# 2018–19 ECHL season

The 2018–19 ECHL season was the 31st season of the ECHL. The regular season was scheduled to run from October 12, 2018, to April 7, 2019, with the Kelly Cup playoffs to follow. Twenty-seven teams in 20 states and two Canadian provinces each play a 72-game schedule. The Kelly Cup was won by the Newfoundland Growlers in their inaugural season over the Toledo Walleye.

## League business
### League changes

After serving as league commissioner for 16 seasons, Brian McKenna, stepped down from the position following the 2017–18 season. He was replaced by Ryan Crelin, who had most recently been serving as the ECHL's chief operating officer.

### Team changes

* The Colorado Eagles ownership left the ECHL, bought an expansion franchise and joined the American Hockey League as the affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche to bring the AHL up to 31 teams to match the size of the National Hockey League to continue the one-to-one NHL/AHL affiliations.
* The Maine Mariners in Portland, Maine, were added after purchasing the franchise from the folded Alaska Aces. The Mariners were the fifth team to replace a recently relocated American Hockey League (AHL) team, in this case the Portland Pirates, since 2015.
* The Newfoundland Growlers in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, were added, replacing the recently relocated St. John's IceCaps and becoming the sixth ECHL team to replace an AHL team since 2015.
* The Quad City Mallards ceased operations after the 2017–18 season. The Mallards were the first of the teams added in the 2014 merger with the Central Hockey League to cease operations.

### Conference realignment

As the new ECHL teams in Portland, Maine, and St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, were added to the North Division of the Eastern Conference, the Wheeling Nailers were moved to the Western Conference and Central Division. With the Colorado Eagles joining the American Hockey League, the Kansas City Mavericks moved back to the Mountain Division from the Central.

### Affiliation changes

| ECHL team | New affiliates | Former affiliates |
| Allen Americans | Minnesota Wild (NHL) Iowa Wild (AHL) | San Jose Sharks (NHL) San Jose Barracuda (AHL) |
| Brampton Beast | Ottawa Senators (NHL) Belleville Senators (AHL) | Montreal Canadiens (NHL) Laval Rocket (AHL) |
| Fort Wayne Komets | Vegas Golden Knights (NHL) Chicago Wolves (AHL) | Arizona Coyotes (NHL) Tucson Roadrunners (AHL) |
| Greenville Swamp Rabbits | Independent | New York Rangers (NHL) Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL) |
| Maine Mariners | New York Rangers (NHL) Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL) | Dormant |
| Newfoundland Growlers | Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL) Toronto Marlies (AHL) | Expansion team |
| Norfolk Admirals | Arizona Coyotes (NHL) Tucson Roadrunners (AHL) | Independent |
| Orlando Solar Bears | Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL) Syracuse Crunch (AHL) | Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL) Toronto Marlies (AHL) |
| Tulsa Oilers | San Antonio Rampage (AHL) | No AHL affiliate |
| Rapid City Rush | Independent | Minnesota Wild (NHL) Iowa Wild (AHL) |
| Utah Grizzlies | Colorado Avalanche (NHL) Colorado Eagles (AHL) | Anaheim Ducks (NHL) San Diego Gulls (AHL) |

### Annual Board of Governors meeting

The annual ECHL Board of Governors meeting was held at the New York-New York Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, from June 18 to 22, 2018.

### All-star game

The 2019 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic was held on January 21, 2019, at the Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio. The All-Star Classic retained the four team, 3-on-3 player tournament style used the previous season, but featured two teams made from the Toledo Walleye (named Team Hooks and Team Fins) and one team for each conference's All-Star players. In the round-robin, the Western Conference and Team Fins each went 2–1, while the Eastern Conference and Team Hooks went 1–2. In the semifinal round, the Eastern Conference defeated the Western Conference 4–3 and Team Fins defeated the Team Hooks 3–1. The Eastern Conference All-Star team then defeated Team Fins 2–1 following a shootout. The Brampton Beast's David Pacan was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.
The skills competition took place in between rounds of the tournament. The Toledo Walleye's Bryan Moore won the fastest skater event, the Walleye's A.J. Jenks won the hardest shot event, and the Brampton Beast's David Pacan won the accuracy shooting event.

