)


The stat above shows Chad is the most dominate point scorer relative to his peers of all time. Here are a few other stats to help make the case:

Chad is the only player in ECHL history to win the MVP Award more than once. He has three ECHL MVP awards, 2012 in Colorado, 2016 in Allen and 2017 in Allen. He should have also won the award in 2015 when he had his best season in Allen (125 points). He was selected as the MVP that season by the player's association (PHPA).

Chad is the only player in ECHL history to win the scoring title three years in a row.

In his first three years in Allen, Costello had the #3, #5 and #12 best single seasons for assists in ECHL history. No other player is in the top 12 more than once. Only three players in ECHL history had more assists than the 89 Chad had in 2016-17 and they all played in the 1990's.

 Chad's 1.50 career points per game average is the best in the history of the ECHL for players with a minimum of 375 ECHL games played.

Chad won the 2015 ECHL Sportsman Award given to the player adjudged in a vote by the ECHL coaches to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct with a high standard of playing ability.

Chad won two Kelly Cups in Allen and was the playoff MVP in 2016. He is all over the ECHL record book for playoff scoring. Here are a few examples of where Chad stood prior to the 2022 playoffs:

#1: Most assists one playoff year (29)
#1: Most assists in final series (10)
#2: Most points one playoff year (36)
#3: Most assists in playoffs, career (61)
#3: Most points in playoffs, career (83)
#3: Most points in a final series (13)


Chad added to his resume by spending four seasons in Europe (Germany and Norway) after 2016-17 season before returning to Allen in 2021-22. The bottom line is if Chad Costello can be half as good as an ECHL coach as he was as an ECHL player he will be a huge success.

 

The End of an Era - The Departure of Steve Martinson

I talked to many of you on Wednesday after the announcement Steve Martinson would not be coming back to Allen next season. He was not offered a new contract so his employment with Allen will end when his current contract expires at the end of June. I have had many inquiries asking if and when I was going to share my thoughts on Martinson's departure. When you spend 10 years working with someone on a daily basis, this change is painful on a personal basis more than the impact on the blog I write about Allen Americans. I needed to take some time to process Martinson's departure and formulate exactly what I wanted to say and how I wanted to say it. A few have suggested I am biased when it comes to Steve Martinson. While I try to be fair minded and back up what I write with facts and stats, I think Martinson deserves recognition as the best coach in the history of AA hockey, so if that makes be biased, I plead guilty. 

     

When I got a heads up from Steve Martinson Wednesday morning that he would not be coming back to Allen for the 2022-23 season and the team would be issuing a press release later in the morning, I can't say it was a surprise. It was disappointing and in my opinion a shortsighted move. Because I cover the team on a daily basis, I have the privilege to talk to a lot of people about all that goes on around the team. Over the last few months, I have talked to everyone from the team owner, team president, prospective team owners, players past and present, fans, sponsors and members of the media just to name a few. And of course, I talk to Steve Martinson almost every day. It is hard to find anyone that thinks moving on from Steve Martinson is in the best interest of the on ice product or the franchise.

 

- It is important to remember the only opinion that counts in the decision not to renew Steve Martinson's contract is that of team owner, Jack Gulati. When you take all the financial risk as Gulati does, it is your right and prerogative to decide what you think is best for your organization. When many teams opted not to play in 2020-21, Jack made the decision to play, knowing he would lose a sizeable amount of money which he did. I talked to Jack in depth several times at the end of the season and during the playoffs about Martinson's future in Allen and while this isn't an exact quote it is fair to say Jack thought everyone in the organization should be totally focused on the playoffs and not be distracted with contract negotiations. It was pretty clear to me after all of these conversations, if Allen didn't win the Kelly Cup, it was doubtful Martinson would return. As Martinson told me, "Included in my contract was a provision for a one year extension if we won the Kelly Cup."  

 

- What did Steve Martinson accomplish in his 10 seasons as the coach and general manager for the Allen Americans. Here are the regular season finishes for all 10 seasons. The number rank is among all teams in the league:

• 2021-22: 10th
• 2020-21: 1st (in points), 2nd (points percentage)
• 2019-20: 3rd
  
• 2018-19: 27th
• 2017-18: 13th
• 2016-17: 2nd
• 2015-16: 5th*
• 2014-15: 2nd*
  
• 2013-14: 3rd*
• 2012-13: 1st*

*Won Championship 

- You would be hard pressed to find any pro hockey coach that has finished in the top three in the league (regular season) in six of 10 seasons including two of the last three, won four championships, was the reigning ECHL General Manager of the Year as voted by his peers and is deemed not worthy of being offered a new contract.

