The 2026–27 ECHL season will be the 39th season of the ECHL. The regular season begins on October 16, 2026, and is scheduled to end on April 11, 2027, with the 2027 Kelly Cup playoffs starting shortly after the regular season ends. Thirty teams affiliated with an NHL team in 22 states and one Canadian province are scheduled to play 72 regular season games.
Membership changes In May 2025, the ECHL announced it would award an expansion franchise to the city of Rio Rancho, New Mexico, marking the return of professional hockey to the state. The team would be named the New Mexico Goatheads. The name Goatheads, which is a thorny seed shaped like the head of a goat, was selected in a fan contest to name the team. The team will be based out of the Rio Rancho Events Center.
On March 9, 2026, the ECHL Board of Governors approved the voluntary suspension of operations for the Iowa Heartlanders.
The Utah Grizzlies were sold and relocated to the CURE Insurance Arena in Trenton, New Jersey and were renamed the Trenton Ironhawks after the Utah Mammoth of the NHL, which had begun play in the area prior to the 2024-25 season. The league announced the change on July 23, 2025. The team's nickname, the Ironhawks, was announced on January 13, 2026.
The Augusta Lynx will be added to the league for the 2027-28 season. The team was originally announced on August 20, 2025, but it is not going to start play until 2027-28 due to the construction of the New Augusta Arena, which is replacing the demolished James Brown Arena, which is not due to be completed until spring 2027 and is located on the site of the former arena.
Affiliation changes
ECHL team New affiliates Former affiliatesBloomington BisonWinnipeg Jets (NHL) Manitoba Moose (AHL)New York Rangers (NHL) Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL)Florida EverbladesPittsburgh Penguins (NHL) Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL)St. Louis Blues (NHL) Springfield Thunderbirds (AHL)Iowa HeartlandersInactiveMinnesota Wild (NHL) Iowa Wild (AHL)Jacksonville IcemenMinnesota Wild (NHL) Iowa Wild (AHL)Buffalo Sabres (NHL) Rochester Americans (AHL)New Mexico GoatheadsColorado Avalanche (NHL) Colorado Eagles (AHL)Expansion TeamNorfolk AdmiralsIndependentWinnipeg Jets (NHL) Manitoba Moose (AHL)Trenton IronhawksNew York Islanders (NHL) Hamilton Hammers (AHL)Colorado Avalanche (NHL) Colorado Eagles (AHL)Wheeling NailersColumbus Blue Jackets (NHL) Cleveland Monsters (AHL)Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL) Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL)Worcester RailersSt. Louis Blues (NHL) Springfield Thunderbirds (AHL)New York Islanders (NHL) Bridgeport Islanders (AHL)
Teams Alignment, affiliations, and locations for the 2026–27 season. Conference Division Team City Arena Capacity Founded Joined Current city since Head coach NHL affiliate AHL affiliateEasternNorthAdirondack Thunder Glens Falls, New York Harding Mazzotti Arena 4,7941990*2015 Sylvain Cloutier New Jersey Devils Utica CometsGreensboro GargoylesGreensboro, North CarolinaFirst Horizon Coliseum 22,00020242025Mitch GiguèreCarolina HurricanesChicago WolvesMaine Mariners Portland, Maine Cross Insurance Arena 6,2061989*20032018 Rick Kowalsky Boston Bruins Providence BruinsNorfolk Admirals Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk Scope 8,7011995*20032015 Jeff CarrIndependentReading Royals Reading, Pennsylvania Santander Arena 6,5001991*2001 Anthony Peters Philadelphia Flyers Lehigh Valley PhantomsTrenton IronhawksTrenton, New JerseyCURE Insurance Arena 7,6051981*19882026 Chuck Weber New York IslandersHamilton HammersTrois-Rivières Lions Trois-Rivières, Quebec Colisée Vidéotron 4,3902021 Ron Choules Montreal Canadiens Laval RocketWorcester Railers Worcester, Massachusetts DCU Center 12,1352017 Nick Tuzzolino