The 2018–19 ECHL season was the 31st season of the ECHL. The regular season was scheduled to run from October 12, 2018, to April 7, 2019, with the Kelly Cup playoffs to follow. Twenty-seven teams in 20 states and two Canadian provinces each play a 72-game schedule. The Kelly Cup was won by the Newfoundland Growlers in their inaugural season over the Toledo Walleye.

League business League changes After serving as league commissioner for 16 seasons, Brian McKenna, stepped down from the position following the 2017–18 season. He was replaced by Ryan Crelin, who had most recently been serving as the ECHL's chief operating officer.

Team changes The Colorado Eagles ownership left the ECHL, bought an expansion franchise and joined the American Hockey League as the affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche to bring the AHL up to 31 teams to match the size of the National Hockey League to continue the one-to-one NHL/AHL affiliations. The Maine Mariners in Portland, Maine, were added after purchasing the franchise from the folded Alaska Aces. The Mariners were the fifth team to replace a recently relocated American Hockey League (AHL) team, in this case the Portland Pirates, since 2015. The Newfoundland Growlers in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, were added, replacing the recently relocated St. John's IceCaps and becoming the sixth ECHL team to replace an AHL team since 2015. The Quad City Mallards ceased operations after the 2017–18 season. The Mallards were the first of the teams added in the 2014 merger with the Central Hockey League to cease operations.

Conference realignment As the new ECHL teams in Portland, Maine, and St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, were added to the North Division of the Eastern Conference, the Wheeling Nailers were moved to the Western Conference and Central Division. With the Colorado Eagles joining the American Hockey League, the Kansas City Mavericks moved back to the Mountain Division from the Central.

Affiliation changes

ECHL team New affiliates Former affiliates Allen Americans Minnesota Wild (NHL)Iowa Wild (AHL) San Jose Sharks (NHL)San Jose Barracuda (AHL) Brampton Beast Ottawa Senators (NHL)Belleville Senators (AHL) Montreal Canadiens (NHL)Laval Rocket (AHL) Fort Wayne Komets Vegas Golden Knights (NHL)Chicago Wolves (AHL) Arizona Coyotes (NHL)Tucson Roadrunners (AHL) Greenville Swamp Rabbits Independent New York Rangers (NHL)Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL) Maine Mariners New York Rangers (NHL)Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL) DormantNewfoundland GrowlersToronto Maple Leafs (NHL)Toronto Marlies (AHL) Expansion team Norfolk Admirals Arizona Coyotes (NHL)Tucson Roadrunners (AHL) Independent Orlando Solar BearsTampa Bay Lightning (NHL)Syracuse Crunch (AHL)Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL)Toronto Marlies (AHL) Tulsa Oilers San Antonio Rampage (AHL) No AHL affiliate Rapid City Rush Independent Minnesota Wild (NHL)Iowa Wild (AHL)Utah GrizzliesColorado Avalanche (NHL)Colorado Eagles (AHL)Anaheim Ducks (NHL)San Diego Gulls (AHL)

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, Nevada, from June 18 to 22, 2018.

All-star game The 2019 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic was held on January 21, 2019, at the Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio. The All-Star Classic retained the four team, 3-on-3 player tournament style used the previous season, but featured two teams made from the Toledo Walleye (named Team Hooks and Team Fins) and one team for each conference's All-Star players. In the round-robin, the Western Conference and Team Fins each went 2–1, while the Eastern Conference and Team Hooks went 1–2. In the semifinal round, the Eastern Conference defeated the Western Conference 4–3 and Team Fins defeated the Team Hooks 3–1. The Eastern Conference All-Star team then defeated Team Fins 2–1 following a shootout. The Brampton Beast's David Pacan was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.

The skills competition took place in between rounds of the tournament. The Toledo Walleye's Bryan Moore won the fastest skater event, the Walleye's A.J. Jenks won the hardest shot event, and the Brampton Beast's David Pacan won the accuracy shooting event.

Standings

Final standings:

Eastern Conference North Division y – Newfoundland Growlers (TOR) 7243214425820794 x – Adirondack Thunder (NJD) 7237266323422083 x – Manchester Monarchs (LAK) 7239292223323282 x – Brampton Beast (OTT) 7236295224121779 Reading Royals (PHI) 7234284622922978 Maine Mariners (NYR) 7237322122124777 Worcester Railers (NYI) 7232297419622675

South Division y – Florida Everblades (CAR) 72501651276181106 x – Orlando Solar Bears (TBL) 7241255125123888 x – South Carolina Stingrays (WSH) 7235315122122376 x – Jacksonville Icemen (WPG) 7236322219821776 Atlanta Gladiators (BOS) 7231308319721173 Norfolk Admirals (ARI) 7227366321827863 Greenville Swamp Rabbits () 7225413319225456