 

-  Steve Martinson just finished his 26th season as a head coach in AA hockey. It wasn’t the journey he planned after a 14-year playing career that covered leagues from the NHL, AHL, IHL and CHL. After his playing career was over Martinson, whose college major was in business, went to work as a financial advisor for Smith Barney. He was coaching roller hockey in his spare time when San Diego brought minor league hockey to town in 1995. Martinson was recruited to coach the Gulls. He won the WCHL championship in each of his first three seasons. Ten championships later, including four straight in Allen, and with 1123 regular season wins under his belt, Martinson is the second winningest pro hockey coach in history. Martinson has won championships in four different leagues (WCHL, UHL, CHL, ECHL). His two Kelly Cup championships are a rarity that has been accomplished by just seven coaches in the history of the ECHL, dating back to 1989.

 

- In retrospect I think Steve Martinson's future in Allen was not based on his past performance but on winning a championship in 2021-22. Win the Kelly Cup you return (it says so in his current contract). Don't win the Kelly Cup and there will be no new contract. This season was a tough one to have to win the Kelly Cup. If you buy the premise you have to win the Kelly Cup why didn't it happen. I called Steve Martinson to ask him about the 2021-22 season. Here are his thoughts with some of mine following his quote:

 "It started in the off season when we lost 12 players to Europe"...Martinson" 

As an aside I have talked to several players about the exodus to Europe and was told players can earn twice as much money (tax free), play far fewer games and are taken care of much better. Unlike higher leagues (AHL & NHL) where you have long term contracts, in the ECHL teams must be rebuilt every season. You are able to keep a few guys but basically Martinson must replace the whole team each year. As an example, there wasn’t a single player from Allen’s first championship team (2013) on the fourth championship (2016) team.

 

"We lost our affiliation with Minnesota and had trouble lining up a new one. It meant I had no AHL training camp spots to offer to players that had AHL ability but not an AHL contract. These training camp spots helped recruit players like Alex Breton and Les Lancaster in the past. Without the AHL tryouts you get no prospects. You are looking at a swing of 8-10 players between the players you can recruit with AHL tryouts spots and players under NHL/AHL contract that are assigned.".....Martinson. 

FYI, Allen lost three affiliations in three season, San Jose twice and Minnesota. None of these were related to the affiliates being displeased with the development of players. All were related to off ice issues I won't go into.

 

"We were the last ECHL team to get an affiliation this season and I knew up front we were not going to get much help from Seattle because they were upfront with us. The Kraken had no AHL team (will start in 2022-23) and had a double affiliation with Charlotte to send the few players they signed"...Martinson. 

Unlike the best ECHL teams with great affiliations that have 5, 10, 15 contracted players assigned for the playoffs, Allen had zero playoff games from Seattle/Charlotte contracted players. 

"We struggled to consistently put pressure on the puck in both the offensive and defensive zones all season. We were showing the same video examples of mistakes the first week of the season and the last week of the season.".....Martinson. 

The stats would show this team struggled consistently on the forecheck, with turnovers and with puck battles.

 

"Even with all of the obstacles I thought we had a team that was capable of winning the Kelly Cup. I recruited a mixed group of veteran/experienced players along with some young guys without the prospect of AHL contracts. All of our experienced players had been high end scorers in the past, but some had little playoff experience. Other teams in our division opted to sign hard working players players that played in the SPHL last season or players that were not big scorers in the past. I know you can't win against the league powerhouses with a roster of these players.".....Martinson. 

 This is where the debate all season was between an Allen team with a ton of skill versus teams like Rapid City and Tulsa who were less talented but harder working.

 

- What is next for Steve Martinson? His desire is to keep coaching and work with a franchise that will allow him to build a strong affiliate relationship that is beneficial for both teams. He has been the face of the Allen franchise for 10 seasons and all he does is put together teams that are entertaining and competitive. He is open and honest to a fault and that is why he is so popular with the fans. It is hard to understand how ownership wouldn't see having Martinson under a long term contract would add value to the franchise.

 

- As for current ECHL vacancies, two that are intriguing right now are in Orlando and Adirondack. Orlando is where San Jose sent its five players after they were pulled from Allen last season. Adirondack just parted ways with its coach after finishing with the worst record in the ECHL. Martinson could quickly turn that franchise around and he already knows the community. He played for the AHL Adirondack Red Wings from 1986-88.  

