2022-23 ECHL Season Thread

[JMCx4]

We'll start with the season schedule release, plus a wee bit of a realignment news ...

ECHL releases 2022-23 schedule​

ECHL News
8 hours ago (5 May 2022)

The ECHL announced on Thursday that the 2022-23 season will begin with eight games on Friday, Oct. 21, continues with 13 games on Saturday, Oct. 22 with Opening Weekend concluding with six games on Sunday, Oct. 23.

Began in 1988-89 with five teams in four states, the ECHL has grown into a coast-to-coast league that will have 28 teams in 20 states and two Canadian provinces playing 1,008 games from Oct. 21, 2022 to April 16, 2023.

View the 2022-23 ECHL schedule

Download the 2022-23 ECHL schedule

Download Team-by-Team schedules
​

Opening Night on Friday, Oct. 21 features Atlanta hosting Florida, Indy taking on Fort Wayne, Iowa entertaining Idaho, Newfoundland welcoming Reading, Norfolk hosting South Carolina, Trois-Rivières entertaining Maine, Tulsa welcoming Allen and Utah taking on Rapid City.

Nine teams open their home schedule on Saturday, Oct. 22 as Fort Wayne hosts Cincinnati, Greenville welcomes Savannah, Jacksonville entertains Orlando, Kalamazoo takes on Indy, Kansas City hosts Wichita, Maine welcomes Trois-Rivières, South Carolina entertains Norfolk, Wheeling takes on Toledo and Worcester hosts Adirondack.

On Sunday, Oct. 23, Orlando plays its first home game against Jacksonville.

Friday, Oct. 28 features three teams playing their first home game of the season with Idaho taking on Utah, Rapid City hosting Kansas City and Wichita welcoming Tulsa.

Five teams take to the home ice for the first time on Saturday, Oct. 29 as Adirondack welcomes Worcester, Allen hosts Tulsa, Cincinnati entertains Iowa, Florida takes on Jacksonville and Reading welcomes Indy.

The newest ECHL team, the Savannah Ghost Pirates, play the first home game in team history on Saturday, Nov. 5 when they take on Greenville, while Toledo also plays its first home game of the season that night when it hosts Cincinnati.

The ECHL also announced the divisional alignment for the 2022-23 season. ...

North Division	South Division	Central Division	Mountain Division
Adirondack	Atlanta	Cincinnati	Allen
Maine	Florida	Fort Wayne	Idaho
Newfoundland	Greenville	Indy	Kansas City
Norfolk	Jacksonville	Iowa	Rapid City
Reading	Orlando	Kalamazoo	Tulsa
Trois-Rivières	Savannah	Toledo	Utah
Worcester	South Carolina	Wheeling	Wichita

Click to read more...

 

[royals119]

That has got to be the best divisional alignment I've seen in 20 years of following the ECHL. Four even divisions, and it make relative sense geographically. Of course the teams at the edge of the divisions are going to be closer to some non-division teams than to teams at the opposite edge of their own division. (Reading's shortest trip is Wheeling, which is out of division, Hartlanders/Mavericks, Norfolk and the Carolina teams are obvious examples) Overall though, there isn't anything I think is even debatable to change.

 

[GindyDraws]

That has got to be the best divisional alignment I've seen in 20 years of following the ECHL. Four even divisions, and it make relative sense geographically. Of course the teams at the edge of the divisions are going to be closer to some non-division teams than to teams at the opposite edge of their own division. (Reading's shortest trip is Wheeling, which is out of division, Hartlanders/Mavericks, Norfolk and the Carolina teams are obvious examples) Overall though, there isn't anything I think is even debatable to change.

I think the schedules also reflect those quirks where even if a team shares a division, that doesn't mean they will visit regularly.

There are some interesting quirks. Indy plays Kalamazoo 15 times, which I assume is more of the Central Division's weak sisters having endless pillow fights, despite how close they are to Fort Wayne and Cincinnati, while they barely play Toledo. Wheeling plays us 7 times, but they visit us 5 of those. At least the Fort Wayne games are evenly matched between sites, as usually it seems to be like 8 trips to Fort Wayne compared to 3 at the Fairgrounds.