## Standings

Final standings:

### Eastern Conference

| North Division | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | GF | GA | PTS |
| y – Newfoundland Growlers (TOR) | 72 | 43 | 21 | 4 | 4 | 258 | 207 | 94 |
| x – Adirondack Thunder (NJD) | 72 | 37 | 26 | 6 | 3 | 234 | 220 | 83 |
| x – Manchester Monarchs (LAK) | 72 | 39 | 29 | 2 | 2 | 233 | 232 | 82 |
| x – Brampton Beast (OTT) | 72 | 36 | 29 | 5 | 2 | 241 | 217 | 79 |
| Reading Royals (PHI) | 72 | 34 | 28 | 4 | 6 | 229 | 229 | 78 |
| Maine Mariners (NYR) | 72 | 37 | 32 | 2 | 1 | 221 | 247 | 77 |
| Worcester Railers (NYI) | 72 | 32 | 29 | 7 | 4 | 196 | 226 | 75 |
| South Division | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | GF | GA | PTS |
| y – Florida Everblades (CAR) | 72 | 50 | 16 | 5 | 1 | 276 | 181 | 106 |
| x – Orlando Solar Bears (TBL) | 72 | 41 | 25 | 5 | 1 | 251 | 238 | 88 |
| x – South Carolina Stingrays (WSH) | 72 | 35 | 31 | 5 | 1 | 221 | 223 | 76 |
| x – Jacksonville Icemen (WPG) | 72 | 36 | 32 | 2 | 2 | 198 | 217 | 76 |
| Atlanta Gladiators (BOS) | 72 | 31 | 30 | 8 | 3 | 197 | 211 | 73 |
| Norfolk Admirals (ARI) | 72 | 27 | 36 | 6 | 3 | 218 | 278 | 63 |
| Greenville Swamp Rabbits (Ind.) | 72 | 25 | 41 | 3 | 3 | 192 | 254 | 56 |

### Western Conference

| Central Division | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | GF | GA | PTS |
| z – Cincinnati Cyclones (BUF) | 72 | 51 | 13 | 5 | 3 | 282 | 176 | 110 |
| x – Toledo Walleye (DET) | 72 | 40 | 23 | 6 | 3 | 237 | 221 | 89 |
| x – Fort Wayne Komets (VGK) | 72 | 36 | 26 | 4 | 6 | 233 | 248 | 82 |
| x – Kalamazoo Wings (VAN) | 72 | 36 | 31 | 2 | 3 | 229 | 254 | 77 |
| Indy Fuel (CHI) | 72 | 35 | 32 | 2 | 3 | 230 | 247 | 75 |
| Wheeling Nailers (PIT) | 72 | 31 | 31 | 6 | 4 | 239 | 240 | 72 |
| Mountain Division | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | GF | GA | PTS |
| y – Tulsa Oilers (STL) | 72 | 42 | 24 | 4 | 2 | 236 | 198 | 90 |
| x – Idaho Steelheads (DAL) | 72 | 41 | 25 | 4 | 2 | 241 | 203 | 88 |
| x – Utah Grizzlies (COL) | 72 | 37 | 26 | 4 | 5 | 232 | 218 | 83 |
| x – Kansas City Mavericks (CGY) | 72 | 36 | 30 | 4 | 2 | 234 | 228 | 78 |
| Wichita Thunder (EDM) | 72 | 29 | 31 | 9 | 3 | 224 | 251 | 70 |
| Rapid City Rush (Ind.) | 72 | 30 | 33 | 5 | 4 | 168 | 225 | 69 |
| Allen Americans (MIN) | 72 | 25 | 41 | 4 | 2 | 208 | 269 | 56 |
x - clinched playoff spot, y - clinched regular season division title, z - Brabham Cup (regular season) champion

