| 2014–15 ECHL season | |
| League: | ECHL |
| Sport: | Ice hockey |
| Duration: | October 17, 2014 – April 11, 2015 |
| Season: | Regular season |
| Season Champ Name: | Brabham Cup |
| Season Champs: | Toledo Walleye |
| Mvp: | Jeff Jakaitis (South Carolina) |
| Mvp Link: | CCM Most Valuable Player |
| Top Scorer: | Chad Costello (Allen) |
| Top Scorer Link: | ECHL Leading Scorer Award |
| Playoffs: | Playoffs |
| Playoffs Link: | 2015 Kelly Cup playoffs |
| Conf1: | Eastern |
| Conf1 Champ: | South Carolina Stingrays |
| Conf1 Runner-Up: | Toledo Walleye |
| Conf2: | Western |
| Conf2 Champ: | Allen Americans |
| Conf2 Runner-Up: | Ontario Reign |
| Finals: | Kelly Cup |
| Finals Link: | 2015 Kelly Cup playoffs#Kelly Cup Finals |
| Finals Champ: | Allen Americans |
| Finals Runner-Up: | South Carolina Stingrays |
| Playoffs Mvp: | Greger Hanson |
| Nextseason Year: | 2015–16 |
| Prevseason Year: | 2013–14 |
| Seasonslistnames: | ECHL |
The 2014 - 15 ECHL season was the 27th season of the ECHL. The regular season schedule ran from October 17, 2014, to April 11, 2015,[1] with the Kelly Cup playoffs following. Twenty-eight teams in 20 states and one Canadian province each played a 72-game schedule. Ten days prior to the start of the season, the league was significantly expanded on October 7, 2014, after the ECHL had accepted the Central Hockey League's remaining seven teams as members for the 2014–15 season.[2]
The annual ECHL Board of Governors meeting was held at the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, in June 2014. Conferences were significantly re-aligned in light of recent team changes. In the Eastern Conference, the three-team Atlantic Division was eliminated while the Mountain Division in the Western Conference was eliminated to make way for a new Midwest Division. The Evansville IceMen, Fort Wayne Komets and Kalamazoo Wings were moved to the Western Conference to compete in the Midwest Division with the Colorado Eagles and expansion Indy Fuel.[6] This was significantly revised after the CHL merger in October 2014, with the newly created Midwest Division eliminated in favor of a Central Division consisting of the former CHL teams. Along with Indy, Evansville, Fort Wayne and Kalamazoo were moved back to the Eastern Conference.
The ECHL Board of Governors also re-elected Gwinnett Gladiators president Steve Chapman as chairman and approved changes to the icing rule similar to those previously implemented by the National Hockey League.
The annual ECHL All-Star Classic was held on January 21, 2015, at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. The format for the 2015 All-star Game featured the Orlando Solar Bears taking on the ECHL All-stars.[7] The ECHL All-stars won the game with a score of 8-4 and the game had the largest ECHL all-star game attendance since 2000.[8]
At the end of the regular season the top four teams in each division qualified for the 2015 Kelly Cup Playoffs. The first two playoff rounds were played entirely within the divisions, with the divisional playoff champions facing each other in the conference championships. The Kelly Cup final pitted the Eastern Conference champion against the Western Conference champion. All four rounds were a best-of-seven format.
