ECHL Season Opens on Friday
Published on October 12, 2026 under ECHL (ECHL) News Release
SHREWSBURY, N.J. - The 39th season of the ECHL begins on Friday with eight games, continues on Saturday with 14 games and concludes with five games on Sunday.
The ECHL welcomes two new markets for the 2026-27 season, giving the League 30 teams in 23 states and one Canadian province. The New Mexico Goatheads play their first game on Friday, hosting the Idaho Steelheads at Rio Rancho Events Center, while the Trenton Ironhawks open the season on the road this weekend before playing their first game at CURE Insurance Arena on Oct. 24 against Adirondack.
In addition to New Mexico's opener on Friday, the other games on that night's schedule include Greensboro hosting Reading, Savannah entertaining Norfolk, Trois-Rivières welcoming Trenton, Jacksonville taking on South Carolina, Greenville hosting Atlanta, Indy entertaining Wheeling and Kansas City welcoming Rapid City.
Nine teams open their home schedule on Saturday with South Carolina taking on Greenville, Worcester hosting Maine, Adirondack entertaining Trenton, Florida raising its 2026 Kelly Cup championship banner against Orlando, Wichita welcoming Tahoe, Atlanta taking on Norfolk, Fort Wayne hosting Toledo, Bloomington entertaining Kalamazoo and Tulsa taking on Allen.
On Sunday, Orlando opens the home portion of its schedule in the back end of a home-and-home series against Florida.
Formed in 1988-89 with five teams in four states, the ECHL has grown into a coast-to-coast league that has 30 teams in 23 states and one Canadian province playing 1,080 games from Oct. 16, 2026 to April 11, 2027. The ECHL is the third-longest tenured professional hockey league behind only the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League, and last season welcomed an average of 5,018 fans per game, marking the first time the League has surpassed the 5,000 mark per game since 1997-98, when the average was 5,013 per game. It was the fourth time in 38 seasons that the ECHL exceeded 5,000 fans per game, with the all-time highest average of 5,312 occurring in 1994-95 and 5,273 in 1996-97. Additionally, between the regular season and Kelly Cup Playoffs, an all-time record of 5,810,411 fans attended ECHL games.
The ECHL has affiliations with 29 teams in the National Hockey League in 2026-27, marking the 30th consecutive season that the league had affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL.
New faces behind the benches
Nine of the 30 ECHL teams will have a new coach in charge as the 2026-27 season gets underway.
Ben Boudreau returns as head coach in Fort Wayne for the first time since 2022-23. Boudreau was 134-96-27 in four seasons with the Komets in his first stint as head coach, and led the team to the 2021 Kelly Cup title.
Mitch Giguere takes over as head coach in Greensboro after spending the previous three seasons as an assistant coach with Wheeling.
In Indy, Jesse Messier assumes his first head-coaching role after serving as an assistant coach in Bloomington for the last two seasons.
Zack Stortini is the first head coach in New Mexico team history. Stortini joins the Goatheads after four seasons as an assistant with Tucson of the American Hockey League, and a 16-year professional playing career, which included 257 NHL games with Edmonton and Nashville.
After three seasons as head coach in Fort Wayne, Jesse Kallechy moves to South Carolina for the 2026-27 season. Kallechy has posted a 121-69-26 record in his three seasons as an ECHL head coach.
Connor Jones makes his professional coaching debut as head coach in Tahoe. Jones has spent the previous two seasons as an assistant coach at Princeton University.
Chuck Weber, who spent last season as head coach in Iowa and previously led Cincinnati to Kelly Cup titles in 2008 and 2010, is the first head coach in Trenton team history.
In Wheeling, Nate DiCasmirro makes his head coaching debut after spending eight seasons as an assistant coach in the United States Hockey League, American Hockey League and in Europe.
After serving as the team's assistant coach the last two season, Travis Clayton takes over as head coach in Wichita. During his playing career, Clayton spent 11 of his 14 seasons with the Thunder.
Approaching milestones
Wheeling's Justin Taylor, who last season set the ECHL record for career games played, enters 2026-27 with 935 career league games on his resume. He is 65 games shy of becoming the first player in ECHL history to reach the 1,000-games played plateau. Taylor ranks eighth all-time with 310 goals, and with 16 goals, would move into third place all-time. With 610 points, he enters the season seventh in ECHL history, and with 25 points he would move into the top five.
Wichita's Anthony Collins is 37 games shy of becoming the seventh player in ECHL history to reach the 700-games played mark.
