2017-18 EHLP Season

This is the 2017-18 Eastern Hockey League Premier Season. This is the Eastern Hockey League's lower level league. It is the league's 3rd season as a feeder league for the higher EHL's league. It was known as the Elite Division for 2015-16 and the 19U Elite Division for 2016-17.

Membership Changes

 * On December 22, 2016 the USPHL announced that the Boston Bandits, Connecticut Nighthawks, Hartford Jr. Wolfpack, New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs, New Jersey Rockets, and Northern Cyclones organizations are leaving the Eastern Hockey League and joining the United States Premier Hockey League for the 2017-18 season. This moved would bring six premier level and five elite junior teams. The 16U, 18U and youth porgrams of these organizations would also be involved in this move. The Boston Bandits, New Jersey Rockets, and Northern Cyclones would be also be part of the National Collegiate Development Conference when it commences play for the 2017-18 season.
 * USA Hockey approved the addition of the New Hampshire Avalanche as an expansion franchise for the 2017-18 season. The organization has a history of running teams from mite to U-18. The team is apparently a replacement for the New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs who announced they were joining the USPHL for the 2017-18 season. The team will be based out of the Ice Den Arena in Hooksett, NH.
 * In February of 2017, the league announced that they would expand to include six of the seven members of the North American 3 Atlantic Hockey League ( the Central Penn Panthers, Jersey Wildcats, Long Island Royals, Metro Fighting Moose, New Jersey Renegades, and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights. The only NA3AHL team not included was the Exton Bulls.
 * On March 16, 2017 The Superior Roughriders of the Western States Hockey League announced they were changing thier affiliate program in Connecticut to be named the Connecticut RoughRiders which will be based out of the SoNo Ice House in Norwalk, Connecticut. The balance of the teams based out of the facility will also take the RoughRiders name. The existing Connecticut Oilers team will move to the Louis Astorino Arena in Hamden, Connecticut.


 * Around the same time two additional teams were announced as the Hyannis, Massachusetts based Total Athletics Seahawks and the Middletown based New Jersey 87's were announced as expansion teams. The New York Bobcats were also announced as planning on returning to the league after withdrawing for the 2016-17 season when their coach was hired by the North American Hockey League's New Jersey Junior Titans and there was not enough time to get a replacement coach hired and have them be able to adequately prepare for the season.

Format
the top five teams qualifying with the fourth and fifth place teams playing a single game sudden death and then the winner becoming the fourth seed. The division semifinals are also single elimination within the division. The division final is best-of-three. The division winners meet in a single game final on March 25th at Schneider Arena in Providence, Rhode Island.

First Round

 * New Jersey Renegades defeated Philadelphia Little Flyers 3-2 (ot)
 * New England Wolves defeated Valley Jr. Warriors 2-1 (ot)

Conference Semifinals

 * Boston Jr Rangers defeated New England Wolves 7-2
 * Vermont Lumberjacks defeated Walpole Express 6-0
 * Philadelphia Junior Flyers defeated New Jersey Renegades 3-2 (ot)
 * Philadelphia Revolution defeated New Jersey 87's 7-4

Conference Finals

 * Boston Jr Rangers defeated Vermont Lumberjacks 2 games to 1
 * Philadelphia Junior Flyers defeated Philadelphia Revolution 2 games to 1

Final

 * Boston Jr Rangers defeated Philadelphia Junior Flyers 4-3