Published by Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners Media Relations and Broadcast Manager
Before the revival of the Maine Mariners, Portland's rich hockey history had familiarized the fans of Maine greatly with the American Hockey League. The original Mariners played parts of three decades in the AHL before the 23 year Portland Pirates run continued the legacy at the former Cumberland County Civic Center-now-Cross Insurance Arena. The arrival of the "new" Mariners brought with it a new level of hockey in the form of the ECHL. The premier "AA" hockey league continues to grow in popularity and depth of talent with each passing season, seeing more and more of its alumni reach their goal of playing in the NHL. While the league "formerly known as the East Coast Hockey League" operates mostly like the two professional leagues above it, there are some key concepts and intricacies that all ECHL fans should know. Welcome to ECHL 101.
What is the ECHL?
Seems like a natural place to start. As mentioned, the ECHL is known as the premier "AA" hockey league, drawing an equivalence to minor league baseball, of which teams have a ladder of affiliates, or "farm teams." Just as the Portland Sea Dogs are the AA affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, the Mariners are the AA affiliate of the New York Rangers. Note - "AA" is not actually a term used in hockey. The ECHL is the lowest level of affiliated pro hockey, a notch below the AHL. However, by comparison, Minor League Baseball has as many has six tiers. The ECHL was founded in 1988, starting with just five teams. Today, it's made up of 26, spanning from as far west to Boise, Idaho and as far east as St. John's, Newfoundland. There are four divisions in the ECHL: the North, South, Central, and Mountain. Teams play 72 games, from October through April (in a normal season), with the top four in each division making the playoffs and battling for the Kelly Cup, named after Patrick J. Kelly, one of the league's founders. The "ECHL" acronym once stood for "East Coast Hockey League," but with westward expansion no longer officially holds that meaning. Still, you'll hear people often continue to refer to the ECHL as "the Coast." 25 of the 26 teams currently have AHL and NHL affiliates, Norfolk the only exception as of the 2019-20 season. The Mariners are affiliated with the Hartford Wolf Pack at the AHL level and the New York Rangers in the NHL.
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| Zach Tolkinen has played over 300 career ECHL games between six teams |
So who's paying them?
In addition to its variety of background stories, the ECHL is also unique in that its rosters are made up of players under contract from all different organizations. Usually, the majority of a roster is made up of players signed directly with that ECHL team, but players can also come from that team's AHL or NHL affiliate, or even AHL/NHL teams that are a part of different organizations altogether.
If a player is under contract with an AHL or NHL team - affiliated or not, that team decides if and when that player moves up, down, or to another organization. For example, on the 2019-20 Mariners, players under contract with the New York Rangers (the Mariners NHL affiliate) included (but were not limited to) Ty Ronning, Jake Elmer, Brandon Crawley, and Sean Day. Whenever these players move up or down within the organization - Maine to Hartford to New York or to another organization altogether, that decision is made, ultimately by the Rangers. Players on AHL contracts like Ryan Dmowski (Hartford), Morgan Adams-Moisan (Laval), and Scott Savage (Milwaukee), could only be moved by those respective team. Reasons that players are placed on teams outside their organization can range from roster flexibility, to playing time, to the absence of an ECHL affiliate, in the case of Laval for example (as of the 2018-19 season, the Montreal Canadiens and Laval Rocket are without an ECHL affiliate).
If a player is under contract with an AHL or NHL team - affiliated or not, that team decides if and when that player moves up, down, or to another organization. For example, on the 2019-20 Mariners, players under contract with the New York Rangers (the Mariners NHL affiliate) included (but were not limited to) Ty Ronning, Jake Elmer, Brandon Crawley, and Sean Day. Whenever these players move up or down within the organization - Maine to Hartford to New York or to another organization altogether, that decision is made, ultimately by the Rangers. Players on AHL contracts like Ryan Dmowski (Hartford), Morgan Adams-Moisan (Laval), and Scott Savage (Milwaukee), could only be moved by those respective team. Reasons that players are placed on teams outside their organization can range from roster flexibility, to playing time, to the absence of an ECHL affiliate, in the case of Laval for example (as of the 2018-19 season, the Montreal Canadiens and Laval Rocket are without an ECHL affiliate).
Players under contract with ECHL teams can still be "called up" to the AHL, but this is referred to as a "loan." If a player is loaned to the AHL, they sign a professional tryout (PTO) with that team which lasts 25 games. ECHL players can be loaned to any AHL organization. For example in 2018-19, Alex Kile was loaned to three different teams (Utica Comets, Hartford Wolf Pack, Laval Rocket).
Similarly, players who join ECHL teams from the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) are "loaned," but must sign a standard player contract (SPC) with the ECHL team they're joining. More on all the other leagues in a bit.
How many of these guys will actually play in the NHL?
