When it comes to making NHL rosters, the ECHL has held its own in terms of numbers since Johnstown Chiefs goaltender Scott Gordon became the first when he suited up for the Quebec Nordiques in 1990.
As the 2024-25 season gets underway, the ECHL is once again well-represented, with 71 players making NHL opening-day rosters. It marks the 23rd season in a row with more than 50.
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All told, there have been 752 players who have played in the NHL after spending time in the ECHL including 12 who made their debuts last season. The ECHL has had 560 players reach the NHL since 2002-03, when it changed its focus to become the primary developmental league for the NHL and the AHL.
The ECHL has a player or coach on each of the 32 teams and is affiliated with 29 of the 32. It’s the 28th consecutive season the league has had affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL.
Coming into this season, there are 55 coaches with an ECHL background working behind the benches of NHL clubs including Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar, Detroit Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde, New York Rangers coach Peter Laviolette, the San Jose Sharks’ Ryan Warsofsky, Vegas Golden Knights bench boss Bruce Cassidy and the Washington Capitals’ Spencer Carbery. All were previously head coaches in the ECHL.
In addition, Nashville Predators head coach Andrew Brunette and Seattle Kraken head coach Dan Bylsma are former ECHL players. It is the 14th consecutive season that there have been 30 or more coaches with an ECHL background working in the NHL.
In the 2022-23 season, Cassidy became the third former ECHL head coach to lead his team to a Stanley Cup title, joining Laviolette (Carolina, 2006) and Bednar (Colorado, 2022). In 2021-22, Bednar became the first coach to lead teams to championships in the ECHL (South Carolina, 2009), AHL (Lake Erie, 2016) and NHL (Colorado, 2022).
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For the 24th straight year, the Stanley Cup champion had ECHL representation on its roster or staff. The Florida Panthers, who hoisted the Cup last season, carried 15 such individuals including assistant coach Jamie Kompon, goaltending coach Robb Tallas and players Ryan Lomberg, Steven Lorentz, Anthony Stolarz and Carter Verhaeghe. There were 37 former players and 19 coaches on the 16 teams competing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2024, marking the 19th year in a row that there have been at least 30 former ECHL players who have competed in the NHL post-season.
As the ECHL continues to shift its rules and style of play to emulate both the NHL and AHL, look for these numbers to continue rising in the years ahead.