Florida goaltender Cam Johnson enters the 2026-27 season with 20 career shutouts, which is tied for third all-time, and just five behind the career record which is shared by Jeff Jakaitis and Marc Magliarditi. Johnson's 154 career wins are eighth in ECHL history, and with 20 wins, he would move into sixth place.
On the coaching front, Florida's Brad Ralph, who is the league's all-time leader with 121 career postseason wins, enters the season third all-time with 584 regular-season wins, and needs 32 wins to move into second place.
Allen's Steve Martinson is two games away from becoming the fifth coach in league history to reach the 1,000 games mark and enters the season fourth with 561 victories.
Tulsa's Rob Murray enters the season third all-time with 1,070 games coached and fifth with 520 wins.
Division Capsules
North Division
ADIRONDACK THUNDER
Location: Glens Falls, New York
Arena (Capacity): Harding Mazzotti Arena (4,850)
Coach: Sylvain Cloutier, 2nd Season (37-24-11)
2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs: Lost North Division Semifinals to Maine (4 games to 3)
NHL Affiliate: New Jersey Devils
AHL Affiliate: Utica Comets
2025-26 in review
Record: 37-24-11, 85 points
Division Finish: 3rd, North
Overall ECHL Finish: 11th
Goals Per Game (Rank): 2.96 (16th)
Goals-Against Average (Rank): 3.00 (15th)
Power Play (Rank): 19.0% (T11th)
Penalty Killing (Rank): 79.8% (T18th)
GREENSBORO GARGOYLES
Location: Greensboro, North Carolina
Arena (Capacity): First Horizon Coliseum (22,000)
Coach: Mitch Giguere, 1st Season
2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs: Did Not Qualify
NHL Affiliate: Carolina Hurricanes
AHL Affiliate: Chicago Wolves
2025-26 in review
Record: 19-46-7, 45 points
Division Finish: 8th, North
Overall ECHL Finish: 30th
Goals Per Game (Rank): 2.56 (29th)
Goals-Against Average (Rank): 3.83 (30th)
Power Play (Rank): 15.3% (27th)
Penalty Killing (Rank): 75.7% (29th)
MAINE MARINERS
Location: Portland, Maine
Arena (Capacity): Cross Insurance Arena (5,327)
Coach: Rick Kowalsky, 2nd Season with Maine, 6th Season in ECHL (180-143-37)
2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs: Lost North Division Finals to Wheeling (4 games to 3)
NHL Affiliate: Boston Bruins
AHL Affiliate: Providence Bruins
2025-26 in review
Record: 42-21-9, 93 points
Division Finish: 2nd, North
Overall ECHL Finish: 8th
Goals Per Game (Rank): 3.10 (T12th)
Goals-Against Average (Rank): 2.46 (4th)
Power Play (Rank): 21.8% (5th)
Penalty Killing (Rank): 85.1% (5th)
NORFOLK ADMIRALS
Location: Norfolk, Virginia
Arena (Capacity): Norfolk Scope (8,100)
Coach: Jeff Carr, 5th Season (131-123-23)
2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs: Did Not Qualify
NHL Affiliate: Independent
AHL Affiliate: Independent
2025-26 in review
Record: 30-38-4, 64 points
Division Finish: 7th, North
Overall ECHL Finish: 24th
Goals Per Game (Rank): 2.93 (17th)
Goals-Against Per Game (Rank): 3.47 (24th)
Power Play (Rank): 19.0% (T11th)
Penalty Kill (Rank): 77.7% (T24th)
READING ROYALS
Location: Reading, Pennsylvania
Arena (Capacity): Santander Arena (6,576)
Coach: Anthony Peters, Second Season (36-26-10)
2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs: Lost North Division Semifinals to Wheeling (4 games to 1)
NHL Affiliate: Philadelphia Flyers
AHL Affiliate: Lehigh Valley Phantoms
2025-26 in review
Record: 36-26-10, 82 points
Division Finish: 4th, North
Overall ECHL Finish: 12th
Goals Per Game (Rank): 2.76 (T21st)
Goals-Against Average (Rank): 2.85 (11th)
Power Play (Rank): 16.5% (22nd)
Penalty Killing (Rank): 84.8% (6th)
TRENTON IRONHAWKS
Location: Trenton, New Jersey
