2011–12 ECHL season

2011–12 ECHL season
LeagueECHL
SportIce hockey
DurationOctober 4, 2011 – March 31, 2012
Total attendance3,082,764 (total)
4,282 (average)
Regular season
Brabham CupAlaska Aces
Season MVPChad Costello
Top scorerDustin Gazley
Playoffs
Eastern championsFlorida Everblades
  Eastern runners-upKalamazoo Wings
Western championsLas Vegas Wranglers
  Western runners-upAlaska Aces
Playoffs MVPJohn Muse
Kelly Cup
ChampionsFlorida Everblades
  Runners-upLas Vegas Wranglers
ECHL seasons

The 2011–12 ECHL season was the 24th season of the ECHL. The regular season schedule ran from October 4, 2011 to March 31, 2012 and was followed by the 2012 Kelly Cup playoffs beginning on April 2, 2012.

League business

Team changes

Following the loss of the Victoria Salmon Kings at the end of the 2010–11 season,[1] the league welcomed as its 19th and 20th teams, the Chicago Express, who played home games at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Illinois[2] and the Colorado Eagles, who moved to the ECHL from the Central Hockey League and played home games at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, Colorado. Chicago played in the North Division of the Eastern Conference and Colorado played in the Mountain Division of the Western Conference.

On July 6, 2011 the New Jersey Devils announced that the Trenton Devils were suspending operations immediately, citing a desire to restructure their player development system to more closely mirror those of other NHL franchises. New Jersey was the only NHL team to wholly own its ECHL affiliate. Trenton had failed to qualify for the playoffs for three out of the previous four seasons and had regularly posted league-low attendance numbers. Prior to folding, the team lost $1.5 million during the 2010–11 ECHL season.[3] Later on July 27, an announcement was made that a Trenton franchise would re-enter the ECHL for the 2011–12 season as the Trenton Titans, with a press conference officially announcing the team occurring on July 28.[4] The ECHL Board of Governors announced on July 28 that the Titans' membership application had been approved. The team took over the Trenton Devils' place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division and played according to the Devils' original schedule for the 2011–12 season.[5]

Annual Board of Governors meeting

The league's annual Board of Governors meeting concluded on August 1, 2011. Announcements included the re-election of Steve Chapman, president of the Gwinnett Gladiators as board president; adoption by the league of an attainable icing rule similar to that employed by the NHL and the league re-alignment for the 2011–12 season. The Colorado Eagles joined the Western Conference's Mountain Division, while in the Eastern Conference, the Wheeling Nailers moved to the Atlantic Division and the Chicago Express occupied the North Division spot left vacant by the Nailers.[6] The league also announced that no All-Star game would be conducted during the 2011–12 season.

2012 Kelly Cup Playoffs format

The format for the 2011 Kelly Cup Playoffs remained unchanged from the previous season.

In the Eastern Conference, postseason berths were awarded to the first-place team in each division and the next five teams in the conference, based on points. The division winners were seeded first, second and third and played the eighth-place finisher, the seventh-place finisher and the sixth-place finisher, respectively, while the fourth-place finisher and the fifth-place finisher met. The conference semifinals had the winner of the first-place and eighth-place matchup meet the winner of the fourth-place and fifth-place game while the winner of the second-place and seventh-place game faced the winner of the third-place and sixth-place matchup.

In the Western Conference, postseason berths were awarded to the first-place team in each division and the next five teams in the conference, based on points. The division winner with the best record in the conference received a bye in the first round. The other division winner was seeded second and met the team that finished seventh in the conference in the first round. The other first round matchups were the third-place finisher in the conference against the sixth-place finisher in the conference and the fourth-place finisher in the conference against the fifth-place finisher in the conference. The conference semifinals had the first-place finisher meet the winner of the fourth-place and fifth-place matchup and the winner of the second-place finisher and seventh-place finisher against the winner of the third-place finisher and the sixth-place finisher.

The first round in each Conference was a best of five series with each subsequent round being a best of seven series.

