ECHL has 41 former players, 22 coaches on Stanley Cup rosters

The ECHL is represented by 41 former players and 22 coaches on the National Hockey League’s 2025 Stanley Cup rosters, marking the 20th year in a row that there have been at least 30 former ECHL players competing in the NHL postseason.
 
The Premier ‘AA’ Hockey League, the ECHL has a player or coach on 15 of the 16 teams and has affiliations 29 of the 32 teams in the NHL in 2024-25, marking the 28th consecutive season that the league has had affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL.
 
Among the 22 coaches in the Stanley Cup Playoffs are Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy, Colorado Avalanche head coach, and 2020 ECHL Hall of Fame inductee Jared Bednar, and Washington Capitals head coach Spencer Cabery, who won the 2009 Kelly Cup title as a player with South Carolina. Cassidy led Vegas to the Stanley Cup title in 2023, one year after Bednar became the first coach to lead teams to championships in the ECHL, AHL and NHL.
 
Former ECHL coaches and players on NHL Return to Play Rosters (ECHL affiliate listed in parentheses):
 
Colorado Avalanche (Utah Grizzlies) – Head Coach Jared Bednar (Huntington, 1993-96 and South Carolina, 1996-09); Assistant Coach Nolan Pratt (Richmond, 1995-96); Mackenzie Blackwood (Adirondack, 2017-18) and Scott Wedgewood (Trenton, 2012-13 and Adirondack, 2015-16)
 
Dallas Stars (Idaho Steelheads) – Assistant Coach Steve Spott (Richmond, 1990-91); Casey DeSmith (Wheeling, 2015-16)) and Mason Marchment (Orlando, 2016-17)
 
Edmonton Oilers (Fort Wayne Komets) – Assistant Coach Glen Gulutzan (Las Vegas, 2003-09); Josh Brown (Manchester, 2015-16); Brett Kulak (Colorado, 2014-15) and Stuart Skinner (Wichita, 2018-20)
 
Florida Panthers (Florida Everblades) – Assistant Coach Jamie Kompon (Hampton Roads, 1989-90; Cincinnati, 1990-91 and Winston-Salem, 1990-91); Goaltending Coach Rob Tallas (Charlotte, 1994-95); Vitek Vanecek (South Carolina, 2017-18) and Carter Verhaeghe (Missouri, 2015-17)
 
Los Angeles Kings (Greenville Swamp Rabbits) – Assistant Coach Derik Johnson (Missouri, 2014-15 and Reading, 2015-17); Goaltending Coach Mike Buckley (Mississippi, 2002-04 and Gwinnett, 2003-04); Kyle Burroughs (Missouri, 2015-16); Tanner Jeannot (Florida, 2019-21); Darcy Kuemper (Ontario, 2011-12 and Orlando, 2012-13); Trevor Lewis (Utah, 2012-13) and Jeff Malott (Florida, 2020-21)
 
Minnesota Wild (Iowa Heartlanders) – Assistant Coach Jack Capuano (Tallahassee, 1995-97; Knoxville, 1996-97 and Pee Dee, 1997-2005); Assistant Coach Patrick Dwyer (Gwinnett, 2004-05); Goaltending Coach Frederic Chabot (Winston-Salem, 1991-92); Justin Brazeau ((Newfoundland, 2019-20 and Maine, 2021-22); Frederick Gaudreau (Cincinnati, 2014-15); Filip Gustavsson (Brampton, 2018-19) and Jake Middleton (Manchester, 2015-16)
 
Montreal Canadiens (Trois-Rivières Lions) – Goaltending Coach Eric Raymond (Wheeling, 1993-94; South Carolina, 1995-96 and Huntington, 1995-96) and Michael Pezzetta (Maine, 2018-19)
 
New Jersey Devils (Adirondack Thunder) – Video Coach Ian Greenwald (Utah, 2013-15) and Justin Dowling (Utah, 2011-12 and Idaho, 2012-13)
 
Ottawa Senators – Goaltending Coach Justin Peters (Florida, 2006-08); Hayden Hodgson (Florida, 2017-18; Manchester, 2017-18; Wichita, 2018-19; Reading, 2019-20; Wheeling, 2020-21 and Utah, 2020-21) and Nick Jensen (Toledo, 2013-14)
 
St. Louis Blues (Florida Everblades) – Jordan Binnington (Kalamazoo, 2013-14) and Nathan Walker (South Carolina, 2014-15)
 
Tampa Bay Lightning (Orlando Solar Bears) – Luke Glendening (Toledo, 2012-13); Yanni Gourde (San Francisco, 2012-13 and Kalamazoo, 2013-14); Jonas Johansson (Cincinnati, 2017-19)
 
Toronto Maple Leafs (Cincinnati Cyclones – Goaltending Coach Curtis Sanford (Peoria, 2000-02); Goaltending Coach Curtis Sanford (Peoria, 2000-02); Jani Hakanpaa (Quad City, 2014-15); Steven Lorentz (Florida, 2017-19); Bobby McMann (Wichita, 2020-21 and Newfoundland, 2021-22); Dakota Mermis (Rapid City, 2015-16); Ryan Reaves (Alaska, 2007-08 and Orlando, 2012-13) and Anthony Stolarz (Reading, 2017-18)
 
