Changes: 2020-21 ECHL season

	2020–21 ECHL season
League	ECHL
Sport	Ice hockey
Duration	December 11, 2020 – June 6, 2021
Regular season
Brabham Cup	Florida Everblades
Playoffs
ECHL seasons
	← 2019–20 2021–22 →

Revision as of 02:05, 13 June 2021

This is the 2020-21 ECHL season. This is the league's 33rd season.

Resumption of Play

Under the split-season guidelines, the following 13 teams will begin a 72-game season on December 11th - Allen, Florida, Greenville, Indy, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Orlando, Rapid City, South Carolina, Tulsa, Utah, Wheeling and Wichita. Additionally, remaining ECHL teams will begin their Season on January 15, 2021, competing in a 62-game season upon jurisdictional approval.^[1]

Membership changes

The Atlanta Gladiators voluntarily suspended operations for the 2020-21 season.

On October 20th the Norfolk Admirals opted out of the 2020-21 season under the ECHL's COVID-19 voluntary suspension policy.^[2]

On November 18th the entire North Division (Adirondack Thunder, Brampton Beast, Maine Mariners, Newfoundland Growlers, Reading Royals and Worcester Railers) announced they sit out the 2020-21 season and would return for the 2021-22 season.^[3]

On December 7th the league announced that the Cincinnati Cyclones, Idaho Steelheads, and Kalamazoo Wings had elected to to suspend play for the 2020-21 season under the league's policy for COVID-19.^[4]

On January 5th the league announced a finalized schedule for the balance of the season and it had announced that the Toledo Walleye had announced they were voluntarily suspending operations for the 2020-21 season.

On January 12, 2021 the league's Board of Governors has approved expansion applications for Coralville, Iowa and Trois-Rivières, Quebec to begin play for the 2021-22. The Coralville team will be based out of the Xtream Arena and the Trois-Rivieres team will be based out of the Le Nouveau Colisée.^[5]On June 10, 2021, the team name was announced as the Trois-Rivières Lions, named after the only previous professional team to play in the city, the Trois-Rivières Lions, from 1955 to 1960.^[6]

On January 27, 2021 the league announced the addition of a expansion team to be based out of the New Savannah Arena in Savannah, Georgia for the 2022-23 ECHL season.^[7]

On February 18, 2021 the league announced as part of its mid-season Board of Governors meeting that the Brampton Beast had withdrawn from the league effective the end of the season (after already sitting out the 2020-21 season.^[8]

Teams

Standings

Due to the imbalanced schedule during the pandemic, teams are ranked on points percentage.^[9]

Final standings^[10]

Eastern Conference	GP	W	L	OTL	SOL	GF	GA	Pts	Pts%
z — Florida Everblades (NSH)	69	42	19	5	3	233	193	92	.667
x — Greenville Swamp Rabbits (FLA)	72	38	19	12	3	210	204	91	.632
x — Indy Fuel (CHI)	69	37	24	8	0	204	199	82	.594
x — South Carolina Stingrays (WSH)	70	34	23	10	3	216	212	81	.579
Orlando Solar Bears (TB)	72	36	29	6	1	218	232	79	.549
Jacksonville Icemen (WPG)	71	34	30	3	4	205	212	75	.528
Wheeling Nailers (PIT)	68	22	39	6	1	196	241	51	.375

Western Conference	GP	W	L	OTL	SOL	GF	GA	Pts	Pts%
y — Allen Americans (MIN)	72	45	23	3	1	236	196	94	.653
x — Wichita Thunder (EDM)	71	41	22	6	2	218	190	90	.634
x — Fort Wayne Komets (VGK)	51	29	17	3	2	170	136	63	.618
x — Utah Grizzlies (COL)	72	35	26	5	6	207	219	81	.563
Tulsa Oilers (ANA)	72	30	28	11	3	180	203	74	.514
Kansas City Mavericks (CGY)	72	31	31	8	2	205	226	72	.500
Rapid City Rush (ARI)	71	32	35	3	1	197	232	68	.479

x – clinched playoff spot; y – clinched regular season conference title; z – Brabham Cup (regular season) champion

2021 Kelly Cup playoffs

Main article: 2021 Kelly Cup playoffs

Format

The top four teams in each division qualify. Division based format with 1 vs 4 and 2 vs 3 with winners advancing to division final. Division winners meet for Kelly Cup. All rounds are best-of-five.

Due to the North Charleston Coliseum being unavailable for the playoffs, the South Carolina Stingrays play at the Carolina Ice Palace.^[11]

Bracket

As of July 2, 2021.^[12]

Conference Semifinals

Conference Finals

Kelly Cup Finals

E1

Florida Everblades

2

E4

South Carolina Stingrays

3

E4

South Carolina Stingrays

3

Eastern Conference

E2

Greenville Swamp Rabbits

1

E2

Greenville Swamp Rabbits

3

E3

Indy Fuel

1

E4

South Carolina Stingrays

1

W3

Fort Wayne Komets

3

W1

Allen Americans

3

W4

Utah Grizzlies

0

W1

Allen Americans

1

Western Conference

W3

Fort Wayne Komets

3

W2

Wichita Thunder

2

W3

Fort Wayne Komets

3

References

External links

ECHL website

ECHL seasons
1988-89 · 1989-90 · 1990-91 · 1991-92 · 1992-93 · 1993-94 · 1994-95 · 1995-96 · 1996-97 · 1997-98 · 1998-99
1999-00 · 2000-01 · 2001-02 · 2002-03 · 2003-04 · 2004-05 · 2005-06 · 2006-07 · 2007-08 · 2008-09 · 2009-10 · 2010-11 · 2011-12 · 2012-13 · 2013-14 · 2014-15 · 2015-16 · 2016-17 · 2017-18 · 2018-19 · 2019-20 · 2020-21 · 2021-22