Regular season

Standings

By division

End of season standings
Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division
GP W L OTL SOL GF GA Pts
1 Elmira Jackals (ANA/OTT) 72 45 22 2 3 228 204 95
2 Wheeling Nailers (MTL/PIT) 72 37 26 4 5 219 202 83
3 Reading Royals (TOR) 72 36 28 4 4 229 235 80
4 Trenton Titans (PHI) 72 21 41 4 6 211 271 52
North Division
GP W L OTL SOL GF GA Pts
1 Kalamazoo Wings (independent) 72 38 26 2 6 264 237 84
2 Chicago Express (CBJ) 72 34 26 8 4 216 234 80
3 Cincinnati Cyclones (FLA/NAS) 72 35 28 2 7 228 227 79
4 Toledo Walleye (CHI/DET) 72 28 38 2 4 189 258 48
South Division
GP W L OTL SOL GF GA Pts
1 Gwinnett Gladiators (PHX) 72 41 20 7 4 214 200 93
2 Greenville Road Warriors (NYR) 72 41 25 2 4 232 215 88
3 Florida Everblades (Car/TB) 72 39 26 2 5 260 218 85
4 South Carolina Stingrays (Was) 72 37 28 4 3 191 180 81

Western Conference

Mountain Division
GP W L OTL SOL GF GA Pts
1 Alaska Aces (STL) 72 43 18 3 8 224 172 97
2 Colorado Eagles (independent) 72 38 28 1 5 250 252 82
3 Utah Grizzlies (CGY) 72 33 33 0 6 183 223 72
4 Idaho Steelheads (DAL) 72 31 32 2 7 194 236 71
Pacific Division
GP W L OTL SOL GF GA Pts
1 Ontario Reign (LA) 72 43 21 5 3 242 193 94
2 Las Vegas Wranglers (independent) 72 42 22 1 7 235 198 92
3 Stockton Thunder (EDM/SJ) 72 34 33 1 4 204 216 73
4 Bakersfield Condors (independent) 72 24 41 4 3 199 241 55

By conference

End of season standings

Eastern Conference
R Div GP W L OTL SOL GF GA Pts
1 z – Elmira Jackals * AT 72 45 22 2 3 228 204 95
2 y – Gwinnett Gladiators * SO 72 41 20 7 4 214 200 93
3 y – Kalamazoo Wings * NO 72 38 26 2 6 264 237 84
4 Greenville Road Warriors SO 72 41 25 2 4 232 215 88
5 Florida Everblades SO 72 39 26 2 5 260 218 85
6 Wheeling Nailers AT 72 37 26 4 5 219 202 83
7 South Carolina Stingrays SO 72 37 28 4 3 191 180 81
8 Reading Royals AT 72 36 28 4 4 229 235 80
8.5
9 Chicago Express NO 72 34 26 8 4 216 234 80
10 Cincinnati Cyclones NO 72 35 28 2 7 228 227 79
11 Toledo Walleye NO 72 28 38 2 4 189 258 62
12 Trenton Titans AT 72 21 41 4 6 211 271 52
Divisions: AT – Atlantic, NO – North, SO – South

* – Division leader; y – Won division; z – Won conference (and division)

Western Conference
R Div GP W L OTL SOL GF GA Pts
1 b – Alaska Aces * MT 72 43 18 3 8 224 172 97
2 y – Ontario Reign * PA 72 43 21 5 3 242 193 94
3 Las Vegas Wranglers PA 72 42 22 1 7 235 198 92
4 Colorado Eagles MT 72 38 28 1 5 250 252 82
5 Stockton Thunder PA 72 34 33 1 4 204 216 73
6 Utah Grizzlies MT 72 33 33 0 6 183 223 72
7 Idaho Steelheads MT 72 31 32 2 7 194 236 71
8.5
8 Bakersfield Condors PA 72 24 41 4 3 199 241 55
Divisions: MT – Mountain, PA – Pacific

* – Division leader; y – Won division; b – Won Brabham Cup, best record in the league and first round bye

2011–12 Kelly Cup Playoffs

Conference Quarterfinals Conference Semifinals Conference Finals Kelly Cup Finals
            
1 Elmira 3
8 Reading 2
1 Elmira 1
5 Florida 4
4 Greenville 0
5 Florida 3
5 Florida 4
Eastern
3 Kalamazoo 1
2 Gwinnett 2
7 South Carolina 3
7 South Carolina 1
3 Kalamazoo 4
3 Kalamazoo 3
6 Wheeling 1
E5 Florida 4
Note: Pairings are re-seeded after the first round.
W3 Las Vegas 1
1 Alaska 4
5 Stockton 0
4 Colorado 1
5 Stockton 3
1 Alaska 3
Western
3 Las Vegas 4
2 Ontario 2
7 Idaho 3
7 Idaho 1
3 Las Vegas 4
3 Las Vegas 3
6 Utah 0

Player statistics

Scoring leaders

The following were the top ten players in the league in points at the conclusion of the 2011–12 season.[7]

