From an ECHL press release:
ECHL announces Conference and Divisional alignment for 2015-16 Season
PRINCETON, N.J. – The ECHL announced on Tuesday the Divisional alignment for the 2015-16 season, as well as the format for the 2016 Kelly Cup Playoffs, following the announcement last week of the League Membership.
As approved by the Board of Governors, the Conference and Divisional alignment for the 2015-16 Season will be as follows:
Eastern Conference
North Division
Brampton Beast, Kalamazoo Wings, Toledo Walleye, Wheeling Nailers
East Division
Adirondack, Elmira Jackals, Manchester, Norfolk, Reading Royals
South Division
Florida Everblades, Greenville Road Warriors, Gwinnett Gladiators, Orlando Solar Bears, South Carolina Stingrays
Western Conference
Midwest Division
Cincinnati Cyclones, Evansville IceMen, Fort Wayne Komets, Indy Fuel, Quad City Mallards
Central Division
Allen Americans, Missouri Mavericks, Tulsa Oilers, Wichita Thunder
West Division
Alaska Aces, Colorado Eagles, Idaho Steelheads, Rapid City Rush, Utah Grizzlies
The division winners will be seeded 1, 2 and 3 and the next five highest point totals in each conference will qualify for the 2016 Kelly Cup Playoffs. All series in the playoffs will be played in a best-of-seven format with the conference champions meeting in the Kelly Cup Finals to determine a national champion.
Comments
FW not even in the same conference as K-Zoo or Toledo. Wow.
Anne, there's bound to be some weirdness no matter what alignment was chosen, and I bet the Ks play both Kzo0 and Toledo more than they play Quad City.
RonFWA, I thought your post on 1-30-2015 3:38 pm was on the money. You were close. I liked 4 divisions with 7 teams as you projected. It looks like there is a slot for both OK City in the Central and Worcester in the East if those franchises( or any others)come to fruition.
As you can see, it looks like the ECHL set this up for eventually 30 teams @ 6 divisions with 5 each.
It appears to me that they did a pretty good job putting together the divisions. Nothing could be perfect so it seems as if some common sense was used.
They also left room for Oklahoma City and Worcester in the Central and maybe Worcester in the East (by then moving Reading from the East to the North).