 

- I had a chance to talk to a few interested parties about Steve Martinson's departure:

Allen Americans Owner, Jack Gulati:

• "Steve Martinson is a great coach, but my expectation is to win a championship. I felt is was time to make a change."
  
• "I am close to signing a new coach and hope to make an announcement in the next few days. Fans deserve to know quickly who will be taking over the coaching job."
  

Allen Americans captain Chad Costello:

• "I appreciate all that coach Steve Martinson has done for the Allen Americans and myself. Years ago he gave me a chance when no other team would, after an injury. I was motivated to make his decision pay off and we did with two Kelly Cups. I enjoyed playing for him. He was a great mentor for me and I hope that continues. He definitely left a legacy in Allen. I know he will be successful with what he takes on next. I truly wish him and his family the best of luck." 

 

Allen Americans captain Spencer Asuchak:

• "I am very thankful Marty gave me an opportunity nine years ago when not many other teams wanted to. I really figured out the type of player I am playing for him. He has put together some of the best teams in ECHL history and I have been extremely lucky to be part of those teams. I have always enjoyed playing for him and for the Allen Americans. He will continue to be a mentor to me and I wish him the best wherever he ends up next. 
  

 

Field Pass Hockey Managing Editor, Matthew Harding:

• "As someone who respects Martinson and the job he has done, it is baffling to me that he hasn't been given the chance to set his own timetable on when he will leave. Coaches who win your organization multiple championships and builds a program to prominence usually get to call their own shots (see Krzyzewski, Mike)."

 

- In closing I want to say thanks to Steve and Michelle Martinson and wish them well going forward. I have said many times with all of the stats and information included in the blog, what makes it special is hearing from coach/general Steve Martinson. His willingness to talk to me early every morning to share the latest information about the team and take my calls practically 24 hours a day is definitely above and beyond the call of duty. I am confident Martinson's access and willingness to share information with the fans through the blog is not matched by any other coach in the league. He will be missed by me both professionally and personally and there is no doubt in my mind he will be successful wherever he ends up whether that is in coaching, scouting or running his own business.

 

Finally, I will leave the last word to Steve Martinson:

"One of my strengths is using my experience to convince affiliates that helping you helps them. Both Joe Will (San Jose) and Bill Guerin (Minnesota) are references for me as I am looking forward to building another program. It is tough to leave Allen and all of the great fans but I also want to win another championship. As hard as it is to leave, I think I will have a better chance in winning another championship elsewhere."

 

 

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You - Uncertainty Abounds

 

The day has arrived for the blog to say goodbye to the 2021-22 season and go into the summer hiatus. I have to admit there is more uncertainty today about the future of the team, the coach and the blog than at anytime since I started writing in 2012. 

 

This is what I know. Coach and general manager Steve Martinson is under contract with the Allen Americans until the end of June, but he has not been offered a contract for the 2022-23 season. Now that the Allen season has come to an end I would expect Martinson's status with the Americans will be known soon. I also know several ECHL teams are currently searching for a coach. I know for sure, if Martinson does not return, the focus, frequency and depth of the blog will change dramatically. 

 

While many ECHL teams will declare the season a success if they make the playoffs that is not the expectation in Allen. There are many parts and pieces that went into the Americans not living up to expectations in 2021-22, but if you had to boil it down to one quote that captures the season it would be "defensive indifference." Inconsistent team defense plagued the team all season.   

 

I am not going to go through the long list of everyone I typically thank in the "thank you" blog at the end of the season, but want to mention two. First are the readers of the blog. As most everyone knows the blog is a labor of love for me, not a business, and the only reason for its existence is to share information about the Allen Americans with all of you. From a meager start in 2012, the blog passed two million unique page views this season and as of today it is at 2,064,383. The blog has reached people all over the US and Canada as well as the hockey hotbeds in Europe. It proves fans of the Allen Americans are all over the world.


It is quite an undertaking to write about the team seven days a week during the season and it does indeed take a village to make it all possible. It seems like as the years go by more and more blog readers help me out with information, ideas for stories, ask questions and let me know they appreciate the work I do. A special shout out for those of you that act as proofreaders and fact checkers so I can correct the many mistakes I make being a one man show. It is hard to put into words my appreciation whether you read the blog every day or are a casual fan that stumbles across my daily musings. It has been my pleasure to meet many of you and your words of encouragement in person, comments at the end of each blog, on Twitter, on Facebook, message boards, and email have been very satisfying and inspiring. Thanks to you, the readers!

