The ECHL is represented by 35 former players and 21 coaches on the National Hockey League’s 2026 Stanley Cup rosters, marking the 21st year in a row that there have been at least 30 former ECHL players competing in the NHL postseason.
 
The ECHL has a player or coach on 15 of the 16 teams and has affiliations with 30 of the 32 teams in the NHL in 2025-26, marking the 29th 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 Colorado Avalanche head coach, and 2020 ECHL Hall of Fame inductee Jared Bednar, and Dallas Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan. Bednar won Kelly Cup titles as a player with South Carolina in 1997 and 2001 and as head coach in 2009, and in 2022, became the first coach to lead teams to championships in the ECHL, AHL and NHL. Gulutzan is in his first season with the Stars, and led the Las Vegas Wranglers to the 2008 Kelly Cup Finals.
 
Former ECHL coaches and players on NHL Return to Play Rosters (ECHL affiliate listed in parentheses):
 
Anaheim Ducks (Tulsa Oilers) – Video Coach Austin Violette (Maine, 2018-19); Jansen Harkins (Jacksonville, 2017-18); Ville Husso (Missouri, 2016-17); Ross Johnston (Missouri, 2015-16) and Petr Mrazek (Toledo, 2012-13)
 
Boston Bruins (Maine Mariners) – Assistant Coach Jay Leach (Mississippi, 2001-02; Augusta, 2002-03; Long Beach, 2003-04 and Trenton, 2003-05); Assistant Coach Steve Spott (Richmond, 1990-91) and Goaltending Development Coach Mike Dunham (Gwinnett, 2005-06) and Tanner Jeannot (Florida, 2019-21)
 
Buffalo Sabres (Jacksonville Icemen) – Assistant Coach Matt Ellis (Toledo, 2002-03); Assistant Coach Marty Wilford (Columbus, 1998-99); Video Coordinator Amir Gulati (Iowa, 2021-22); Sam Carrick (Idaho, 2012-13); Justin Danforth (Reading, 2016-17 and Cincinnati, 2017-18); Colten Ellis (Worcester, 2021-22, Tulsa, 2022-23 and Orlando, 2023-24) and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (Cincinnati, 2019-20)
 
Carolina Hurricanes (Greensboro Gargoyles) – Brandon Bussi (Maine, 2022-23)
 
Colorado Avalanche (Utah Grizzlies) – Head Coach Jared Bednar (Huntington, 1993-96 and South Carolina, 1996-09) and Assistant Coach Nolan Pratt (Richmond, 1995-96); Mackenzie Blackwood (Adirondack, 2017-18); Brett Kulak (Colorado, 2014-15) and Scott Wedgewood (Trenton, 2012-13 and Adirondack, 2015-16)
 
Dallas Stars (Idaho Steelheads) – Head Coach Glen Gulutzan (Las Vegas, 2003-09); Assistant Coach Neil Graham (South Carolina, 2010-11; Greenville, 2010-11 and Idaho, 2012-19); Michael Bunting (Rapid City, 2015-16) and Casey DeSmith (Wheeling, 2015-16)
 
Edmonton Oilers (Fort Wayne Komets) – Connor Ingram (Adirondack, 2017-18 and Orlando, 2018-19)
 
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); Jeff Malott (Florida, 2020-21) and Darcy Kuemper (Ontario, 2011-12 and Orlando, 2012-13)
 
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); Filip Gustavsson (Brampton, 2018-19) and Jake Middleton (Manchester, 2015-16)
 
Ottawa Senators (Allen Americans) – 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); Nick Jensen (Toledo, 2013-14) and James Reimer (Reading, 2009-10 and South Carolina, 2009-10)
 
Philadelphia Flyers (Reading Royals) – Assistant Coach Todd Reirden (Tallahassee, 1994-96; Raleigh, 1994-95 and Jacksonville, 1995-96); Rodrigo Abols (Greenville, 2019-20); Luke Glendening (Toledo, 2012-13) and Dan Vladar (Atlanta, 2016-18 and 2019-20)
 
Pittsburgh Penguins (Wheeling Nailers) – Assistant Coach Rich Clune (Idaho, 2007-08); Goaltending Coach Andy Chiodo (Wheeling, 2003-06; Elmira, 2009-10 and Bakersfield, 2013-14); Justin Brazeau (Newfoundland, 2019-20 and Maine, 2021-22); Thomas Novak (Florida, 2020-21); Arturs Silovs (Trois-Rivières, 2021-22) and Stuart Skinner (Wichita, 2018-20)
 
Tampa Bay Lightning (Orlando Solar Bears) – Charle-Edouard D’Astous (Toledo, 2019-20 and Utah, 2021-22); Yanni Gourde (San Francisco, 2012-13 and Kalamazoo, 2013-14); Jonas Johansson (Cincinnati, 2017-19) and Scott Sabourin (Manchester, 2015-16)
 
 
Utah Mammoth – Goaltending Coach Corey Schwab (Cincinnati, 1991-92); Vitek Vanecek (South Carolina, 2015-16 and 2017-18) and MacKenzie Weegar (Cincinnati, 2014-15)
 
Vegas Golden Knights (Tahoe Knight Monsters) – Assistant Coach Dominique Ducharme (Huntington, 1995-96 and Raleigh, 1995-96); Adin Hill (Rapid City, 2016-17) and Keegan Kolesar (Quad City, 2017-18)
 
There are 38 former ECHL officials who worked as part of the NHL officiating team in 2025-26 with referees Benjamin Betker, Jake Brenk, Riley Brace, Francis Charron, Tom Chmielewski, Mitch Dunning, Trevor Hanson, Beau Halkidis, Jean Hebert, Pierre Lambert, T.J. Luxmore, Peter MacDougall, Morgan MacPhee, Michael Markovic, Liam Maaskant, Wes McCauley, Jon McIsaac, Dan O’Rourke, Brian Pochmara, Kyle Rehman, Chris Rooney, Carter Sandlak, Graham Skilliter and Furman South and linesmen Steve Barton, Ryan Daisy, Julien Fournier, Brandon Gawryletz, Brandon Grillo, Trent Knorr, Matt MacPherson, Jesse Marquis, Kilian McNamara, Bevin Mills, CJ Murray, Shawn Oliver, Ben O’Quinn and Bryan Pancich. Charron, Jean Hebert, McCauley, Rooney and Knorr were selected to work the 2025 Stanley Cup Final.
 
There have been 780 players who have played in the NHL after playing in the ECHL including 12 who have made their NHL debuts in the 2024-25 season. The ECHL has had 588 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 524 ECHL players have played their first game in the last 21 seasons for an average of more than 24 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, Jared Shafran of the Los Angeles Kings, Joe O’Donnell of the Minnesota Wild, Brendan Burke and Alan Fuehring 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 and Adrian Denny of the Utah Mammoth 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; former ECHL player Shane Hnidy is an analyst with the Golden Knights and former ECHL player Tyson Nash is an analyst with the Mammoth.

About the ECHL
 
Formed in 1988-89 with five teams in four states, the ECHL has grown into a coast-to-coast league with 30 teams in 23 states and one Canadian province for its 38th season in 2025-26. There have been 780 players who have gone on to play in the National Hockey League after starting their careers in the ECHL, including 12 who have made their NHL debuts in the 2025-26 season. The ECHL has affiliations with 30 of the 32 NHL teams in 2025-26, marking the 28th 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.