[1] ttps://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/echl-confirms-start-date-for-2020-21-season/n-5646931

[2] ttps://www.dailypress.com/sports/norfolk-admirals/vp-sp-norfolk-admirals-20201020-bs3ud7ssbnc4ffa7slbkyllrmu-story.html

[3] ttps://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/echl-north-division-elects-suspension-of-play-mariners-issue-statement/n-5652772

[4] ttps://www.echl.com/en/news/2020/12/cincinnati-idaho-and-kalamazoo-elect-suspension-of-play-for-2020-21-season

[5] ttps://www.echl.com/en/news/2021/1/echl-approves-two-expansion-memberships

[6] INTRODUCING THE TROIS-RIVIÈRES LIONS (June 10, 2021).

[7] ttps://www.echl.com/en/news/2021/1/echl-approves-expansion-membership-for-savannah

[8] ttps://www.echl.com/en/news/2021/2/updates-from-midseason-meeting-of-echl-board-of-governors

[Conf-9] Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Conf

[10] 2020–21 Conference Standings.

[11] ttps://www.postandcourier.com/sports/minor_leagues/s-c-stingrays-earn-playoff-berth-but-not-at-north-charleston-coliseum/article_1c87ad10-c6fe-11eb-a16e-4bef377d8945.html

[12] 2021 playoff schedule.

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[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

@@ Line 49: / Line 49: @@
 *On January 5th the league announced a finalized schedule for the balance of the season and it had announced that the [[Toledo Walleye]] had announced they were voluntarily suspending operations for the 2020-21 season.
-*On January 12, 2021 the league's Board of Governors has approved expansion applications for [[Coralville, Iowa]] and [[Trois-Rivières ECHL team|Trois-Rivières, Quebec]] to begin play for the 2021-22. The [[Coralville ECHL team|Coralville team]] will be based out of the [[Xtream Arena]] and the [[Trois-Rivières ECHL team|Trois-Rivieres team]] will be based out of the [[Le Nouveau Colisée]].<ref>https://www.echl.com/en/news/2021/1/echl-approves-two-expansion-memberships</ref>
+*On January 12, 2021 the league's Board of Governors has approved expansion applications for [[Coralville, Iowa]] and [[Trois-Rivières ECHL team|Trois-Rivières, Quebec]] to begin play for the 2021-22. The [[Coralville ECHL team|Coralville team]] will be based out of the [[Xtream Arena]] and the [[Trois-Rivières ECHL team|Trois-Rivieres team]] will be based out of the [[Le Nouveau Colisée]].<ref>https://www.echl.com/en/news/2021/1/echl-approves-two-expansion-memberships</ref>On June 10, 2021, the team name was announced as the Trois-Rivières Lions, named after the only previous professional team to play in the city, the [[Trois-Rivières Lions]], from 1955 to 1960.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.echl.com/en/news/2021/6/introducing-the-trois-rivieres-lions |title=INTRODUCING THE TROIS-RIVIÈRES LIONS |website=[[ECHL]] |date=June 10, 2021}}</ref>
 *On January 27, 2021 the league announced the addition of a [[Savannah ECHL team|expansion team]] to be based out of the New [[Savannah Arena]] in [[Savannah, Georgia]] for the [[2022-23 ECHL season]].<ref>https://www.echl.com/en/news/2021/1/echl-approves-expansion-membership-for-savannah</ref>

Division	Team	City	Arena
Eastern Conference
North	Adirondack Thunder	Glens Falls, New York	Cool Insuring Arena
	Brampton Beast	Brampton, Ontario	Powerade Centre
	Maine Mariners	Portland, Maine	Cross Insurance Arena
	Newfoundland Growlers	St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador	Mile One Centre
	Reading Royals	Reading, Pennsylvania	Santander Arena
	Worcester Railers	Worcester, Massachusetts	DCU Center
South	Atlanta Gladiators	Duluth, Georgia	Infinite Energy Arena
	Florida Everblades	Estero, Florida	Germain Arena
	Greenville Swamp Rabbits	Greenville, South Carolina	Bon Secours Wellness Arena
	Jacksonville IceMen	Jacksonville, Florida	Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena
	Norfolk Admirals	Norfolk, Virginia	Norfolk Scope
	Orlando Solar Bears	Orlando, Florida	Amway Center
	South Carolina Stingrays	North Charleston, South Carolina	North Charleston Coliseum
Western Conference
Central	Cincinnati Cyclones	Cincinnati, Ohio	U.S. Bank Arena
	Fort Wayne Komets	Fort Wayne, Indiana	Allen County War Memorial Coliseum
	Indy Fuel	Indianapolis, Indiana	Indiana Farmers Coliseum
	Kalamazoo Wings	Kalamazoo, Michigan	Wings Event Center
	Toledo Walleye	Toledo, Ohio	Huntington Center
	Wheeling Nailers	Wheeling, West Virginia	WesBanco Arena
Mountain	Allen Americans	Allen, Texas	Allen Event Center
	Idaho Steelheads	Boise, Idaho	Century Link Arena
	Kansas City Mavericks	Independence, Missouri	Silverstein Eye Centers Arena
	Rapid City Rush	Rapid City, South Dakota	Rushmore Plaza Civic Center
	Tulsa Oilers	Tulsa, Oklahoma	BOK Center
	Utah Grizzlies	West Valley City, Utah	Maverik Center
	Wichita Thunder	Wichita, Kansas	Intrust Bank Arena