Arena (Capacity): CURE Insurance Arena (7,000)
Coach: Chuck Weber, 1st Season with Trenton, 7th Season in ECHL (233-167-32)
2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs: Did Not Qualify
NHL Affiliate: New York Islanders
AHL Affiliate: Hamilton Hammers
2025-26 in review (as Utah Grizzlies)
Record: 30-32-10, 70 points
Division Finish: 5th, Mountain
Overall ECHL Finish: 21st
Goals Per Game (Rank): 3.29 (8th)
Goals-Against Average (Rank): 3.54 (T26th)
Power Play (Rank): 20.2% (9th)
Penalty Killing (Rank): 80.4% (16th)
TROIS-RIVIÉRES LIONS
Location: Trois-Rivières, Quebec
Arena (Capacity): Colisée Videotron (4,500)
Coach: Ron Choules, 4th Season (111-79-23)
2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs: Did Not Qualify
NHL Affiliate: Montreal Canadiens
AHL Affiliate: Laval Rocket
2025-26 in review
Record: 35-30-7, 77 points
Division Finish: 5th, North
Overall ECHL Finish: 17th
Goals Per Game (Rank): 2.88 (20th)
Goals-Against Average (Rank): 2.82 (9th)
Power Play (Rank): 17.7% (18th)
Penalty Killing (Rank): 83.3% (12th)
WORCESTER RAILERS
Location: Worcester, Massachusetts
Arena (Capacity): DCU Center (5,600)
Coach: Nick Tuzzolino, 3rd Season (60-46-13)
2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs: Did Not Qualify
NHL Affiliate: St. Louis Blues
AHL Affiliate: Springfield Thunderbirds
2025-26 in review
Record: 35-30-7, 77 points
Division Finish: 6th, North
Overall ECHL Finish: 18th
Goals Per Game (Rank): 2.72 (T23rd)
Goals-Against Average (Rank): 2.96 (14th)
Power Play (Rank): 15.4% (26th)
Penalty Killing (Rank): 77.6% (26th)
South Division
ATLANTA GLADIATORS
Location: Duluth, Georgia
Arena (Capacity): Gas South Arena (7,695)
Coach: Matt Ginn, 2nd Season (44-23-5)
2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs: Lost South Division Semifinals to South Carolina (4 games to 2)
NHL Affiliate: Nashville Predators
AHL Affiliate: Milwaukee Admirals
2025-26 in review
Record: 44-23-5, 93 points
Division Finish: 3rd, South
Overall ECHL Finish: 7th
Goals Per Game (Rank): 2.90 (T18th)
Goals-Against Per Game (Rank): 2.54 (5th)
Power Play (Rank): 17.9% (T16th)
Penalty Kill (Rank): 81.9% (14th)
FLORIDA EVERBLADES
Location: Estero, Florida
Arena (Capacity): Hertz Arena (7,094)
Coach: Brad Ralph, 11th Season with Florida, 14th Season in ECHL (584-242-97)
2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs: Won Kelly Cup Finals over Kansas City (4 games to 2)
NHL Affiliate: Pittsburgh Penguins
AHL Affiliate: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
2025-26 in review
Record: 49-13-10, 108 points
Division Finish: 1st, South
Overall ECHL Finish: 2nd
Goals Per Game (Rank): 3.40 (7th)
Goals-Against Average (Rank): 1.97 (1st)
Power Play (Rank): 17.4% (19th)
Penalty Killing (Rank): 87.8% (2nd)
GREENVILLE SWAMP RABBITS
Location: Greenville, South Carolina
Arena (Capacity): Bon Secours Wellness Arena (5,917)
Coach: Chad Costello, 2nd Season with Greenville, 4th Season in ECHL (97-102-17)
2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs: Did Not Qualify
NHL Affiliate: Los Angeles Kings
AHL Affiliate: Ontario Reign
2025-26 in review
Record: 27-35-10, 64 points
Division Finish: 6th, South
Overall ECHL Finish: 25th
Goals Per Game (Rank): 2.65 (25th)
Goals-Against Average (Rank): 3.11 (18th)
Power Play (Rank): 15.1% (28th)
Penalty Killing (Rank): 84.3% (8th)
JACKSONVILLE ICEMEN
Location: Jacksonville, Florida
Arena (Capacity): VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena (8,785)
Coach: Sean Teakle, 3rd Season (42-38-16)
2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs: Did Not Qualify
