All-ECHL First and Second Teams announced

The ECHL on Thursday announced its All-ECHL First and Second Teams for 2023-24 as determined in a vote of ECHL coaches, broadcasters, media relations directors and media, who were asked to select a goaltender, two defensemen and three forwards. 

2023-24 All-ECHL First Team
G – Taylor Gauthier, Wheeling Nailers (42 gp, 24-16-2, 2.23 GAA, .923 save pct.)
D – Patrick Kudla, Idaho Steelheads (58 gp, 10g, 50a, 60 pts.)
D – Jalen Smereck, Cincinnati Cyclones (70 gp, 14g, 57a, 71 pts.)
F – Patrick Curry, Kansas City Mavericks (71 gp, 39g, 48a, 87 pts.)
F – Brandon Hawkins, Toledo Walleye (69 gp, 40g, 52a, 92 pts.)
F – Alex Kile, Maine Mariners (64 gp, 34g, 44a, 77 pts.)

The ECHL will announce the Community Service Award and Sportsmanship Award winners on Friday.

Taylor Gauthier of the Wheeling Nailers is 24-16-2 this season and ranks second in the ECHL with 42 appearances and 2,477 minutes played. Gauthier’s four shutouts and .923 save percentage are tied for the league lead while he leads all goaltenders with a 2.23 goals-against average while ranking fifth with 1,104 saves.
 
Patrick Kudla of the Idaho Steelheads is third among defensemen with 50 assists and 60 points while he is tied for 10th in plus-minus at +21 and is 13th with 136 shots on goal.
 
Jalen Smereck of the Cincinnati Cyclones leads ECHL defensemen with 57 assists and 71 points while his 14 goals are tied for fifth. Smereck leads all players in the league with 28 power-play assists while his 32 power-play points are tops among defensemen and second overall.
 
Patrick Curry of the Kansas City Mavericks is second in the league with 39 goals and 87 points, is tied for second with a +32 rating and is fourth with 255 shots on goal. His eight game-winning goals are tied for second in the league.
 
Brandon Hawkins of the Toledo Walleye earns All-ECHL First Team honors for the second consecutive season. He leads the league with 40 goals, 92 points, 34 power-play points and 335 shots on goal while he is tied for the top spot with 15 power-play goals and is tied for fifth with 52 assists.
 
Alex Kile of the Maine Mariners is tied for fourth in the ECHL with 34 goals, is fourth with 78 points and is eighth with 226 shots on goal.

2023-24 All-ECHL Second Team
G – Matt Vernon, Jacksonville Icemen (38 gp, 25-9-2, 2.59 GAA, .913 save pct.)
D – Kyle Mayhew, Utah Grizzlies (69 gp, 15g, 41a, 56 pts.)
D – Matt Register, Idaho Steelheads (69 gp, 10g, 51a, 61 pts.)
F – Erik Bradford, Kalamazoo Wings (70 gp, 29g, 56a, 85 pts.)
F – Jack Dugan, Fort Wayne Komets (67 gp, 20g, 57a, 77 pts.)
F – Austin Magera, South Carolina Stingrays (68 gp, 29g, 45a, 74 pts.)
 
Matt Vernon of the Jacksonville Icemen, who was named to the ECHL All-Rookie Team yesterday, is tied for the league lead with 25 wins, is third with a 2.48 goals-against average and is sixth with a .916 save percentage.
 
Kyle Mayhew of the Utah Grizzlies earns All-ECHL honors for the second consecutive day after being named to the All-Rookie Team yesterday. He leads rookie defensemen with 15 goals, 41 assists and 56 points. His 15 goals are fourth among all blueliners while his 56 points rank fifth.
 
Matt Register of the Idaho Steelheads earns All-ECHL honors for the eighth time in his career after previously being named to the All-ECHL First Team in 2013-14, 2014-15, 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2022-23 and the Second Team in 2018-19 and 2020-21. He is second among defensemen with 51 assists and 61 points and is tied for fourth with 23 power-play points.
 
Erik Bradford of the Kalamazoo Wings is third in the league with 56 assists and 85 points. His 85 points this season are the most by a K-Wing since the team joined the ECHL for the 2009-10 season.
 
Jack Dugan of the Fort Wayne Komets is tied for the league lead with 57 assists and is fifth with 77 points. Dugan is third with 23 power-play assists and tied for sixth with 26 power-play points.
 
Austin Magera of the South Carolina Stingrays, who was named to the ECHL All-Rookie Team yesterday, is second among rookies with 74 points, is tied for third with 29 goals and third with 45 assists. Magera’s 74 points rank ninth overall in the league while his 14 power-play assists are fifth among first-year players and his 21 power-play points are tied for fifth.
 
About the ECHL

Formed in 1988-89 with five teams in four states, the ECHL has grown into a coast-to-coast league with 27 teams in 20 states and one Canadian province for its 36th season in 2023-24. There have been 751 players who have gone on to play in the National Hockey League after starting their careers in the ECHL, including 11 who have made their NHL debuts in the 2023-24 season. The ECHL has affiliations with 28 of the 32 NHL teams in 2023-24, marking the 27th 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.