## Statistical leaders
### Scoring leaders

The following players are sorted by points, then goals.
GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Jesse Schultz | Cincinnati Cyclones | 71 | 22 | 58 | 80 | 20 |
| Adam Pleskach | Tulsa Oilers | 72 | 38 | 37 | 75 | 74 |
| Chris McCarthy | Reading Royals | 72 | 20 | 54 | 74 | 23 |
| Caleb Herbert | Utah Grizzlies | 60 | 32 | 39 | 71 | 88 |
| David Pacan | Brampton Beast | 72 | 28 | 41 | 70 | 42 |
| James Henry | Adirondack Thunder | 72 | 15 | 54 | 69 | 63 |
| Zach O'Brien | Newfoundland Growlers | 53 | 28 | 40 | 68 | 6 |
| Andrew Cherniwchan | South Carolina Stingrays | 72 | 29 | 38 | 67 | 129 |
| Zac Lynch | Wheeling Nailers | 67 | 17 | 50 | 67 | 100 |
| Myles Powell | Cincinnati Cyclones | 57 | 31 | 35 | 66 | 24 |

### Leading goaltenders

GP = Games played; TOI = Time on ice (in minutes); SA = Shots against; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average; SV% = Save percentage; W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime/shootout loss
| Player | Team | GP | TOI | SA | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | W | L | OTL |
| Matt Tomkins | Indy Fuel | 54 | 3221 | 1713 | 163 | 2 | 3.04 | .905 | 32 | 19 | 5 |
| Ty Reichenbach | Norfolk Admirals | 51 | 2974 | 1761 | 184 | 1 | 3.71 | .896 | 22 | 22 | 6 |
| Sean Bonar | Atlanta Gladiators | 48 | 2742 | 1358 | 110 | 4 | 2.41 | .919 | 25 | 17 | 6 |
| Jake Hildebrand | Kalamazoo Wings | 46 | 2447 | 1328 | 146 | 1 | 3.58 | .890 | 23 | 18 | 2 |
| Charles Williams | Manchester Monarchs | 45 | 2609 | 1465 | 118 | 3 | 2.71 | .919 | 28 | 14 | 3 |

## Postseason
### Playoffs format

At the end of the regular season, the top four teams in each division qualifies for the 2019 Kelly Cup playoffs and be seeded one through four based on highest point total earned in the season. Then the first two rounds of the playoffs are held within the division with the first seed facing the fourth seed and the second seed facing the third. The division champions then play each other in a conference championship. The Kelly Cup finals pits the Eastern Conference champion against the Western Conference champion. All four rounds are a best-of-seven format.