St. Louis Blues Springfield ThunderbirdsSouthAtlanta Gladiators Duluth, Georgia Gas South Arena 11,3551995*2015 Matt Ginn Nashville Predators Milwaukee AdmiralsFlorida Everblades Estero, Florida Hertz Arena 7,0841998 Brad Ralph Pittsburgh Penguins Wilkes-Barre/Scranton PenguinsGreenville Swamp Rabbits Greenville, South Carolina Bon Secours Wellness Arena 13,9511987*19882010 Chad Costello Los Angeles Kings Ontario ReignJacksonville Icemen Jacksonville, Florida VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena 13,1411992*20122017 Sean Teakle Minnesota Wild Iowa WildOrlando Solar Bears Orlando, Florida Kia Center 17,3532012 Matt Macdonald Tampa Bay Lightning Syracuse CrunchSavannah Ghost Pirates Savannah, Georgia Enmarket Arena 7,4852022 Jared Staal Florida Panthers Charlotte CheckersSouth Carolina Stingrays North Charleston, South Carolina North Charleston Coliseum 10,5371993 Jesse Kallechy Washington Capitals Hershey BearsWesternCentralBloomington Bison Bloomington, IllinoisGrossinger Motors Arena 7,0002024Phillip BarskiWinnipeg JetsManitoba MooseCincinnati Cyclones Cincinnati, Ohio Heritage Bank Center 14,4531995*2001 Riley Weselowski Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto MarliesFort Wayne Komets Fort Wayne, Indiana Allen County War Memorial Coliseum 10,4801985*2012 Ben Boudreau Edmonton Oilers Bakersfield CondorsIndy Fuel Fishers, Indiana Fishers Event Center 7,5002014 Duncan Dalmao Chicago Blackhawks Rockford IceHogsKalamazoo Wings Kalamazoo, Michigan Wings Event Center 5,1131999*2009 Joel Martin Vancouver Canucks Abbotsford CanucksToledo Walleye Toledo, Ohio Huntington Center 7,3891991 Pat Mikesch Detroit Red Wings Grand Rapids GriffinsWheeling Nailers Wheeling, West Virginia WesBanco Arena 5,4061981*19881992 Nate DiCasmirro Columbus Blue Jackets Cleveland MonstersMountainAllen Americans Allen, Texas Credit Union of Texas Event Center 6,27520092014 Steve Martinson Ottawa Senators Belleville SenatorsIdaho Steelheads Boise, Idaho Idaho Central Arena 5,00219972003 Everett Sheen Dallas Stars Texas StarsKansas City Mavericks Independence, Missouri Cable Dahmer Arena 5,80020092014 Tad O'Had Seattle Kraken Coachella Valley FirebirdsRapid City Rush Rapid City, South Dakota The Monument 7,50020082014 Dave Smith Calgary Flames Calgary WranglersNew Mexico GoatheadsRio Rancho, New MexicoRio Rancho Events Center 6,00020252026 Zack StortiniColorado AvalancheColorado EaglesTahoe Knight Monsters Stateline, Nevada Tahoe Blue Event Center 4,2002024 Connor Jones Vegas Golden Knights Henderson Silver KnightsTulsa Oilers Tulsa, Oklahoma BOK Center 17,09619922014 Rob Murray Anaheim Ducks San Diego GullsWichita Thunder Wichita, Kansas Intrust Bank Arena 13,45019922014 Bruce Ramsay San Jose Sharks San Jose Barracuda
Future teams +Announced Future ECHL teams Team City Arena Capacity Founded Joining Head coach NHL affiliate AHL affiliateAugusta LynxAugusta, GeorgiaNew Augusta Arena 8,72020252027TBDTBDTBD
Inactive teams +Announced Future ECHL teams Team City Arena Capacity Founded Joined Last played Head coach NHL affiliate AHL affiliateIowa HeartlandersCoralville, IowaXtream Arena 4,878202120212025-26N/AN/AN/A Standings To be added upon completion of the regular season.
2027 Kelly Cup playoffs
The top four teams in each division at the end of the regular season advance to the 2027 Kelly Cup playoffs and are seeded 1 through 4 based on their end-of-season division ranking. Each round is a best-of-seven series with the winner advancing to the next round. The first two rounds are played between teams in the same division, with the first seed facing the fourth seed and the second seed facing the third seed. The winners of each division then play off to determine the conference winners.
See also List of ECHL seasons
References
External links
ECHL website