Annual ECHL Board of Governors Meeting concludes

The Annual ECHL Board of Governors Meeting was held at the New York-New York Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada last week. Increase to maximum Memberships The number of maximum Memberships in the ECHL was increased from 30 to 32. Bruder re-elected as Chairman of the Board Utah Grizzlies’ Chief Executive Officer Kevin Bruder was re-elected as Chairman of the Board for the third consecutive season. Changes to ECHL Rule Book The following changes to the ECHL Rule Book have been approved: 

• Rule #9 – Uniforms

Altered uniforms of any kind (i.e. Velcro inserts, over-sized jerseys, altered collars, etc.) will not be permitted. Any player or goalkeeper not complying with this rule shall not be permitted to participate in the game. 

• Rule #9.6 – Helmets

A player on the ice whose helmet comes off during play will be assessed a minor penalty unless he immediately (a) exits the playing surface or (b) puts the helmet back (the chin strap may be unfastened if helmet is on player’s head). 

• Rule #20.4 – Fighting Game Misconducts

An automatic game misconduct shall be applied to any player who has been assessed a second fighting major in the same game. The misconduct will be waived for a player if an opposing player is assessed a penalty for instigating. 

• Rule #46.10 – Fighting prior to or at the drop of the puck

A player or players who enter into a fight prior to, at the drop of the puck, or immediately following any face-off during the game, shall be assessed an automatic game misconduct in addition to any penalties assessed. 

• Rule #67.2 – Handling the Puck

A minor penalty shall be assessed for “Delay of Game – Face-Off Violation” to a player taking the face-off who attempts to win the face-off by batting the puck with their hand. The two players involved in the actual face-off (the centers) are not permitted to play the puck with their hand without incurring a penalty under this rule until such time as a third player (from either team) has at least touched the puck. Once the face-off is deemed complete (and a winner of the face-off is clear) hand passes shall be enforced as per Rule 80 – Hand Pass. 

• Rule #74.4 – Faceoff procedure

At the eight face-off spots (excluding the center ice face-off spot), the defending player shall place his stick within the designated white area first followed immediately by the attacking player. When the face-off is conducted at the center ice face-off spot, the visiting player shall place his stick on the ice first. 

• Rule #83 – Off-side

A player is on-side when either of his skates are in contact with the blue line, or on his own side of the line, at the instant the puck completely crosses the leading edge of the blue line. “On his own side of the line” shall be defined by a “plane” of the blue line which shall extend from the leading edge of the blue line upwards. If a player’s skate has yet to break the “plane” prior to the puck completely crossing the leading edge, he is deemed to be on-side for the purpose of the off-side rule.About the ECHL Formed in 1988-89 with five teams in four states, the ECHL has grown into a coast-to-coast league with 28 teams in 20 states and two Canadian provinces for its 35th season in 2022-23. There have been 740 players who have gone on to play in the National Hockey League after starting their careers in the ECHL, including 13 who have made their NHL debut in the 2022-23 season. The ECHL has affiliations with 28 of the 32 NHL teams in 2022-23, marking the 26th consecutive season that the league has 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.