According to the ECHL, 678 alumni have played in the NHL. The Mariners have had three players in their history play in the NHL - goaltenders Brandon Halverson (Rangers - pictured below) and Hannu Toivonen (Bruins/Blues), of the 2018-19 team, and defenseman Jonathan Racine (Panthers), who spent part of 2019-20 in Maine. It should be noted that all three made their NHL appearances prior to their Mariners careers. During their 2020 Stanley Cup Qualifying series against the Carolina Hurricanes, the Rangers had defenseman Brandon Crawley on their roster, but he did not appear in a game.
In general, the ECHL has come a long way in the last several years, becoming a league made up less of career minor leaguers and more of legitimate prospects. Over half of the full Mariners 2019-20 roster had at least one game of AHL experience.
According to the ECHL, 678 alumni have played in the NHL. The Mariners have had three players in their history play in the NHL - goaltenders Brandon Halverson (Rangers - pictured below) and Hannu Toivonen (Bruins/Blues), of the 2018-19 team, and defenseman Jonathan Racine (Panthers), who spent part of 2019-20 in Maine. It should be noted that all three made their NHL appearances prior to their Mariners careers. During their 2020 Stanley Cup Qualifying series against the Carolina Hurricanes, the Rangers had defenseman Brandon Crawley on their roster, but he did not appear in a game.
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| Brandon Halverson made his NHL debut for the Rangers against the Ottawa Senators on February 17th, 2018 |
In general, the ECHL has come a long way in the last several years, becoming a league made up less of career minor leaguers and more of legitimate prospects. Over half of the full Mariners 2019-20 roster had at least one game of AHL experience.
The "Other" Leagues:
With a few exceptions, there are three other leagues of which players will move - up or down, over the course of a given season. The AHL-NHL ladder is directly linked within the affiliate system, while the SPHL serves as lower level alternative of sorts to the ECHL, and provides a pool of players for ECHL GMs to pick from when spots need to be filled. Let's rundown the basic framework of the hockey landscape, league-wise.
With a few exceptions, there are three other leagues of which players will move - up or down, over the course of a given season. The AHL-NHL ladder is directly linked within the affiliate system, while the SPHL serves as lower level alternative of sorts to the ECHL, and provides a pool of players for ECHL GMs to pick from when spots need to be filled. Let's rundown the basic framework of the hockey landscape, league-wise.
AHL - The American Hockey League. The highest level of minor league hockey. It's one step above the ECHL and one below the NHL. Our AHL affiliate is the Hartford Wolf Pack. There are 31 teams in the AHL all over the map. While most are concentrated in the Northeast, there are five teams in California.
SPHL - The Southern Professional Hockey League. A non-affiliate step below the ECHL with just 10 teams, based mostly in the Southern United States. The SPHL is not an affiliated league and generally contains players of a slightly lesser talent level than the ECHL. Many players, however advance from the SPHL to the ECHL - for example Terrence Wallin, Dillan Fox, and Ted Hart. It's also a league that attracts many players who are cut or released by an ECHL team.
Junior Hockey - There are dozens of junior leagues that aspiring pros play in during their teenage years. There's the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) circuit in Canada, which features the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), Quebec Major Junior League (QMJHL), and the Western Hockey League (WHL). The CHL features the best junior hockey players in the World. In the U.S., the United States Hockey League (USHL) and North American Hockey League (NAHL) serve as the top two tiers for 16-20 year old players. Typically, players that play American junior hockey will head to college, while CHL players are more likely to advance straight to the pros.
Roster lingo:
ECHL rosters are ever-changing (Ever Changing Hockey League?), often seeing a turnover of several players from week to week. Because injuries, call-ups, assignments, trades, and other types of movement happen at the two higher levels, ECHL players have to have their bags packed at all times - particularly ones who are on AHL or NHL contracts. Because of this, there are several types of transactions that can take place in the ECHL, which can get confusing if you don't do your homework.
ECHL rosters are ever-changing (Ever Changing Hockey League?), often seeing a turnover of several players from week to week. Because injuries, call-ups, assignments, trades, and other types of movement happen at the two higher levels, ECHL players have to have their bags packed at all times - particularly ones who are on AHL or NHL contracts. Because of this, there are several types of transactions that can take place in the ECHL, which can get confusing if you don't do your homework.
Standard Player Contract (SPC) - The most common ECHL contract. Players sign an SPC to join a team if they are a training camp invitee, free agent, protected/qualified player, or on loan from a SPHL team.
Loan - A player on an ECHL contract can be loaned to any AHL team, signing a professional tryout (PTO) with the AHL team. Players are also loaned from the SPHL to ECHL, and sign ECHL SPCs. Typically, the transaction is only referred to as a "loan" by the team from which the player is leaving. You'll usually see it described as a "signing" by the team which the player is advancing to.
Call up/recall - When a player on an AHL or NHL contract is promoted to that team, or moves up the ladder in any way, it's referred to as a call up or recall.
