1997-98 ECHL season

The 1997-98 ECHL season was the tenth season of the ECHL. Before the start of the season, the league saw the Knoxville Cherokees move to Florence, SC and welcomed expansion teams in New Orleans, LA and Upper Marlboro, MD. The Louisiana IceGators finished the regular season first overall and the Hampton Roads Admirals won their record setting third overall ECHL championship (1st Kelly Cup), defeating the Pensacola Ice Pilots 4 games to 2.
==League realignment==
With the league expanding to 25 teams, the Board of Governors decided to divide the league into two conference (Northern and Southern), with two division each. With the realignment the Board of Governors also created two new trophies, one each for the playoff champion of each conference.ECHL Trophies and Awards
===Northern Conference===
====Northeast Division====
*Chesapeake Icebreakers
*Hampton Roads Admirals
*Johnstown Chiefs
*Richmond Renegades
*Roanoke Express
*Wheeling Nailers
====Northwest Division====
*Columbus Chill
*Dayton Bombers
*Huntington Blizzard
*Louisville Riverfrogs
*Peoria Rivermen
*Toledo Storm
===Southern Conference===
====Southeast Division====
*Charlotte Checkers
*Jacksonville Lizard Kings
*Pee Dee Pride
*Raleigh Icecaps
*South Carolina Stingrays
*Tallahassee Tiger Sharks
====Southwest Division====
*Baton Rouge Kingfish
*Birmingham Bulls
*Louisiana IceGators
*Mississippi Sea Wolves
*Mobile Mysticks
*New Orleans Brass
*Pensacola Ice Pilots
==Regular season==
===Final standings===
Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L= Loses; T = Ties; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; PTS = Points; Green shade = Clinched playoff spot; Blue shade = Clinched division; (z) = Clinched home-ice advantage
====Northern Conference====
Northeast Division 	GP	W 	L 	T 	PTS	GF 	GA
Roanoke Express 	70	42	21	7 	91 	235	208
Wheeling Nailers 	70	37	24	9 	83 	255	255
Chesapeake Icebreakers	70	34	28	8 	76 	252	239
Hampton Roads Admirals	70	32	28	10	74 	222	225
Richmond Renegades 	70	30	33	7 	67 	218	277
Johnstown Chiefs 	70	23	41	6 	52 	219	297
Northwest Division 	GP	W 	L 	T	PTS	GF 	GA
Peoria Rivermen 	70	44	19	7	95 	296	213
Toledo Storm 	70	41	21	8	90 	251	210
Dayton Bombers 	70	36	26	8	80 	255	256
Huntington Blizzard 	70	34	29	7	75 	230	259
Columbus Chill 	70	33	30	7	73 	221	220
Louisville Riverfrogs	70	32	31	7	71 	228	257
====Southern Conference====
Southeast Division 	GP	W 	L 	T 	PTS	GF 	GA
South Carolina Stingrays 	70	41	23	6 	88 	246	218
Charlotte Checkers 	70	35	24	11	81 	251	237
Pee Dee Pride 	70	34	25	11	76 	214	215
Jacksonville Lizard Kings	70	35	29	6 	76 	243	239
Raleigh Icecaps 	70	32	33	5 	69 	236	254
Tallahassee Tiger Sharks 	70	24	44	2 	50 	210	320
Southwest Division 	GP	W 	L 	T 	PTS	GF 	GA
Louisiana IceGators 	70	43	17	10	96 	298	232
Birmingham Bulls 	70	39	23	8 	86 	293	257
Pensacola Ice Pilots 	70	36	24	10	82 	276	262
New Orleans Brass 	70	36	24	10	82 	278	263
Mobile Mysticks 	70	35	27	8 	78 	236	233
Mississippi Sea Wolves	70	34	27	9 	77 	225	224
Baton Rouge Kingfish 	70	33	27	10	76 	220	238
== Kelly Cup playoffs ==
=== Bracket ===
==ECHL awards==
Patrick J. Kelly Cup: 	Hampton Roads Admirals
Henry Brabham Cup: 	Louisiana IceGators
Northern Conference Champion: 	Hampton Roads Admirals
Southern Conference Champion: 	Pensacola Ice Pilots
John Brophy Award: 	Chris Nilan (Chesapeake)
ECHL Most Valuable Player: 	Jamey Hicks (Birmingham)
Kelly Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player:	Sébastien Charpentier (Hampton Roads)
ECHL Goaltender of the Year: 	Nick Vitucci (Toledo)
ECHL Rookie of the Year: 	Sean Venedam (Toledo)
Defenseman of the Year: 	Chris Valicevic (Louisiana)
Leading Scorer: 	Jamey Hicks (Birmingham)
Sportsmanship Award: 	Cal Ingraham (Tallahassee)
==References==
==See also==
* ECHL
* ECHL All-Star Game
* Kelly Cup
* List of ECHL seasons
Category:ECHL seasons
ECHL season, 1997–98
ECHL season, 1997–98