ECHL announces Preseason Schedule

The ECHL on Monday announced its preseason schedule of 23 games beginning Oct. 6 and continuing through Oct. 13.

The preseason opens on Thursday, Oct. 6 with a pair of games – Atlanta hosting Norfolk at The Cooler in Alpharetta, Ga. and Cincinnati visiting Wheeling.

The Premier ‘AA’ Hockey League will open its 29th season with eight games on Friday, Oct. 14. Opening weekend continues with 12 games on Saturday, Oct. 15 and one games on Sunday, Oct. 16.

The third-longest tenured professional hockey league behind only the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League, the ECHL averaged 4,385 fans per game in 2015-16, the 12th consecutive season and the 24th time in the last 26 years that the ECHL has averaged over 4,000 fans.

2016 ECHL Preseason Schedule

Thursday, Oct. 6

Norfolk at Atlanta                              7 p.m. ET (The Cooler – Alpharetta, Ga.)

Cincinnati at Wheeling                       7:05 p.m. ET

Friday, Oct. 7

Greenville vs. Norfolk                        7 p.m. ET (Ice Forum – Duluth, Ga.)

Elmira at Reading                               7 p.m. ET

Kalamazoo at Toledo                          7:15 p.m. ET

Orlando at Florida                              7:30 p.m. ET

Wheeling at Cincinnati                       7:35 p.m. ET

Indy at Fort Wayne                            8 p.m. ET

Colorado at Rapid City                      7:05 p.m. MT

Saturday, Oct. 8

Fort Wayne at Indy                            6 p.m. ET

Greenville at Atlanta                           7 p.m. ET (Ice Forum – Duluth, Ga.)

Toledo at Kalamazoo                          7 p.m. ET

Orlando at Florida                              7 p.m. ET

Reading at Elmira                               7:05 p.m. ET

Allen at Wichita                                  7:05 p.m. CT (Wichita Ice Center)

Rapid City at Colorado                      7:05 p.m. MT

Sunday, Oct. 9

Brampton at Kalamazoo                     3 p.m. ET

Monday, Oct. 10

Brampton at Fort Wayne                    7:30 p.m. ET

Idaho at Utah                                      7:00 p.m. MT (Utah Olympic Oval)

South Carolina at Alaska                    7:15 p.m. AKT

Tuesday, Oct. 11

Utah at Idaho                                      7:10 p.m. MT

South Carolina at Alaska                    7:15 p.m. AKT

Thursday, Oct. 13

South Carolina at Alaska                    7:15 p.m. AKT

About the ECHL

Began in 1988-89 with five teams in four states, the ECHL has grown into a coast-to-coast league with 27 teams in 21 states and one Canadian province for its 29th season in 2016-17. There have been  who have gone on to play in the National Hockey League after starting their careers in the ECHL, including 30 who made their NHL debuts in the 2015-16 season. The ECHL has affiliations with 26 of the 30 NHL teams in 2016-17, marking the 20th consecutive season that the league had affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL. Further information on the ECHL is available on its website at ECHL.com as well as on Facebook and Twitter.