Vegas Golden Knights (Tahoe Knight Monsters) – Head Coach Bruce Cassidy (Jacksonville, 1996-98 and Trenton, 1999-00); Assistant Coach Dominique Ducharme (Huntington, 1995-96 and Raleigh, 1995-96); Adin Hill (Rapid City, 2016-17) and Keegan Kolesar (Quad City, 2017-18);
 
Washington Capitals (South Carolina Stingrays) – Head Coach Spencer Carbery (Bakersfield, 2007-08; Stockton, 2007-08; Fresno, 2007-08; South Carolina, 2008-16); Assistant coach Scott Allen (Carolina, 1988-89; Winston-Salem, 1989-90; Erie, 1989-90; Greensboro, 1989-90; Cincinnati, 1990-91 and Johnstown, 1996-2002); Assistant Coach Mitch Love (Johnstown, 2007-08); Clay Stevenson (South Carolina, 2022-23) and Logan Thompson (Adirondack, 2018-19 and South Carolina, 2019-20)
 
Winnipeg Jets (Norfolk Admirals) – Assistant Coach Marty Johnston (Florida, 2002-03; Trenton, 2003-04; Long Beach, 2003-04 and Peoria, 2003-04); Goaltending Coach Wade Flaherty (Greensboro, 1989-90); Chris Driedger (Elmira, 2013-14; Evansville, 2014-15; Wichita, 2016-17; Brampton, 2017-18 and Manchester, 2018-19)
 
There are 38 former ECHL officials who are working as part of the NHL officiating team in 2024-25 with referees Riley Brace, Jake Brenk, Francis Charron, Tom Chmielewski, Mitch Dunning, Trevor Hanson, Beau Halkidis, Ghislain Hebert, Jean Hebert, Pierre Lambert, T.J. Luxmore, Liam Maaskant, Peter MacDougall, Morgan MacPhee, Michael Markovic, Wes McCauley, Jon McIsaac, Dan O’Rourke, Brian Pochmara, Kevin Pollock, Kyle Rehman, Chris Rooney, Carter Sandlak, Graham Skilliter and Furman South and linesmen Steve Barton, Ryan Daisy, Julien Fournier, Brandon Gawryletz, Brandon Grillo, Mitchell Hunt, Trent Knorr, Matt MacPherson, Jesse Marquis, Kilian McNamara, Bevin Mills, C.J. Murray, Ben O’Quinn and Bryan Pancich.
 
There have been 768 players who have played in the NHL after playing in the ECHL including 16 who have made their NHL debuts in the 2024-25 season. The ECHL has had 576 players reach the NHL since 2002-03 when it changed its focus to become the primary developmental league for the NHL and the AHL. The ECHL had 97 players reach the NHL in its first 10 seasons and 215 in the first 15 years. There have been 512 ECHL players have played their first game in the last 20 seasons for an average of more than 25 per year.
 
The first ECHL player to play in the NHL was Johnstown Chiefs goaltender Scott Gordon, who played his first game with the Quebec Nordiques against Buffalo on Jan. 30, 1990. The 100th player honor is shared by Jean Sebastien Aubin and Manny Legace, who both made their debut on Oct. 21, 1998 with the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Los Angeles Kings, respectively. The 200th player was Brett McLean with the Chicago Blackhawks on Dec. 10, 2002 while the 300th was David Liffiton with the New York Rangers on April 11, 2006. The 400th was Phil Oreskovic on March 9, 2009 with the Toronto Maple Leafs while the 500th player honor is shared by Anthony Peluso and Darcy Kuemper, who both made their debut on Feb. 12, 2013 with the Winnipeg Jets and the Minnesota Wild, respectively. The 600th former ECHL player to reach the NHL was Florida Panthers forward Shane Harper on Oct. 13, 2016. The 700th former ECHL player to reach the NHL was New Jersey Devils defenseman Mason Gertseen on Oct. 19, 2021.
 
Former ECHL broadcasters working in the National Hockey League include John Ahlers and Steve Carroll of the Anaheim Ducks, Bob McElligott of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Josh Bogorad of the Dallas Stars, Jack Michaels of the Edmonton Oilers, Doug Plagens of the Florida Panthers, Joe O’Donnell of the Minnesota Wild, Brendan Burke of the New York Islanders, Chris Kerber of the St. Louis Blues, Everett Fitzhugh of the Seattle Kraken, Dave Mishkin of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Mike Folta of Utah HC and Dave Goucher and Dan D’Uva of the Vegas Golden Knights. Former ECHL player Tripp Tracy is an analyst with the Carolina Hurricanes, former ECHL player Jody Shelley is an analyst with the Blue Jackets and former ECHL player Shane Hnidy is an analyst with the Golden Knights.

About the ECHL
 
Formed in 1988-89 with five teams in four states, the ECHL has grown into a coast-to-coast league with 29 teams in 22 states and one Canadian province for its 37th season in 2024-25. There have been 768 players who have gone on to play in the National Hockey League after starting their careers in the ECHL, including 16 who have made their NHL debuts in the 2024-25 season. The ECHL has affiliations with 29 of the 32 NHL teams in 2024-25, 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.