NHL Affiliate: Minnesota Wild
AHL Affiliate: Iowa Wild
2025-26 in review
Record: 29-32-11, 69 points
Division Finish: 5th, South
Overall ECHL Finish: 22nd
Goals Per Game (Rank): 2.64 (26th)
Goals-Against Average (Rank): 3.31 (20th)
Power Play (Rank): 13.8% (30th)
Penalty Killing (Rank): 77.7% (T24th)
ORLANDO SOLAR BEARS
Location: Orlando, Florida
Arena (Capacity): Kia Center (9,049)
Coach: Matt Macdonald, 2nd Season with Orlando, 6th Season in ECHL (171-154-35)
2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs: Did Not Qualify
NHL Affiliate: Tampa Bay Lightning
AHL Affiliate: Syracuse Crunch
2025-26 in review
Record: 29-38-5, 63 points
Division Finish: 7th, South
Overall ECHL Finish: 26th
Goals Per Game (Rank): 2.58 (28th)
Goals-Against Average (Rank): 3.19 (19th)
Power Play (Rank): 19.2% (10th)
Penalty Killing (Rank): 79.8% (T18th)
SAVANNAH GHOST PIRATES
Location: Savannah, Georgia
Arena (Capacity): Enmarket Arena (7,485)
Coach: Jared Staal, 3rd Season (66-67-11)
2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs: Lost South Division Semifinals to Florida (4 games to 0)
NHL Affiliate: Florida Panthers
AHL Affiliate: Charlotte Checkers
2025-26 in review
Record: 35-33-4, 74 points
Division Finish: 4th, South
Overall ECHL Finish: 20th
Goals Per Game (Rank): 2.90 (T18th)
Goals-Against Average (Rank): 2.89 (12th)
Power Play (Rank): 16.1% (24th)
Penalty Killing (Rank): 85.6% (3rd)
SOUTH CAROLINA STINGRAYS
Location: North Charleston, South Carolina
Arena (Capacity): North Charleston Coliseum (7,250)
Coach: Jesse Kallechy, 1st Season with South Carolina, 4th Season in ECHL (121-69-26)
2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs: Lost South Division Finals to Florida (4 games to 1)
NHL Affiliate: Washington Capitals
AHL Affiliate: Hershey Bears
2025-26 in review
Record: 45-23-4, 94 points
Division Finish: 2nd, South
Overall ECHL Finish: 6th
Goals Per Game (Rank): 3.10 (T13th)
Goals-Against Average (Rank): 2.83 (10th)
Power Play (Rank): 18.6% (14th)
Penalty Killing (Rank): 85.4% (4th)
Central Division
BLOOMINGTON BISON
Location: Bloomington, Illinois
Arena (Capacity): Grossinger Motors Arena (6,133)
Coach: Phillip Barski, 3rd Season (68-65-11)
2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs: Lost Central Division Semifinals to Toledo (4 games to 2)
NHL Affiliate: Winnipeg Jets
AHL Affiliate: Manitoba Moose
2025-26 in review
Record: 37-30-5, 79 points
Division Finish: 3rd, Central
Overall ECHL Finish: 13th
Goals Per Game (Rank): 3.11 (11th)
Goals-Against Average (Rank): 3.04 (T16th)
Power Play (Rank): 17.9% (T16th)
Penalty Killing (Rank): 78.5% (22nd)
CINCINNATI CYCLONES
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Arena (Capacity): Heritage Bank Center (6,955)
Coach: Riley Weselowski, 2nd Season (35-32-5)
2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs: Did Not Qualify
NHL Affiliate: Toronto Maple Leafs
AHL Affiliate: Toronto Marlies
2025-26 in review
Record: 35-32-5, 75 points
Division Finish: 6th, Central
Overall ECHL Finish: 19th
Goals Per Game (Rank): 3.01 (15th)
Goals-Against Average (Rank): 3.44 (23rd)
Power Play (Rank): 20.7% (8th)
Penalty Killing (Rank): 74.4% (30th)
FORT WAYNE KOMETS
Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana
Arena (Capacity): Memorial Coliseum (10,495)
Coach: Ben Boudreau, 5th Season (134-96-27)
2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs: Lost Western Conference Finals to Kansas City (4 games to 2)
NHL Affiliate: Edmonton Oilers
AHL Affiliate: Bakersfield Condors
2025-26 in review
Record: 45-17-10, 100 points
Division Finish: 1st, Central
Overall ECHL Finish: 3rd