With all of the stats and information included in the blog what makes it special is hearing from coach/general Steve Martinson. His willingness to talk to me early every morning to share the latest information about the team and take my calls practically 24 hours a day is definitely above and beyond the call of duty. I am confident Martinson's access and willingness to share information with the fans through the blog is not matched by any other coach in the league. I have said for several years the blog started when Martinson arrived and will end (in its current form) when he leaves. Hopefully that won't be anytime soon.
  
  
During the off season I will still publish a blog on an as needed basis as new information becomes available. I plan on sitting down with coach Martinson sometime this week for a Q & A on the 2021-22 season. I also have a bucket list of stories to choose from when I get the itch to write over the summer. Everything from what really happened this season, the story of affiliations and its time to put Riley Gill in the Hall of Fame are on that bucket list.

 

If you are on Facebook or Twitter you can see whenever there is a new post on the blog by liking my page on Facebook at "Allen Americans Blog" or following me on Twitter at @allenamericans1. If you are not on social media make sure you bookmark Allen Americans Blog.

 
 

DID YOU KNOW: I always end the last blog of the season with this list. Lots of memories good and bad when you look at the games on this list. If you consider only one team wins the last game of the season each year, Allen fans are fortunate to have had that experience four times and they all happened at home. Here is the date of the last game played in each year of the Allen franchise along with the results.

• May 4, 2010: 4-3 loss at Rapid City in the CHL Presidents' Cup finals
• May 8, 2011: 5-3 loss at Bossier-Shreveport in the CHL Berry Conference finals
• April 10, 2012: 4-2 loss at Texas Brahmas in the CHL Berry Conference semi-finals 
• May 11, 2013: 4-3 OT home win over Wichita in the CHL Presidents' Cup finals
• May 10, 2014: 5-2 home win over Denver in the CHL Presidents' Cup finals
• June 14, 2015: 6-1 home win over South Carolina in the Kelly Cup finals
• June 9, 2016: 4-2  home win over Wheeling Nailers in the Kelly Cup finals 
• May 9, 2017: 4-3  home loss to Colorado, Mountain Division finals
• April 25, 2018: 4-1 loss at Idaho, Mountain Division semi-finals
• April 6, 2019: 4-1 loss at Wichita, out of playoffs
• March 7, 2020: 4-2 home loss to Tulsa, no playoffs, season canceled
• June 22, 2021: 3-2 OT loss at Fort Wayne, Western Conference finals
• April 30, 2022: 6-3 home loss to Rapid City, Mountain Division semi-finals
  

 

 

Allen Suffers Demoralizing Playoff Loss, Rookies Leading Playoff Scoring, Josh Lammon and Matt Register Win EIHL Championship and More

 

Sorry for the lateness of the blog today. If the series loss last night wasn't bad enough, I had internet problems this morning. I am sure for all Allen fans, but speaking for myself, the way the season ended was tough to take. You get so invested in the team, the players and the coaches it is difficult to see it come to an end so swiftly. The end of the season always creates a lot of uncertainty. I will have more to say about that in my season wrap up/thank you blog tomorrow.

 

It was a strange feeling watching a handshake line on home ice last night with the Allen Americans on the losing side. It had happened only one other time in the 13 year history of the franchise. The 2017 playoffs ended with a loss to Colorado (the eventual Kelly Cup champs) at home. 

 

- For the record the final game of  the 2021-22 season was a 6-3 loss to the Rapid City Rush before a crowd of 2429 at the at the CUTX Event Center. The game was a lot closer than the score as two empty net goals in the last two minutes of the game added to the disappointment.

- I am not going to spend a lot of time analyzing the game but a few things struck me while I was reflecting this morning on what happened last night and in this series. Sorry for the randomness of this list, but there were many different thoughts and stats going through my mind.

• Allen got off to another great start scoring the first goal of the game and outshooting Rapid City 11-3 in the first 12 minutes of the game.
• Allen had a 1-0 lead after the first period. It was the first time in the series the Americans had a lead after any period (except overtime).
• Allen's record during the regular season when leading after the first period was 16-3-2-1.
• The teams traded goals in the second period which gave Allen a 2-1 lead at the second intermission.
• A second period lead was obviously going to lead to a victory in my mind because Allen was almost unbeatable with a second period lead during the regular season. The Americans didn't lose a single game in regulation. Allen's record during the regular season with a second period lead was 20-0-1-1.
• Five goals allowed to Rapid City in the third period equaled the Americans total goal production in the three home games (9 periods).
  
