2019–20 ECHL season

The 2019–20 ECHL season was the 32nd season of the ECHL. The regular season began in October 2019 to and was set to conclude in April 2020 with the Kelly Cup playoffs to follow. Twenty-six teams in 19 states and two Canadian provinces were each scheduled for 72 games.

2019–20 ECHL season
LeagueECHL
SportIce hockey
DurationOctober 11, 2019 – March 11, 2020
Regular season
Season MVPJosh Kestner (Toledo)
Top scorerJosh Kestner (Toledo)

On March 12, 2020, the league announced that the season has been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1] On March 15, the league cancelled the remainder of the season.[2]

League business
Teams in the ECHL as of the 2019–20 season. Dot colors correspond to the divisional alignment.
Canadian-based teams in the ECHL as of the 2019–20 season. Dot colors correspond to the divisional alignment.

Team changes

Affiliation changes
ECHL team New affiliates Former affiliates
Florida Everblades Nashville Predators (NHL)
Milwaukee Admirals (AHL)[5]		 Carolina Hurricanes (NHL)
Charlotte Checkers (AHL)
Greenville Swamp Rabbits Carolina Hurricanes (NHL)
Charlotte Checkers (AHL)		 Independent
Norfolk Admirals Independent Arizona Coyotes (NHL)
Tucson Roadrunners (AHL)
Rapid City Rush Arizona Coyotes (NHL)
Tucson Roadrunners (AHL)		 Independent

Annual Board of Governors meeting

The annual ECHL Board of Governors meeting was held at the New York-New York Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas from June 17 to 21, 2019.[6] The Board approved of a rule change extending overtime from five minutes to seven minutes in the same three-on-three sudden death format used since the 2015–16 season. In addition, the Board approved a rule change for the 2020 Kelly Cup Playoffs regarding players on NHL or AHL contracts. Should such player have played 260 or more regular season games, they must have played a minimum of five games in the AHL that season in order to be eligible for the ECHL Kelly Cup Playoffs. The rule does not apply for players on ECHL contracts.[7]

All-star game

The 2020 ECHL All-Star Game was held on January 22, 2020, at the Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas.[8] The All-Star Classic retained the four team, 3-on-3 player tournament style used the previous season, including two teams made from the Wichita Thunder (named Team Bolts and Team Hammers) and one team for each conference's All-Star players.[9] In addition to the ECHL All-Star players, each team also had a player from the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association with Dani Cameranesi, Kali Flanagan, Gigi Marvin, and Annie Pankowski taking part in the festivities.[10]

In the round-robin, the Team Bolts went 2–0–1, Team Hammers went 1–1–1, and both conferences went 1–2–0. The skills competition took place in between rounds of the tournament. The Tulsa Oilers' J.J. Piccinich won the fastest skater event, the Idaho Steelheads' Brady Norrish won the hardest shot event, and the Atlanta Gladiators' Tommy Marchin won the accuracy shooting event.[11] The results of the skills competition re-seeded the teams for the semifinal round where the Eastern Conference tied Team Bolts 4–4 and the Western Conference defeated the Team Hammers 4–1. The Eastern Conference All-Star team then defeated the Western Conference 4–2. The Florida Everblades' Logan Roe was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.[11]

Standings

Final standings[12]

Eastern Conference
North Division GP W L OTL SOL GF GA PTS
x – Newfoundland Growlers (TOR)6042170124017785
x – Reading Royals (PHI)6037175121817680
Brampton Beast (OTT)6234253022920671
Maine Mariners (NYR)6232263118218668
Adirondack Thunder (NJ)6322288519721957
Worcester Railers (NYI)6121364016123046
South Division GP W L OTL SOL GF GA PTS
x – South Carolina Stingrays (WSH)6244143121614792
x – Florida Everblades (NSH)6243134222715692
Greenville Swamp Rabbits (CAR)6429304121022663
Atlanta Gladiators (BOS)6129282220023062
Orlando Solar Bears (TB)6227295117018060
Jacksonville Icemen (WPG)6024296117320655
Norfolk Admirals (Ind.)6014388014924836
Western Conference
Central Division GP W L OTL SOL GF GA PTS
x – Cincinnati Cyclones (BUF)6338177119616184
Toledo Walleye (DET)5937174122516379
Fort Wayne Komets (VGK)6231236221822070
Indy Fuel (CHI)6030262219517564
Kalamazoo Wings (VAN)6123307119424154
Wheeling Nailers (PIT)5924305016320653
Mountain Division GP W L OTL SOL GF GA PTS
x – Allen Americans (MIN)6240146224719588
Idaho Steelheads (DAL)6136183416815579
Utah Grizzlies (COL)6234177420716479
Tulsa Oilers (STL)6329267119919666
Rapid City Rush (ARI)6029255118120064
Wichita Thunder (EDM)6224308018123356
Kansas City Mavericks (CGY)6124324116721753

 x  - clinched playoff spot,  y  - clinched regular season division title,  z  - Brabham Cup (regular season) champion

Postseason
2020 Kelly Cup playoffs
← 2019
2021 →

At the end of the regular season, the top four teams in each division would have qualified for the 2020 Kelly Cup playoffs and be seeded one through four based on highest point total earned in the season. However, as the season was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, the playoffs were not held. At the time of the cancellation, six teams had already clinched playoff berths: the Allen Americans, Cincinnati Cyclones, Florida Everblades, Newfoundland Growlers, Reading Royals, and South Carolina Stingrays.