Assigned/reassigned - When a player on an AHL of NHL contract is placed on a team at a lower level, it's an "assignment." You might also see an AHL team refer to a recall as an "assignment" when a player on an NHL contract moves from the ECHL to the AHL.
Waivers - When an ECHL team releases a player, they go on a 48 hour waiver period in which another ECHL team can claim him under his current contract. If the window passes, he becomes a free agent. Often players that were "loaned" from SPHL clubs will return to that team if they clear waivers.
Future considerations - Often, a player will be traded for "future considerations." This can mean cash, or a player. The league sets a deadline in June every year at which all future considerations trades must be completed. Each "future" can also be used as a trade chip prior to its fulfillment.
Amateur Tryout (ATO) - After the college season ends, ECHL teams can sign players to ATOs, giving them either five games or ten days on the roster (which ever comes first). After that, they must be signed or released. The only Mariners ATO in 2018-19 was forward Charles-Eric Legare. They did not use one in 2019-20, however the cancellation of the season certainly factored in.
Protected - On the initial protected list (early June), ECHL teams are allowed to retain the rights to as many players as they like, as long as the player was on an ECHL contract with that team. The "season ending roster" deadline in mid-June cuts the protected list down to 20 players and signals the beginning of the SPC signing period. Between the middle and end of June, teams have the exclusive rights to sign their protected players. The final step in the protection process is the qualifying offer deadline on June 30th, where up to eight players' rights are retained before free agency opens July 1st.
Loan - A player on an ECHL contract can be loaned to any AHL team, signing a professional tryout (PTO) with the AHL team. Players are also loaned from the SPHL to ECHL, and sign ECHL SPCs. Typically, the transaction is only referred to as a "loan" by the team from which the player is leaving. You'll usually see it described as a "signing" by the team which the player is advancing to.
Call up/recall - When a player on an AHL or NHL contract is promoted to that team, or moves up the ladder in any way, it's referred to as a call up or recall.
Assigned/reassigned - When a player on an AHL of NHL contract is placed on a team at a lower level, it's an "assignment." You might also see an AHL team refer to a recall as an "assignment" when a player on an NHL contract moves from the ECHL to the AHL.
Waivers - When an ECHL team releases a player, they go on a 48 hour waiver period in which another ECHL team can claim him under his current contract. If the window passes, he becomes a free agent. Often players that were "loaned" from SPHL clubs will return to that team if they clear waivers.
Future considerations - Often, a player will be traded for "future considerations." This can mean cash, or a player. The league sets a deadline in June every year at which all future considerations trades must be completed. Each "future" can also be used as a trade chip prior to its fulfillment.
Amateur Tryout (ATO) - After the college season ends, ECHL teams can sign players to ATOs, giving them either five games or ten days on the roster (which ever comes first). After that, they must be signed or released. The only Mariners ATO in 2018-19 was forward Charles-Eric Legare. They did not use one in 2019-20, however the cancellation of the season certainly factored in.
Protected - On the initial protected list (early June), ECHL teams are allowed to retain the rights to as many players as they like, as long as the player was on an ECHL contract with that team. The "season ending roster" deadline in mid-June cuts the protected list down to 20 players and signals the beginning of the SPC signing period. Between the middle and end of June, teams have the exclusive rights to sign their protected players. The final step in the protection process is the qualifying offer deadline on June 30th, where up to eight players' rights are retained before free agency opens July 1st.
ECHL oddities:
The ECHL has a few features within games that makes the experience slightly different than its "older sibling" leagues. Some of these are noticeable right away (like blue goal posts), while others are more rules-based, but still significant to the way the games unfold.
The ECHL has a few features within games that makes the experience slightly different than its "older sibling" leagues. Some of these are noticeable right away (like blue goal posts), while others are more rules-based, but still significant to the way the games unfold.
Blue goal posts - Many fans notice right away that the ECHL uses blue goalposts, differing from the red pipes of most other organized hockey leagues. It's part of the league's partership with GEICO, dating back to 2015. It will catch your eye right away, but after a while, you hardly notice the difference.
18-man lineup - ECHL teams dress only 18 players, compared to 20 at most other levels of hockey. Most teams dress ten forwards (3 lines and an extra forward), six defensemen, and two goaltenders. Occasionally, teams will choose to dress seven defensemen and use just nine forwards.
7 minute overtime - Added before the 2019-20 season, the ECHL extended the length of 3-on-3 overtime to seven minutes, adding two additional minutes to the standard five minute length of the AHL and NHL. As intended, the rule change greatly decreased the amount of shootout games from 146 in 2018-19 to 72 in 19-20: a margin of nearly 50%, keeping in mind the COVID-shortened schedule.
So there you have it. The ECHL is a league that like its day-to-day rosters, has changed over time, evolving into a major vehicle in the development of professional hockey players and the future stars of the NHL. While the AHL's legacy in Portland will be hard to top, the ECHL's impact on the shores of the Atlantic is just beginning.
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