And another year of Adirondack and Wichita not playing one another.

 

[JMCx4]

... And another year of Adirondack and Wichita not playing one another.

You act like that's a bad thing.

 

[JMCx4]

Post moved.

 

[royals119]

I think the schedules also reflect those quirks where even if a team shares a division, that doesn't mean they will visit regularly.

There are some interesting quirks. Indy plays Kalamazoo 15 times, which I assume is more of the Central Division's weak sisters having endless pillow fights, despite how close they are to Fort Wayne and Cincinnati, while they barely play Toledo. Wheeling plays us 7 times, but they visit us 5 of those. At least the Fort Wayne games are evenly matched between sites, as usually it seems to be like 8 trips to Fort Wayne compared to 3 at the Fairgrounds.

And another year of Adirondack and Wichita not playing one another.

Reading got a relatively equal division schedule. 10 each vs NFL, ADK, NOR, and TR, 6 vs MNE, 8 vs WOR.
Also unsurprisingly 8 vs Wheeling, and another 10 vs random out of division teams (Toledo, Atlanta, Allen, Indy)

 

[JMCx4]

Reading got a relatively equal division schedule. 10 each vs NFL, ADK, NOR, and TR, 6 vs MNE, 8 vs WOR.
Also unsurprisingly 8 vs Wheeling, and another 10 vs random out of division teams (Toledo, Atlanta, Allen, Indy)

Allen loves to travel. Must be something about Texas.

 

[JMCx4]

Link to existing Savannah Ghost Pirates thread.

 

[royals119]

Allen loves to travel. Must be something about Texas.

I believe Allen is still owned by Jack Guilati, who lives (or lived) in Reading, was formerly the Royals owner, and still has other business holdings here. Even though he doesn't own the Royals any more, I would assume this is the reason for the Americans' trip to Reading.

 

[JMCx4]

I believe Allen is still owned by Jack Guilati, who lives (or lived) in Reading, was formerly the Royals owner, and still has other business holdings here. Even though he doesn't own the Royals any more, I would assume this is the reason for the Americans' trip to Reading.

Correct.

 

[GindyDraws]

You act like that's a bad thing.

I just want to hear the Thunder play the Thunder and the broadcasters being forced to elaborate who is who.

 

[JMCx4]

AMERICANS ANNOUNCE DECISION ON COACHING PLAN​

May 11th, 2022

Allen, Texas – The Allen Americans, ECHL affiliate of the Seattle Kraken (NHL), announced today their coaching plan for the coming season and the future of the club.

Americans owner Jack Gulati announced that the team will not renew the contract of Head Coach and General Manager Steve Martinson.

“I along with the entire Allen Americans staff, would like to thank Steve (Martinson), for his services, and we all wish him the best in the future,” said Americans Owner Jack Gulati.

Steve Martinson joined the Americans in 2012. He led the team to four straight championships from 2013-to-2016. The native of Minnetonka, Minnesota began his professional hockey playing career in the 81-82 season with the Toledo Goaldiggers and played his final game in the 95-96 season with the San Diego Gulls, where he also began his professional coaching career. Martinson coached the Americans for 10 seasons from 2012-2013 to 2021-2022.

The Americans were eliminated in five games in the first round of the playoffs this season by the Rapid City Rush (4-1). ...

 

[Lake Simcoe Travels]

I'm wondering if the Admirals will change coaches (great players don't make great coaches in many cases). Taylor has not done a good job overall...

 

[JMCx4]

I'm wondering if the Admirals will change coaches (great players don't make great coaches in many cases). Taylor has not done a good job overall...

Some fans would express that opinion about every Virginia-based Admirals' team coach since John Brophy.

 

[Lake Simcoe Travels]

Some fans would express that opinion to every Virginia-based Admirals' team coach since John Brophy.

That I would agree with...but Taylor is something like 43-75 over 2 seasons...