Goals Per Game (Rank): 3.47 (6th)
Goals-Against Average (Rank): 2.63 (6th)
Power Play (Rank): 24.7% (2nd)
Penalty Killing (Rank): 80.5% (15th)
INDY FUEL
Location: Fishers, Indiana
Arena (Capacity): Fishers Event Center (6,507)
Coach: Jesse Messier, 1st Season
2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs: Lost Central Division Semifinals to Fort Wayne (4 games to 1)
NHL Affiliate: Chicago Blackhawks
AHL Affiliate: Rockford IceHogs
2025-26 in review
Record: 34-27-11, 79 points
Division Finish: 4th, Central
Overall ECHL Finish: 14th
Goals Per Game (Rank): 2.53 (30th)
Goals-Against Average (Rank): 2.64 (7th)
Power Play (Rank): 13.9% (29th)
Penalty Killing (Rank): 80.1% (17th)
KALAMAZOO WINGS
Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan
Arena (Capacity): Wings Event Center (5,113)
Coach: Joel Martin, 5th Season (134-130-24)
2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs: Did Not Qualify
NHL Affiliate: Vancouver Canucks
AHL Affiliate: Abbotsford Canucks
2025-26 in review
Record: 36-30-6, 78 points
Division Finish: 5th, Central
Overall ECHL Finish: 15th
Goals Per Game (Rank): 3.17 (10th)
Goals-Against Average (Rank): 3.42 (22nd)
Power Play (Rank): 18.9% (13th)
Penalty Killing (Rank): 79.4% (21st)
TOLEDO WALLEYE
Location: Toledo, Ohio
Arena (Capacity): Huntington Center (7,431)
Coach: Pat Mikesch, 4th Season (135-48-32)
2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs: Lost Central Division Finals to Fort Wayne (4 games to 2)
NHL Affiliate: Detroit Red Wings
AHL Affiliate: Grand Rapids Griffins
2025-26 in review
Record: 43-17-12, 98 points
Division Finish: 2nd, Central
Overall ECHL Finish: 4th
Goals Per Game (Rank): 3.51 (4th)
Goals-Against Average (Rank): 2.75 (8th)
Power Play (Rank): 29.9% (1st)
Penalty Killing (Rank): 84.7% (7th)
WHEELING NAILERS
Location: Wheeling, West Virginia
Arena (Capacity): WesBanco Arena (4,700)
Coach: Nate DiCasmirro, 1st Season
2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs: Lost Eastern Conference Finals to Florida (4 games to 1)
NHL Affiliate: Columbus Blue Jackets
AHL Affiliate: Cleveland Monsters
2025-26 in review
Record: 46-20-6, 98points
Division Finish: 1st, North
Overall ECHL Finish: 5th
Goals Per Game (Rank): 3.21 (9th)
Goals-Against Average (Rank): 2.43 (3rd)
Power Play (Rank): 21.5% (7th)
Penalty Killing (Rank): 83.8% (T10th)
Mountain Division
ALLEN AMERICANS
Location: Allen, Texas
Arena (Capacity): Credit Union of Texas Event Center (6,200)
Coach: Steve Martinson, 12th Season with Allen, 15th Season in ECHL (561-328-109)
2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs: Lost Mountain Division Finals to Kansas City (4 games to 0)
NHL Affiliate: Ottawa Senators
AHL Affiliate: Belleville Senators
2025-26 in review
Record: 43-23-6, 92 points
Division Finish: 2nd, Mountain
Overall ECHL Finish: 9th
Goals Per Game (Rank): 3.72 (1st)
Goals-Against Average (Rank): 2.90 (13th)
Power Play (Rank): 21.7% (6th)
Penalty Killing (Rank): 84.1% (9th)
IDAHO STEELHEADS
Location: Boise, Idaho
Arena (Capacity): Idaho Central Arena (5,006)
Coach: Everett Sheen, 7th Season (257-130-34)
2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs: Lost Mountain Division Semifinals to Allen (4 games to 1)
NHL Affiliate: Dallas Stars
AHL Affiliate: Texas Stars
2025-26 in review
Record: 42-23-7, 91 points
Division Finish: 2nd, Mountain
Overall ECHL Finish: 10th
Goals Per Game (Rank): 3.49 (5th)
Goals-Against Average (Rank): 3.04 (T16th)
Power Play (Rank): 18.5% (15th)
Penalty Killing (Rank): 79.4% (T20th)
KANSAS CITY MAVERICKS
Location: Independence, Missouri
Arena (Capacity): Cable Dahmer Arena (5,700)