• Allen lost three straight home games against the same team. I don't think that has ever happened before to the Americans. 
• It took a 5-on-3 power play for Allen to finally score a power play goal against Rapid City. The Americans finished the playoffs 1-19 (5.3%) on the power play. 
• Allen's lone win against Rapid City came in a game the Americans gave up a record 63 shots.
• It seemed appropriate the series winning goal came on what has been Allen's Achilles heel all season. A turnover at the blue line after having full possession of the puck led directly to a goal. 
• Goal scorers for Allen were Chad Butcher (2), Kris Myllari (1) and Colby McAuley (2). 
• Who would have thought in the 2022 Kelly Cup playoffs, defenseman Ben Carroll would have more points (4), goals (2) and assists (2) than the combined total for the line of Combs-Winquist-Troock (2 points, 1G, 1A).

 

-  Here are the game recaps:

• Allen Americans recap: https://allenamericans.com/media/americans-season-ends-with-6-3-loss-to-rapid-city/
  
• Rapid City Rush recap: https://www.rapidcityrush.com/en/news/2022/4/rush-beat-allen-6-3-in-game-5-to-close-out-series    

 

- The ECHL Daily Report tells the story of Allen's loss to Rapid City. I will let the stats do the talking with Allen's rank among the 16 teams in the playoffs:

• #16 - Goal differential (-10)
• #15 - Power play percentage (5.3%)
• #15 - Goals scored per game (2.20)
• #15 - Goals allowed per game (4.20)
• #12 - Shots taken per game (29.40)
• #16 - Shots allowed per game (45.00)

 

- I would like to share a bunch of quotes from the 30 minutes I spent with the coaching staff after the the game but to be honest I have nothing. It was the quietest 30 minutes I have ever spent with Steve Martinson and the other coaches. After 25 years of coaching, Martinson still takes a loss, like this series, down to his core. Most of the time was spent doing what he knows best, breaking down video of the critical plays from the game. 

 

OTHER COMMENTS

- Rapid City was the only one of the four teams that had a chance to advance to the second round last night that got the job done. Newfoundland lost to Trois-Riviéres 3-2, Florida lost to Greenville 4-3 in double overtime and Cincinnati lost to Toledo 3-0. The ECHL is idle today but will pick up om Monday with five games on the schedule.

- Thomas Hodges was at the game last night basking in the glory of his new found fame after his NHL EBUG appearance. His various videos have had millions of views in the aggregate and it was nice to see him give the Allen Americans a plug in several of his interviews. 

 

- The EIHL (Great Britain) championship just wrapped up and the championship game pitted Scott Conway and Sam Ruopp's team (Belfast Giants) against Josh Lammon and Matt Register's team (Cardiff Devils). They do it soccer style in Great Britain, a one game, winner take all championship. The winner was Cardiff by a score of 6-3 but that included two empty goals (one of them my Josh Lammon). Scott Conway scored a goal for Belfast.

 

 DID YOU KNOW: The ECHL Stats post today is about rookies in the playoffs. It makes me wonder what rookie Gavin Gould could have contributed in the playoffs had he not suffered a season ending injury at the end of January. Gould's points per game average in the 23 games he played for Allen was 1.13 which is the highest on the team. 

Three of the top five players in points in the Kelly Cup playoffs are rookies. 

 

#1 - Benjamin Tardif, Utah, 11 points (2G, 9A), 2.20 points per game

#2 - Calder Brooks, Rapid City, 9 points (4G, 5A), 1.80 points per game

#5 - Tyler Boland, Newfoundland, 8 points (5G, 3A), 1.60 points per game

 

 

A rookie leading the Kelly Cup playoffs in points is a rare occurrence. It has happened only twice in the last 15 seasons:

 

2021 - Rookie Stephen Harper, 13 points (6G, 7A), tied with a teammate for the most points in the abbreviated Kelly Cup playoffs. For his role in leading the Fort Wayne Komets to the Kelly Cup, Harper was selected as the playoff MVP.

 

2008 - Rookie David Desharnais, Cincinnati Cyclones, led the playoffs with 33 points (9G, 24A). The future NHL player had 11 more points than second place, another future NHL player, Adam Cracknell, who played for Las Vegas. Cincinnati beat Las Vegas in the finals 4-2 to win the Kelly Cup.