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

Player Team GP G A Pts PIM
Dustin Gazley Elmira Jackals 72 25 60 85 73
Adam Miller Las Vegas Wranglers 71 32 52 84 45
Justin Bowers Greenville Road Warriors 69 19 59 78 37
Chad Costello Colorado Eagles 47 29 47 76 26
Trent Daavettila Kalamazoo Wings 69 18 56 74 40
Yannick Tifu Reading Royals 69 23 47 70 65
Dan Kissel Alaska Aces 70 35 33 68 30
Mathieu Aubin Cincinnati Cyclones 62 30 38 68 59
Kevin Ulanski Colorado Eagles 56 27 41 68 60
Eric Lampe Las Vegas Wranglers 52 37 30 67 38

Leading goaltenders

The following were the top ten goaltenders in the league in goals against average at the conclusion of the 2011–12 season.[8]

GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime losses; SOL = Shootout losses; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average

Player Team GP Min W L OTL SOL GA SO SV% GAA
Gerald Coleman Alaska Aces 27 1644 18 5 1 3 53 3 .926 1.93
Jeff Jakaitis Gwinnett Gladiators 26 1538 17 6 1 1 52 5 .930 2.03
Philipp Grubauer South Carolina Stingrays 43 2536 23 13 4 1 94 1 .918 2.22
Adam Courchaine Alaska Aces 34 2022 19 10 2 3 80 3 .908 2.37
Joe Fallon Las Vegas Wranglers 47 2739 30 10 1 3 109 3 .912 2.39
Chris Carrozzi Ontario Reign 30 1669 17 7 2 2 67 3 .918 2.41
John Muse Florida Everblades 25 1489 16 6 1 2 60 1 .920 2.42
Olivier Roy Stockton Thunder 40 2388 16 18 1 4 99 4 .925 2.49
Peter Delmas Wheeling Nailers 37 2113 18 14 1 2 88 3 .909 2.50
Brian Stewart Elmira Jackals 40 2294 26 11 1 1 98 1 .917 2.56

ECHL awards

See also: ECHL awards
Patrick Kelly Cup: Florida Everblades
Henry Brabham Cup: Alaska Aces
Gingher Memorial Trophy: Florida Everblades
Bruce Taylor Trophy: Las Vegas Wranglers
John Brophy Award: Rob Murray (Alaska Aces)
John Wroblewski (Gwinnett Gladiators)
CCM U+ Most Valuable Player: Chad Costello (Colorado Eagles)
Kelly Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player: John Muse (Florida Everblades)
Reebok Hockey Goaltender of the Year: Jeff Jakaitis (Gwinnett Gladiators)
CCM Rookie of the Year: Dustin Gazley (Elmira Jackals)
Defenseman of the Year: Aaron Schneekloth (Colorado Eagles)
Leading Scorer: Dustin Gazley (Elmira Jackals)
Reebok Plus Performer Award: Mathieu Aubin (Cincinnati Cyclones)
Sportsmanship Award: Kevin Ulanski (Colorado Eagles)
Community Service Award: Jason Fredricks (Ontario Reign)
Birmingham Memorial Award: Jason Rollins[9]

All-ECHL Teams

ECHL All-Rookie Team

ECHL-All Rookie Team

Canada F Chris Barton (Wheeling)
United States F Dustin Gazley (Elmira)
Canada F Matthew Sisca (Cincinnati)
Canada D Andrew Hotham (Wheeling)
United States D Mike Little (Stockton)
Germany G Philipp Grubauer (South Carolina)

See also

References

  1. ^ Dheenshaw, Cleve (May 7, 2011). "RG opts to fold Salmon Kings franchise". Times Colonist. Retrieved May 19, 2011.[permanent dead link‍]
  2. ^ Press release (June 24, 2010). "Expansion membership approved for Chicago". ECHL. Archived from the original on July 23, 2011. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
  3. ^ Abdur-Rahman, Sulaiman (July 6, 2011). "ECHL's Trenton Devils suspend operations". The Trentonian. Retrieved July 7, 2011.
  4. ^ Rosenau, Joshua (July 27, 2011). "Trenton Titans minor league hockey team to be revived at Sun National Bank Center". The Times of Trenton. Retrieved July 28, 2011.
  5. ^ Press release (July 28, 2011). "ECHL Board of Governors approves membership for Trenton Titans". ECHL. Archived from the original on September 30, 2011. Retrieved July 28, 2011.
  6. ^ Press release (August 1, 2011). "Annual ECHL Board of Governors meeting concludes". ECHL. Archived from the original on August 24, 2011. Retrieved August 1, 2011.
  7. ^ "Top Scorers 2011–12 Regular Season – All Players". ECHL. Archived from the original on March 14, 2012.
  8. ^ "Top Goalies 2011–12 Regular Season – Goals Against Average". ECHL. Archived from the original on March 14, 2012.
  9. ^ "Rollins wins Birmingham Memorial Award". ECHL. Archived from the original on 12 May 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2012.