Coach: Tad O'Had, 7th Season (255-136-41)
2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs: Lost Kelly Cup Finals to Florida (4 games to 2)
NHL Affiliate: Seattle Kraken
AHL Affiliate: Coachella Valley Firebirds
2025-26 in review
Record: 55-12-5, 115 points
Division Finish: 1st, Mountain
Overall ECHL Finish: 1st
Goals Per Game (Rank): 3.54 (3rd)
Goals-Against Average (Rank): 2.21 (2nd)
Power Play (Rank): 23.0% (3rd)
Penalty Killing (Rank): 88.4% (1st)
NEW MEXICO GOATHEADS
Location: Rio Rancho, New Mexico
Arena (Capacity): Rio Rancho Events Center (6,500)
Coach: Zack Stortini, 1st Season
NHL Affiliate: Colorado Avalanche
AHL Affiliate: Colorado Eagles
RAPID CITY RUSH
Location: Rapid City, South Dakota
Arena (Capacity): The Monument (5,119)
Coach: David Smith, Second Season (29-36-7)
2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs: Did Not Qualify
NHL Affiliate: Calgary Flames
AHL Affiliate: Calgary Wranglers
2025-26 in review
Record: 29-36-7, 65 points
Division Finish: 6th, Mountain
Overall ECHL Finish: 23rd
Goals Per Game (Rank): 3.10 (T12th)
Goals-Against Average (Rank): 3.63 (29th)
Power Play (Rank): 16.7% (21st)
Penalty Killing (Rank): 76.4% (28th)
TAHOE KNIGHT MONSTERS
Location: Stateline, Nevada
Arena (Capacity): Tahoe Blue Center (4,200)
Coach: Connor Jones, 1st Season
2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs: Lost Mountain Division Semifinals to Kansas City (4 games to 0)
NHL Affiliate: Vegas Golden Knights
AHL Affiliate: Henderson Silver Knights
2025-26 in review
Record: 35-30-7, 77 points
Division Finish: 4th, Mountain
Overall ECHL Finish: 16th
Goals Per Game (Rank): 3.57 (2nd)
Goals-Against Average (Rank): 3.61 (28th)
Power Play (Rank): 22.0% (4th)
Penalty Killing (Rank): 78.1% (23rd)
TULSA OILERS
Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Arena (Capacity): BOK Center (7,700)
Coach: Rob Murray, 10th Season with Tulsa, 16th Season in ECHL (520-423-127)
2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs: Did Not Qualify
NHL Affiliate: Anaheim Ducks
AHL Affiliate: San Diego Gulls
2025-26 in review
Record: 29-38-5, 63 points
Division Finish: 7th, Mountain
Overall ECHL Finish: 27th
Goals Per Game (Rank): 2.72 (T23rd)
Goals-Against Average (Rank): 3.54 (T26th)
Power Play (Rank): 15.9% (25th)
Penalty Killing (Rank): 76.6% (27th)
WICHITA THUNDER
Location: Wichita, Kansas
Arena (Capacity): INTRUST Bank Arena (13,400)
Coach: Travis Clayton
2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs: Did Not Qualify
NHL Affiliate: San Jose Sharks
AHL Affiliate: San Jose Barracuda
2025-26 in review
Record: 25-35-12, 62 points
Division Finish: 8th, Mountain
Overall ECHL Finish: 28th
Goals Per Game (Rank): 2.76 (T21st)
Goals-Against Average (Rank): 3.35 (21st)
Power Play (Rank): 17.0% (20th)
Penalty Killing (Rank): 83.8% (T10th)
ECHL Stories from October 12, 2026
- Jacksonville Acquires Forward Tyler Schleppe in Trade with Kalamazoo - Jacksonville Icemen
- Forward Ryan Beck Claimed off Waivers from Trenton Ironhawks - Worcester Railers HC
- San Jose Loans Defenseman Oliphant to Thunder - Wichita Thunder
- ECHL Transactions - October 12 - ECHL
- Lions Trade Forward Robert Orr - Trois-Rivieres Lions
- Everblades Acquire Forward Robert Orr from Lions - Florida Everblades
- Netminder Garin Bjorklund Loaned to Stingrays - South Carolina Stingrays
- Icemen Weekly Preview: Icemen Prepare for Opening Weekend - Jacksonville Icemen
- Michael Mastrodomenico Assigned to Swamp Rabbits - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- ECHL Season Opens on Friday - ECHL
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