| 2020–21 ECHL season | |
| League | ECHL |
|---|---|
| Sport | Ice hockey |
| Duration | December 11, 2020 – June 6, 2021 |
| Regular season | |
| Brabham Cup | Florida Everblades |
| Season MVP | Anthony Beauregard (Wichita) |
| Top scorer | Aaron Luchuk (Orlando) |
| Playoffs | |
| Eastern champions | South Carolina Stingrays |
| Eastern runners-up | Greenville Swamp Rabbits |
| Western champions | Fort Wayne Komets |
| Western runners-up | Allen Americans |
| Playoffs MVP | Stephen Harper (Fort Wayne Komets |
| [[2021 Kelly Cup playoffs#Kelly Cup Finals|Kelly Cup]] | |
| Champions | Fort Wayne Komets |
| Runners-up | South Carolina Stingrays |
| ECHL seasons | |
← 2019–20 2021–22 → | |
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.
Final standings[9]
| 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[]
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.[10]
Bracket[]
As of July 2, 2021.[11]
| 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 | ||||||||||||
Awards[]
- See also: ECHL awards
| Award | Winner |
|---|---|
| Patrick Kelly Cup: | Fort Wayne Komets |
| Henry Brabham Cup: | Florida Everblades |
| Gingher Memorial Trophy: | South Carolina Stingrays |
| Bruce Taylor Trophy: | Fort Wayne Komets |
| John Brophy Award: | Bruce Ramsay, Wichita[12] |
| Most Valuable Player: | Anthony Beauregard, Wichita[13] |
| Kelly Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player: | |
| Goaltender of the Year: | Jake Hildebrand, Florida[14] |
| Rookie of the Year: | Matthew Boucher, Utah[15] |
| Defenseman of the Year: | Les Lancaster, Allen[16] |
| Leading Scorer: | Aaron Luchuk, Orlando[17] |
| Plus Performer Award: | John McCarron, Florida[18] |
| Sportsmanship Award: | Aaron Luchuk, Orlando[19] |
| Community Service Award: |
All-ECHL teams[]
First Team[]
- Jake Hildebrand (G) – Florida[20]
- Samuel Jardine (D) – Greenville[20]
- Les Lancaster (D) – Allen[20]
- Anthony Beauregard (F) – Wichita[20]
- Aaron Luchuk (F) – Orlando[20]
- John McCarron (F) – Florida[20]
Second Team[]
- Evan Buitenhuis (G) – Wichita[20]
- Matt Register (D) – Allen[20]
- Dean Stewart (D) – Wichita[20]
- Tyler Coulter (F) – Rapid City[20]
- Peter Quenneville (F) – Rapid City[20]
- Cole Ully (F) – South Carolina[20]
All-Rookie[]
- Evan Weninger (G) – Wichita[21]
- Ben Finkelstein (D) – Greenville[21]
- Dean Stewart (D) – Wichita[21]
- Matthew Boucher (F) – Utah[21]
- Jay Dickman (F) – Wichita[21]
- Joseph Garreffa (F) – Orlando[21]
References[]
- ↑ https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/echl-confirms-start-date-for-2020-21-season/n-5646931
- ↑ https://www.dailypress.com/sports/norfolk-admirals/vp-sp-norfolk-admirals-20201020-bs3ud7ssbnc4ffa7slbkyllrmu-story.html
- ↑ https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/echl-north-division-elects-suspension-of-play-mariners-issue-statement/n-5652772
- ↑ https://www.echl.com/en/news/2020/12/cincinnati-idaho-and-kalamazoo-elect-suspension-of-play-for-2020-21-season
- ↑ https://www.echl.com/en/news/2021/1/echl-approves-two-expansion-memberships
- ↑ INTRODUCING THE TROIS-RIVIÈRES LIONS (June 10, 2021).
- ↑ https://www.echl.com/en/news/2021/1/echl-approves-expansion-membership-for-savannah
- ↑ https://www.echl.com/en/news/2021/2/updates-from-midseason-meeting-of-echl-board-of-governors
- ↑ 2020–21 Conference Standings.
- ↑ https://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
- ↑ 2021 playoff schedule.
- ↑ WICHITA'S RAMSAY RECEIVES JOHN BROPHY AWARD AS ECHL COACH OF THE YEAR (June 8, 2021).
- ↑ Wichita's Beauregard Named 2020-21 Warrior Hockey/ECHL Most Valuable Player (June 11, 2021).
- ↑ FLORIDA'S HILDEBRAND NAMED WARRIOR HOCKEY/ECHL GOALTENDER OF THE YEAR (June 10, 2021).
- ↑ Utah's Boucher Named ECHL Rookie of the Year (June 7, 2021).
- ↑ Allen's Lancaster Named ECHL Defenseman of the Year (June 9, 2021).
- ↑ ORLANDO'S LUCHUK WINS 2020-21 ECHL SCORING TITLE (June 6, 2021).
- ↑ FLORIDA'S MCCARRON IS AMI GRAPHICS/ECHL PLUS PERFORMER OF THE YEAR (June 6, 2021).
- ↑ ORLANDO'S LUCHUK RECEIVES 2020-21 ECHL SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD (June 4, 2021).
- ↑ 20.00 20.01 20.02 20.03 20.04 20.05 20.06 20.07 20.08 20.09 20.10 20.11 All-ECHL First and Second Teams Announced (June 3, 2021).
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.4 21.5 ECHL Announces 2020-21 All-Rookie Team (June 2, 2021).
External links[]
| 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 |
| ECHL (2023–24) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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