League’s showcase event scheduled for Monday, Jan. 15, 2018

GLENS FALLS, N.Y. – The ECHL announced on Wednesday that the Indy Fuel will serve as host of the 2018 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum.

“Indianapolis is a terrific city with a rich sports history,” ECHL Commissioner Brian McKenna said. “Combine that with the recently renovated Indiana Farmers Coliseum and we have an ideal location to showcase the best the ECHL has to offer as we celebrate our 30th anniversary.”

The 2018 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic and Skills Competition in Indianapolis will take place on Monday, Jan. 15, 2018 and will also include the official induction ceremony of the 11th class of the ECHL Hall of Fame.

The annual Midseason showcase is attended by representatives from the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League and it has produced 64 players who have gone on to play in the NHL, including 48 since 2002 when the format was changed to feature younger prospects. The past 10 ECHL All-Star Games have generated more than $1 million each for the local economy as guests, players, coaches and fans occupy hundreds of hotel rooms and spend three days in the host city.

“The Indy Fuel organization is thrilled to have the opportunity to host the 2018 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic,” said Fuel CEO Sean Hallett. “Indianapolis has long been a premiere destination for marquee events, and we are excited to showcase our great city to hockey fans across the country. From Wayne Gretzky and the Racers to today and the gorgeous Indiana Farmers Coliseum, Central Indiana has a rich professional hockey history which we are looking forward to sharing with a national television audience.

“We would additionally like to thank CCM Hockey for their continued support of the ECHL, and to all the corporate sponsors and partners that will join us in hosting an event that can be celebrated by generations of hockey fans,” Hallett said.

CCM, which has a rich history of equipping the best hockey players in the world, is the title sponsor of the 2017 All-Star Classic and has had a relationship with the ECHL’s All-Star property since the 2009-10 season. CCM signed Hall of Fame legend King Clancy in 1936 as its first official spokesman. Since then, CCM has been represented by a list of hockey legends including Paul Henderson, Darryl Sittler, Mark Messier, and current NHL superstars such as Carey Price, Sidney Crosby, Pavel Datsyuk, John Tavares and Connor McDavid. With the help of constant research and product testing by the best hockey players in the world, CCM has built products from the inside out – high-quality, intuitive equipment that becomes an extension of the athletes themselves.

“We are excited to be the title sponsor of the 2018 CCM/ECHL All Star Classic,” said JC Bergeron, Director of Sports Marketing at CCM Hockey. “There are many talented players in the ECHL and this event gives the community an opportunity to witness that skill firsthand.”

Ticket information and availability, along with sponsorship opportunities, will be announced at a later date.

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 started their career in the ECHL who have gone on to play in the National Hockey League, including 12 who have made their NHL debuts in the 2016-17 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 Twitter and Facebook.