The Ghost Pirates play in the ECHL. What you need to know about the league, Savannah's rivals
Don't call the ECHL the East Coast Hockey League.
The professional minor league has grown well beyond its East Coast roots. Formed in 1988 with five teams, all in Eastern U.S. cities, the ECHL now boasts 28 franchises across North America.
The growth prompted officials to adopt the ECHL acronym as the league's formal name in 2003 - and if you refer to it as the East Coast Hockey League, they will politely correct you.
The ECHL's latest addition is the Savannah Ghost Pirates. The local franchise, an affiliate of the National Hockey League's Vegas Golden Knights, plays its first-ever home game at 7 p.m. Saturday at Enmarket Arena, opening a 36-game home schedule that stretches through April 2023.
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Here's what else you need to know about the ECHL heading into the Ghost Pirates' inaugural season.
What's the caliber of play in the ECHL?
The ECHL bills itself as “premier AA” hockey, a reference to Class AA minor league baseball, with Class A being the first level of development and Class AAA being the highest, just below Major League Baseball teams. In the Ghost Pirates case, they are a AA feeder team for the Henderson Silver Knights of the American Hockey League, a AAA-level club. From Henderson, players advance to the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights.
The Savannah Ghost Pirates, a minor league hockey team, play their first-ever home game at 7 p.m. Saturday before a sellout crowd at Enmarket Arena. In the days leading up to the debut, the Savannah Morning News is publishing a series of stories previewing the inaugural season.
Tuesday
► Savannah's minor league sports history
► Q&A with Ghost Pirates' Bob OhrabloWednesday:
► A pro hockey team finally arrives in Savannah
► What you need to know about the Ghost Pirates' league, the ECHLThursday
► Ghost Pirates' gameday experience: 5 things to watch for
► Hockey 101: What you need to know about the game
Where are ECHL teams located?
28 teams
20 U.S. states and 2 Canadian provinces
4 divisions grouped regionally (North, South, Central, Mountain)
Season started Oct. 22 and ends April 16
Kelly Cup Playoffs: Top 4 finishers in each division quality
What other teams are in the Ghost Pirates' division?
Atlanta Gladiators
Location: Duluth, Georgia
NHL affiliation: Ottawa Senators
2021-22 record: 43-24-4, 91 points
Florida Everblades
Location: Estero, Florida
NHL affiliation: Florida Panthers
2021-22 record: 72-42-20, 94 points
Greenville Swamp Rabbits
Location: Greenville, S.C.
NHL affiliation: LA Kings
2021-22 record: 72-33-29, 76 points
Jacksonville Icemen
Location: Jacksonville, Florida
NHL affiliation: New York Rangers
2021-22 record: 72-40-27, 85 points
Orlando Solar Bears
Location: Orlando, Florida
NHL affiliation: Tampa Bay Lightning
2021-22 record: 71-33-31, 73 points
South Carolina Stingrays
Location: Charleston, S.C.
NHL affiliation: Washington Capitals
2021-22 record: 72-28-38, 62 points
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: ECHL: Savannah Ghost Pirates play in pro hockey minor league