 

[JMCx4]

That I would agree with...but Taylor is something like 43-75 over 2 seasons...

New division next season, maybe the competition will be easier to handle.

 

[JMCx4]

(Post moved to 2021-22 thread)

 

[JMCx4]

(Ditto)

 

[JMCx4]

(Double ditto ... I gotta get me a calendar ... )

 

[JMCx4]

With S/T to @Lady Stanley ... Savannah Ghost Pirates affiliation news for their inaugural season ...

 

[JMCx4]

From: The ECHL

Henry Named Royals Head Coach

17 June 2022

Reading, Pa. – The Reading Royals, ECHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, announced that James Henry has been hired as the team’s head coach and director of hockey operations.

Henry, who is the eighth coach in the 21-season history of the Royals, joined Reading as an assistant under Kirk MacDonald in August of 2021. During Henry’s tenure as the team’s assistant coach, the Royals compiled a record of 45-17-9 (.633 win percentage), tying the single-season team record for points (99). The team qualified for the 2022 Kelly Cup Playoffs and advanced to Game 7 of the North Division Finals before falling to Newfoundland. ...


Read more at:

Henry named Royals head coach

After serving as the team's assistant coach during the 2021-22 season, James Henry will take over as head coach for the Reading Royals.

www.echl.com

 

[JMCx4]

Annual tradition ...

ECHL ANNOUNCES SEASON-ENDING ROSTERS​

 

[JMCx4]

ECHL head coach turnover continued this week ...

Solar Bears tab Carkner as head coach​

Orlando Solar Bears
20 Jun 2022

ORLANDO, Fla. — Matt Carkner has been named head coach and general manager of the Orlando Solar Bears, team president Chris Heller announced. Carkner becomes the fifth head coach in club history. ...

Carkner, 41, comes to Orlando after spending five seasons (2016-21) in the professional coaching ranks as an assistant coach with the American Hockey League’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers, now known as the Bridgeport Islanders. While part of Bridgeport’s coaching staff, Carkner oversaw the team’s defensive zone schemes and penalty-killing unit, in addition to handling individual player skill development, video pre-scouting and analytics. ...

Carkner’s coaching experience also includes serving as assistant coach of the Mid Fairfield (Conn.) Rangers during the 2021-22 season, helping guide the team to a quarterfinal appearance at the 2022 USA Hockey Tier I 14U National Championships. ...

Read more at:

Solar Bears tab Carkner as head coach

Matt Carkner has been named the fifth head coach in Orlando Solar Bears' team history.

www.echl.com

MacArthur named Adirondack's head coach​

Adirondack Thunder
21 Jun 2022

GLENS FALLS, N.Y. – The Adirondack Thunder, proud ECHL affiliate of the New Jersey Devils, announced that Pete MacArthur has been named the fourth head coach in team history. ...

MacArthur, 37, joins the Thunder behind the bench following a 14-year professional playing career. The Clifton Park, New York native played four seasons with Adirondack and is second all-time in franchise history in points (175) and assists (122) and is third all-time in games played (202) and goals (53). ...

Read more at:

MacArthur named Adirondack's head coach

Following a 13-season professional playing career, Pete MacArthur has been named head coach/director of hockey operations for the Adirondack Thunder.

www.echl.com

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

ECHL Summer Meetings begin.... courtesy of Rapid City Rush

 

[JMCx4]

From: The East Coast Hoc ... oops ... ECHL ...

Annual ECHL Board of Governors Meeting concludes​

4 hours ago (29 June 2022)

LAS VEGAS – The Annual ECHL Board of Governors Meeting was held at the New York-New York Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada earlier this week.

Two-referee system

The Board of Governors approved utilizing a two-referee system for 25 percent of all League regular-season games during the 2022-23 Season. Each team will play nine home games where the two-referee system is used. ...


Read the Admin Stuff at:

Annual ECHL Board of Governors Meeting concludes

The Annual ECHL Board of Governors Meeting was held at the New York-New York Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada earlier this week.

www.echl.com