Due to accepting the Central Hockey League's remaining seven teams as members, the league's conference alignment changed on October 9, 2014, moving the Colorado Eagles to the Pacific Division and moving the seven former CHL squads into the Western Conference as the Central Division. The Midwest Division dissolved, with its remaining teams joining the North Division. To make room for the four Midwest teams, the Reading Royals and Elmira Jackals left the North Division for the South, which was then renamed the East Division.Final Regular Season Standings[9]
| North Division | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| z – Toledo Walleye (DET) | 72 | 50 | 15 | 5 | 2 | 281 | 182 | 107 | |
| x – Fort Wayne Komets (COL) | 72 | 48 | 18 | 2 | 4 | 251 | 200 | 102 | |
| x – Kalamazoo Wings (CBJ/VAN) | 72 | 36 | 30 | 3 | 3 | 226 | 233 | 78 | |
| x – Wheeling Nailers (MTL/PIT) | 72 | 37 | 33 | 1 | 1 | 210 | 213 | 76 | |
| Cincinnati Cyclones (FLA/NSH) | 72 | 31 | 30 | 2 | 9 | 195 | 212 | 73 | |
| Indy Fuel (CHI) | 72 | 31 | 30 | 4 | 7 | 197 | 221 | 73 | |
| Evansville IceMen (OTT) | 72 | 15 | 48 | 6 | 3 | 169 | 271 | 39 |
| East Division | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| y – Florida Everblades (CAR/TB) | 72 | 49 | 16 | 2 | 5 | 267 | 208 | 105 | |
| x – South Carolina Stingrays (BOS/WSH) | 72 | 45 | 20 | 1 | 6 | 224 | 163 | 97 | |
| x – Reading Royals (PHI) | 72 | 45 | 21 | 4 | 2 | 259 | 210 | 96 | |
| x – Orlando Solar Bears (TOR) | 72 | 37 | 25 | 6 | 4 | 236 | 215 | 84 | |
| Greenville Road Warriors (NYR) | 72 | 39 | 29 | 1 | 3 | 216 | 215 | 82 | |
| Elmira Jackals (BUF) | 72 | 32 | 33 | 0 | 7 | 186 | 217 | 71 | |
| Gwinnett Gladiators (ARZ) | 72 | 20 | 45 | 3 | 4 | 174 | 263 | 47 |
| Central Division | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| y – Allen Americans (SJ) | 72 | 48 | 14 | 6 | 4 | 292 | 203 | 106 | |
| x – Rapid City Rush | 72 | 37 | 28 | 2 | 5 | 218 | 206 | 81 | |
| x – Quad City Mallards (MIN) | 72 | 37 | 28 | 4 | 3 | 205 | 186 | 81 | |
| x – Tulsa Oilers | 72 | 37 | 29 | 3 | 3 | 248 | 244 | 80 | |
| Wichita Thunder | 72 | 32 | 31 | 2 | 7 | 213 | 240 | 73 | |
| Missouri Mavericks (AHL-CHI) | 72 | 28 | 35 | 5 | 4 | 192 | 231 | 65 | |
| Brampton Beast | 72 | 23 | 46 | 3 | 0 | 181 | 298 | 49 |
| Pacific Division | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| y – Idaho Steelheads (DAL) | 72 | 48 | 18 | 2 | 4 | 258 | 187 | 102 | |
| x – Ontario Reign (LA/WPG) | 72 | 43 | 19 | 4 | 6 | 239 | 184 | 96 | |
| x – Colorado Eagles (CGY) | 72 | 41 | 23 | 4 | 4 | 236 | 209 | 90 | |
| x – Utah Grizzlies (ANA) | 72 | 37 | 27 | 5 | 3 | 213 | 219 | 82 | |
| Alaska Aces (MIN/STL) | 72 | 35 | 30 | 3 | 4 | 237 | 233 | 77 | |
| Bakersfield Condors (EDM) | 72 | 26 | 38 | 3 | 5 | 202 | 265 | 60 | |
| Stockton Thunder (NYI) | 72 | 21 | 49 | 1 | 1 | 199 | 296 | 44 |
See main article: 2015 Kelly Cup playoffs.
See also: ECHL awards.
| Award | Winner | |
|---|---|---|
| Patrick Kelly Cup | Allen Americans | |
| Henry Brabham Cup | Toledo Walleye | |
| Gingher Memorial Trophy: | South Carolina Stingrays | |
| Bruce Taylor Trophy: | Allen Americans | |
| John Brophy Award | Derek Lalonde, Toledo Walleye | |
| CCM Most Valuable Player | Jeff Jakaitis, South Carolina Stingrays | |
| Kelly Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player: | Greger Hanson, Allen Americans | |
| Warrior Hockey Goaltender of the Year | Jeff Jakaitis, South Carolina Stingrays | |
| CCM Rookie of the Year: | Tyler Barnes, Toledo Walleye | |
| CCM Defenseman of the Year: | Mike Little, Florida Everblades | |
| Leading Scorer | Chad Costello, Allen Americans | |
| AMI Graphics Plus Performer Award: | Drew Daniels, Fort Wayne Komets Mike Little, Florida Everblades | |
| Sportsmanship Award: | Chad Costello, Allen Americans | |
| Community Service Award: | Cal Wild, Brampton Beast | |
| Birmingham Memorial Award: | Scott Senger |
All-First Team[10]
All-Second Team[11]
All-Rookie Team[12]