News release
13 April 2007
Jackals Team President Tamer Afr announces Elmira's admission into the ECHL for the 2007-2008 season.
Elmira Enters 8th Season In ECHLs North Division
Elmira, NY The Elmira Jackals announced today that they have been unanimously accepted to enter the ECHL as a member of the North Division for the 2007-2008 season.
In a public meeting held by the Jackals at First Arena on Friday evening, Jackals Team President Tamer Afr and ECHL Commissioner Brian McKenna declared that the 2007-2008 season, their 8th year of operation, would be Elmiras inaugural season in the ECHL. The Jackals first year in their new league will be quite fitting as the ECHL is preparing to celebrate its 20th Anniversary as the Premier AA Hockey League.
The Jackals will be a member of the North Division, which currently includes the Dayton Bombers, Toledo Storm, Cincinnati Cyclones, Wheeling Nailers, Johnstown Chiefs, Reading Royals and Trenton Titans. Three of those teams: Johnstown, Reading and Trenton are within four hours drive from Elmira.
In 19 years of operation the ECHL has graduated 329 players to the National Hockey League. The league set a record in 2005-06 with 47 former players moving on to the NHL; during the current 2006-07 season, the league has watched 26 more players advance to hockeys highest level. The moves are reciprocal; while 107 former ECHL players have skated in the NHL this season, more than 100 players on NHL contracts played in the ECHL during 2006-07.
The ECHL is currently comprised of 25 teams throughout the United States, spanning from New Jersey to Florida to California to Alaska. Currently underway with the Kelly Cup Playoffs, the ECHL attracted 3,752,503 in 900 regular season games, an average of 4,169. The league also has affiliations with 25 of the 30 teams in the NHL, marking their 10th straight year of having at least 20 NHL affiliations.