| 2010–11 ECHL season | |
| League: | ECHL |
| Sport: | Ice hockey |
| Duration: | October 5, 2010 – April 2, 2011 |
| Attendance: | 2,967,752 (total) 4,339 (average) |
| Season: | Regular season |
| Season Champ Name: | Brabham Cup |
| Season Champs: | Alaska Aces |
| Mvp: | Wes Goldie |
| Top Scorer: | Justin Donati |
| Playoffs: | Playoffs |
| Playoffs Link: | 2011 Kelly Cup playoffs |
| Conf1: | Eastern |
| Conf1 Champ: | Kalamazoo Wings |
| Conf1 Runner-Up: | Wheeling Nailers |
| Conf2: | Western |
| Conf2 Champ: | Alaska Aces |
| Conf2 Runner-Up: | Victoria Salmon Kings |
| Finals: | Kelly Cup |
| Finals Link: | 2011 Kelly Cup playoffs#Kelly Cup Finals |
| Finals Champ: | Alaska Aces |
| Finals Runner-Up: | Kalamazoo Wings |
| Playoffs Mvp: | Scott Howes |
| Nextseason Year: | 2011–12 |
| Prevseason Year: | 2009–10 |
| Seasonslistnames: | ECHL |
The 2010–11 ECHL season was the 23rd season of the ECHL. The regular season schedule ran from October 15, 2010,[1] to April 2, 2011.[2] The Kelly Cup playoffs followed the regular season, with the first playoff game held on April 4, 2011,[3] and the final game (between the Alaska Aces and the Kalamazoo Wings) held on May 21, 2011. The league welcomed one new franchise, a relocation of the Johnstown Chiefs to Greenville, South Carolina, who played in the BI-LO Center. The ECHL held its annual All-Star Game and Skills Challenge on January 26 at Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield, California, home of the Bakersfield Condors.[4]
In February 2010, Charlotte Checkers owner Michael Kahn purchased the Albany River Rats of the American Hockey League from Capital District Sports and the team relocated to Charlotte for the 2010–11 season.[5] Rumors had surfaced that the franchise rights that were held by the Checkers would be transferred to an ownership group with plans of putting a team at the San Diego Sports Arena in San Diego, California,[6] but instead Charlotte returned its franchise to the ECHL.[7]
Also in February 2010, the Johnstown Chiefs, the only member from the original five teams to compete in the league's inaugural season to stay in its original city, announced that they would be relocating to Greenville, South Carolina, following the completion of the 2009–10 season.[8] On February 15, 2010, the Greenville Arena District Board announced that they had agreed to a five-year deal to bring the Chiefs to Greenville's BI-LO Center[9] and the ECHL Board of Governors approved the relocation of the Johnstown franchise to Greenville on February 17.[7]
The 2011 ECHL All-Star Game was played on January 26, 2011, and was hosted by the Bakersfield Condors at Rabobank Arena. The format featured the host team Condors taking on the ECHL All-Star team.[10] The All-Stars won 9–3.
Final league standings:
| Eastern Conference | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | GF | GA | PTS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| z-Greenville Road Warriors*|| 72 || 46 || 22 || 3 || 1 || 255 || 192 || 96|-|align=left|y-Reading Royals*| | 72 | 44 | 23 | 2 | 3 | 257 | 220 | 93 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| y-Kalamazoo Wings*|| 72 || 40 || 24 || 2 || 6 || 255 || 225 || 88|-|align=left|x-Wheeling Nailers || 72 || 38 || 29 || 0 || 5 || 230 || 210 || 81|-|align=left|x-South Carolina Stingrays || 72 || 37 || 29 || 3 || 3 || 194 || 204 || 80|-|align=left|x-Florida Everblades || 72 || 37 || 30 || 1 || 4 || 236 || 222 || 79|-|align=left|x-Cincinnati Cyclones || 72 || 33 || 29 || 6 || 4 || 199 || 229 || 76|-|align=left|x-Elmira Jackals || 72 || 32 || 30 || 7 || 3 || 249 || 264 || 74|-|- bgcolor="#cccccc"| || || || || || || || |||-|align=left |e-Toledo Walleye || 72 || 33 || 33 || 4 || 2 || 239 || 255 || 72|-|align=left|e-Gwinnett Gladiators || 72 || 30 || 34 || 3 || 5 || 203 || 250 || 68|-|align=left|e-Trenton Devils || 72 || 27 || 37 || 2 || 6 || 218 || 257 || 62|}x – clinched playoff spot, y – clinched division title, z – clinched best conference record, e – eliminated from playoff contention * – division leader
* – division leader Divisional standings
| 72 | 44 | 23 | 2 | 3 | 257 | 220 | 93 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| x-Elmira Jackals (ANA/OTT) | 72 | 32 | 30 | 7 | 3 | 249 | 264 | 74 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Trenton Devils (NJ) | 72 | 27 | 37 | 2 | 6 | 218 | 257 | 62 |