Western Conference Central Division z – Cincinnati Cyclones (BUF) 72511353282176110 x – Toledo Walleye (DET) 7240236323722189 x – Fort Wayne Komets (VGK) 7236264623324882 x – Kalamazoo Wings (VAN) 7236312322925477 Indy Fuel (CHI) 7235322323024775 Wheeling Nailers (PIT)7231316423924072

Mountain Division y – Tulsa Oilers (STL) 7242244223619890 7241254224120388 x – Utah Grizzlies (COL) 7237264523221883 x – Kansas City Mavericks (CGY) 7236304223422878 Wichita Thunder (EDM) 7229319322425170 Rapid City Rush () 7230335416822569 Allen Americans (MIN) 7225414220826956 - clinched playoff spot, - clinched regular season division title, - Brabham Cup (regular season) champion

Statistical leaders

Scoring leaders

The following players are sorted by points, then goals.

GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

Player Team GP G A Pts PIMJesse SchultzCincinnati Cyclones 71 22 58 80 20Adam PleskachTulsa Oilers 72 38 37 75 74Chris McCarthyReading Royals 72 20 54 74 23Caleb HerbertUtah Grizzlies 60 32 39 71 88David PacanBrampton Beast 72 28 41 70 42James HenryAdirondack Thunder 72 15 54 69 63Zach O'BrienNewfoundland Growlers 53 28 40 68 6Andrew CherniwchanSouth Carolina Stingrays 72 29 38 67 129Zac LynchWheeling Nailers 67 17 50 67 100Myles PowellCincinnati Cyclones 57 31 35 66 24

Leading goaltenders

GP = Games played; TOI = Time on ice (in minutes); SA = Shots against; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average; SV% = Save percentage; W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime/shootout loss

Player Team GP TOI SA GA SO GAA SV% W L OTL Devin Williams Tulsa Oilers 34 1950 826 69 2 2.12 .916 20 9 4 Michael Houser Cincinnati Cyclones 41 2394 1085 85 2 2.13 .922 29 7 5 Tomas Sholl Idaho Steelheads 39 2324 1212 87 3 2.25 .928 26 12 1 Jeremy Helvig Florida Everblades 39 2304 1064 87 3 2.27 .918 27 6 4 Evan Buitenhuis Worcester Railers 28 1518 828 60 1 2.37 .928 10 9 4

Postseason Playoffs format At the end of the regular season, the top four teams in each division qualifies for the 2019 Kelly Cup playoffs and be seeded one through four based on highest point total earned in the season. Then the first two rounds of the playoffs are held within the division with the first seed facing the fourth seed and the second seed facing the third. The division champions then play each other in a conference championship. The Kelly Cup finals pits the Eastern Conference champion against the Western Conference champion. All four rounds are a best-of-seven format.

Bracket

Awards

Award Winner Patrick Kelly Cup: Newfoundland Growlers Henry Brabham Cup: Cincinnati Cyclones Gingher Memorial Trophy: Newfoundland Growlers Bruce Taylor Trophy: Toledo Walleye John Brophy Award: Matt Thomas, Cincinnati CCM Most Valuable Player: Jesse Schultz, Cincinnati Kelly Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player: Zach O'Brien, Newfoundland Warrior Hockey Goaltender of the Year: Michael Houser, Cincinnati CCM Rookie of the Year: Chris Collins, Kalamazoo CCM Defenseman of the Year: Eric Knodel, Cincinnati Leading Scorer: Jesse Schultz, Cincinnati AMI Graphics Plus Performer Award: Joe Cox, Florida Sportsmanship Award: Zach O'Brien, Newfoundland Community Service Award: James Henry, Adirondack Birmingham Memorial Award: Patrick Richardson

All-ECHL teams First Team Michael Houser (G) – Cincinnati Cyclones Eric Knodel (D) – Cincinnati Cyclones Matt Petgrave (D) – Brampton Beast Caleb Herbert (F) – Utah Grizzlies Adam Pleskach (F) – Tulsa Oilers Jesse Schultz (F) – Cincinnati Cyclones

Second Team Tomas Sholl (G) – Idaho Steelheads Matt Register (D) – Toledo Walleye Derek Sheppard (D) – Florida Everblades Joe Cox (F) – Florida Everblades Chris McCarthy (F) – Reading Royals Zach O'Brien (F) – Newfoundland Growlers

Rookie Team Tomas Sholl (G) – Idaho Steelheads Alex Breton (D) – Allen Americans Derek Sheppard (D) – Florida Everblades Chris Collins (F) – Kalamazoo Wings Steven Iacobellis (F) – Wichita Thunder Myles Powell (F) – Cincinnati Cyclones

See also List of ECHL seasons 2018 in sports 2019 in sports

References

External links ECHL website