Awards
See also: ECHL awards

Due to the season being cancelled, only individual regular season awards were given as the team-based awards were incomplete.

AwardWinner
Patrick Kelly Cup:Not awarded
Henry Brabham Cup:Not awarded
Gingher Memorial Trophy:Not awarded
Bruce Taylor Trophy:Not awarded
John Brophy Award:Steve Bergin, South Carolina[13]
Most Valuable Player:Josh Kestner, Toledo[14]
Kelly Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player:Not awarded
Goaltender of the Year:Tomas Sholl, Idaho[15]
Rookie of the Year:Tyler Sheehy, Allen[16]
Defenseman of the Year:Alex Breton, Allen[17]
Leading Scorer:Josh Kestner, Toledo
Plus Performer Award:Ben Masella, Florida[18]
Sportsmanship Award:Spencer Watson, Indy[19]
Community Service Award:Connor Doherty, Worcester[20]

All-ECHL teams

First Team[21]

  • Tomas Sholl (G) – Idaho Steelheads
  • Alex Breton (D) – Allen Americans
  • Logan Roe (D) – Florida Everblades
  • Josh Kestner (F) – Toledo Walleye
  • Tyler Sheehy (F) – Allen Americans
  • David Vallorini (F) – Brampton Beast

Second Team[21]

  • Parker Milner (G) – South Carolina Stingrays
  • Eric Knodel (D) – Reading Royals
  • Miles Liberati (D) – Tulsa Oilers
  • Brady Ferguson (F) – Newfoundland Growlers
  • Tim McGauley (F) – Utah Grizzlies
  • Jesse Schultz (F) – Cincinnati Cylones

Rookie Team[22]

  • Billy Christopoulos (G) – Toledo Walleye
  • Justin Baudry (D) – Cincinnati Cyclones
  • Joseph Duszak (D) – Newfoundland Growlers
  • Samuel Asselin (F) – Atlanta Gladiators
  • Justin Brazeau (F) – Newfoundland Growlers
  • Tyler Sheehy (F) – Allen Americans
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See also

References
  1. "ECHL SUSPENDS PLAY OF 2019-20 SEASON". ECHL. March 12, 2020.
  2. "ECHL CANCELS REMAINDER OF 2019-20 SEASON". ECHL. March 15, 2020.
  3. "Monarchs pull the plug on professional hockey in Manchester". New Hampshire Union Leader. May 15, 2019.
  4. "MANCHESTER MEMBERSHIP TERMINATED". ECHL. May 20, 2019.
  5. "ECHL hockey: Florida Everblades switch NHL affiliation to Nashville Predators". Naples News. May 24, 2019.
  6. "2019 ECHL HOCKEY SUMMER MEETINGS PRESENTED BY FEVO TO BE HELD JUNE 17-21 IN LAS VEGAS". ECHL. April 29, 2019.
  7. "ANNUAL ECHL BOARD OF GOVERNORS MEETING CONCLUDES". ECHL. Jun 24, 2019.
  8. "Wichita to Host 2020 ECHL All-Star Classic". SportsTravel Magazine. December 10, 2018.
  9. "2020 WARRIOR HOCKEY/ECHL ALL-STAR CLASSIC DETAILS UNVEILED". ECHL. September 10, 2019.
  10. "PWHPA Members of U.S. Women's Ice Hockey Team to Participate in Warrior/ECHL All-Star Classic". OurSports Central. December 13, 219.
  11. "Eastern Conference Wins 2020 Warrior/ECHL All-Star Classic Presented by Toyota". OurSports Central. January 22, 2020.
  12. "ECHL Standings - Division". ECHL. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  13. "SOUTH CAROLINA'S BERGIN RECEIVES JOHN BROPHY AWARD AS ECHL COACH OF THE YEAR". ECHL. April 7, 2020.
  14. "TOLEDO'S KESTNER IS WARRIOR HOCKEY/ECHL MOST VALUABLE PLAYER". ECHL. April 10, 2020.
  15. "IDAHO'S SHOLL NAMED WARRIOR HOCKEY/ECHL GOALTENDER OF THE YEAR". ECHL. April 9, 2020.
  16. "ALLEN'S SHEEHY RECEIVES JOHN A. DALEY TROPHY AS ECHL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR". ECHL. April 6, 2020.
  17. "ALLEN'S BRETON NAMED ECHL DEFENSEMAN OF THE YEAR". ECHL. April 8, 2020.
  18. "FLORIDA'S MASELLA IS AMI GRAPHICS/ECHL PLUS PERFORMER OF THE YEAR". ECHL. March 23, 2020.
  19. "Indy's Watson Receives 2019-20 ECHL Sportsmanship Award". OurSports Central. April 7, 2020.
  20. "Worcester's Doherty Receives 2019-20 ECHL Community Service Award". OurSports Central. April 6, 2020.
  21. "ALL-ECHL FIRST AND SECOND TEAMS ANNOUNCED". ECHL. April 3, 2020.
  22. "ECHL Announces 2019-20 All-Rookie Team". ECHL. April 2, 2020.
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