### Bracket

| Division Semifinals | Division Semifinals | Division Semifinals | | | Division Finals | Division Finals | Division Finals | Conference Finals | Conference Finals | Conference Finals | | Kelly Cup Finals | Kelly Cup Finals | Kelly Cup Finals |
| N1 | Newfoundland Growlers | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| N4 | Brampton Beast | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| N4 | Brampton Beast | 2 | | | N1 | Newfoundland Growlers | 4 | | | | | | | |
| North Division | North Division | North Division | | | N1 | Newfoundland Growlers | 4 | | | | | | | |
| North Division | North Division | North Division | | | N3 | Manchester Monarchs | 2 | | | | | | | |
| N2 | Adirondack Thunder | 1 | | | N3 | Manchester Monarchs | 2 | | | | | | | |
| N3 | Manchester Monarchs | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| N3 | Manchester Monarchs | 4 | | | | | | N1 | Newfoundland Growlers | 4 | | | | |
| Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | N1 | Newfoundland Growlers | 4 | | | | |
| Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | S1 | Florida Everblades | 1 | | | | |
| S1 | Florida Everblades | 4 | | | | | | | | | S1 | Florida Everblades | 1 | | | | |
| S4 | Jacksonville Icemen | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| S4 | Jacksonville Icemen | 2 | | | S1 | Florida Everblades | 4 | | | | | | | |
| South Division | South Division | South Division | | | S1 | Florida Everblades | 4 | | | | | | | |
| South Division | South Division | South Division | | | S2 | Orlando Solar Bears | 1 | | | | | | | |
| S2 | Orlando Solar Bears | 4 | | | S2 | Orlando Solar Bears | 1 | | | | | | | |
| S3 | South Carolina Stingrays | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| S3 | South Carolina Stingrays | 1 | | | | | | | | | | N1 | Newfoundland Growlers | 4 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | C2 | Toledo Walleye | 2 |
| C1 | Cincinnati Cyclones | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | C2 | Toledo Walleye | 2 |
| C4 | Kalamazoo Wings | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| C4 | Kalamazoo Wings | 2 | | | C1 | Cincinnati Cyclones | 1 | | | | | | | |
| Central Division | Central Division | Central Division | | | C1 | Cincinnati Cyclones | 1 | | | | | | | |
| Central Division | Central Division | Central Division | | | C2 | Toledo Walleye | 4 | | | | | | | |
| C2 | Toledo Walleye | 4 | | | C2 | Toledo Walleye | 4 | | | | | | | |
| C3 | Fort Wayne Komets | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| C3 | Fort Wayne Komets | 2 | | | | | | C2 | Toledo Walleye | 4 | | | | |
| Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | C2 | Toledo Walleye | 4 | | | | |
| Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | M1 | Tulsa Oilers | 3 | | | | |
| M1 | Tulsa Oilers | 4 | | | | | | | | | M1 | Tulsa Oilers | 3 | | | | |
| M4 | Kansas City Mavericks | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| M4 | Kansas City Mavericks | 3 | | | M1 | Tulsa Oilers | 4 | | | | | | | |
| Mountain Division | Mountain Division | Mountain Division | | | M1 | Tulsa Oilers | 4 | | | | | | | |
| Mountain Division | Mountain Division | Mountain Division | | | M2 | Idaho Steelheads | 2 | | | | | | | |
| M2 | Idaho Steelheads | 4 | | | M2 | Idaho Steelheads | 2 | | | | | | | |
| M3 | Utah Grizzlies | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |

## Awards

| Award | Winner |
| Patrick Kelly Cup: | Newfoundland Growlers |
| Henry Brabham Cup: | Cincinnati Cyclones |
| Gingher Memorial Trophy: | Newfoundland Growlers |
| Bruce Taylor Trophy: | Toledo Walleye |
| John Brophy Award: | Matt Thomas, Cincinnati |
| CCM Most Valuable Player: | Jesse Schultz, Cincinnati |
| Kelly Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player: | Zach O'Brien, Newfoundland |
| Warrior Hockey Goaltender of the Year: | Michael Houser, Cincinnati |
| CCM Rookie of the Year: | Chris Collins, Kalamazoo |
| CCM Defenseman of the Year: | Eric Knodel, Cincinnati |
| Leading Scorer: | Jesse Schultz, Cincinnati |
| AMI Graphics Plus Performer Award: | Joe Cox, Florida |
| Sportsmanship Award: | Zach O'Brien, Newfoundland |
| Community Service Award: | James Henry, Adirondack |
| Birmingham Memorial Award: | Patrick Richardson |

### All-ECHL teams

First Team
* Michael Houser (G) – Cincinnati Cyclones
* Eric Knodel (D) – Cincinnati Cyclones
* Matt Petgrave (D) – Brampton Beast
* Caleb Herbert (F) – Utah Grizzlies
* Adam Pleskach (F) – Tulsa Oilers
* Jesse Schultz (F) – Cincinnati Cyclones
Second Team
* Tomas Sholl (G) – Idaho Steelheads
* Matt Register (D) – Toledo Walleye
* Derek Sheppard (D) – Florida Everblades
* Joe Cox (F) – Florida Everblades
* Chris McCarthy (F) – Reading Royals
* Zach O'Brien (F) – Newfoundland Growlers
Rookie Team
* Tomas Sholl (G) – Idaho Steelheads
* Alex Breton (D) – Allen Americans
* Derek Sheppard (D) – Florida Everblades
* Chris Collins (F) – Kalamazoo Wings
* Steven Iacobellis (F) – Wichita Thunder
* Myles Powell (F) – Cincinnati Cyclones