2011–12 ECHL season

Following the loss of the Victoria Salmon Kings at the end of the 2010–11 season,{{cite news | last = Dheenshaw | first = Cleve | title = RG opts to fold Salmon Kings franchise | newspaper = Times Colonist | date = May 7, 2011 | url = http://www.timescolonist.com/sports/opts+fold+Salmon+Kings+franchise/4744719/story.html | access-date = May 19, 2011 }}{{Dead link|date=September 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} the league welcomed as its 19th and 20th teams, the Chicago Express, who played home games at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Illinois{{cite web|last=Press release |title=Expansion membership approved for Chicago |publisher=ECHL |date=June 24, 2010 |url=http://echl.com/expansion-membership-approved-for-chicago-br-i-team-begins-play-in-2011-12-i--p166145 |access-date=May 25, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723202010/http://echl.com/expansion-membership-approved-for-chicago-br-i-team-begins-play-in-2011-12-i--p166145 |archive-date=July 23, 2011 }} and the Colorado Eagles, who moved to the ECHL from the Central Hockey League and played home games at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, Colorado. Chicago played in the North Division of the Eastern Conference and Colorado played in the Mountain Division of the Western Conference.

On July 6, 2011 the New Jersey Devils announced that the Trenton Devils were suspending operations immediately, citing a desire to restructure their player development system to more closely mirror those of other NHL franchises. New Jersey was the only NHL team to wholly own its ECHL affiliate. Trenton had failed to qualify for the playoffs for three out of the previous four seasons and had regularly posted league-low attendance numbers. Prior to folding, the team lost $1.5 million during the 2010–11 ECHL season.{{cite news | last = Abdur-Rahman | first = Sulaiman | title = ECHL's Trenton Devils suspend operations | newspaper = The Trentonian | date = July 6, 2011 | url = http://www.trentonian.com/articles/2011/07/06/sports/doc4e14ca3a86873929944249.txt?viewmode=fullstory | access-date = July 7, 2011}} Later on July 27, an announcement was made that a Trenton franchise would re-enter the ECHL for the 2011–12 season as the Trenton Titans, with a press conference officially announcing the team occurring on July 28.{{cite news | last = Rosenau | first = Joshua | title = Trenton Titans minor league hockey team to be revived at Sun National Bank Center |newspaper = The Times of Trenton | url =http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2011/07/trenton_titans_minor_league_ho.html | date = July 27, 2011 | access-date = July 28, 2011}} The ECHL Board of Governors announced on July 28 that the Titans' membership application had been approved. The team took over the Trenton Devils' place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division and played according to the Devils' original schedule for the 2011–12 season.{{cite news | last = Press release | title = ECHL Board of Governors approves membership for Trenton Titans | publisher = ECHL | url = http://echl.com/echl-board-of-governors-approves-membership-for-trenton-titans-p171962 | date = July 28, 2011 | access-date = July 28, 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110930093146/http://echl.com/echl-board-of-governors-approves-membership-for-trenton-titans-p171962 | archive-date = September 30, 2011 | url-status = dead | df = mdy-all }}

The league's annual Board of Governors meeting concluded on August 1, 2011. Announcements included the re-election of Steve Chapman, president of the Gwinnett Gladiators as board president; adoption by the league of an attainable icing rule similar to that employed by the NHL and the league re-alignment for the 2011–12 season. The Colorado Eagles joined the Western Conference's Mountain Division, while in the Eastern Conference, the Wheeling Nailers moved to the Atlantic Division and the Chicago Express occupied the North Division spot left vacant by the Nailers.{{cite news | last = Press release | title = Annual ECHL Board of Governors meeting concludes | publisher = ECHL | url = http://echl.com/annual-echl-board-of-governors-meeting-concludes-p172058 | date = August 1, 2011 | access-date = August 1, 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110824015723/http://www.echl.com/annual-echl-board-of-governors-meeting-concludes-p172058 | archive-date = August 24, 2011 | url-status = dead | df = mdy-all }}

The league also announced that no All-Star game would be conducted during the 2011–12 season.

The format for the 2011 Kelly Cup Playoffs remained unchanged from the previous season.

In the Eastern Conference, postseason berths were awarded to the first-place team in each division and the next five teams in the conference, based on points. The division winners were seeded first, second and third and played the eighth-place finisher, the seventh-place finisher and the sixth-place finisher, respectively, while the fourth-place finisher and the fifth-place finisher met. The conference semifinals had the winner of the first-place and eighth-place matchup meet the winner of the fourth-place and fifth-place game while the winner of the second-place and seventh-place game faced the winner of the third-place and sixth-place matchup.

In the Western Conference, postseason berths were awarded to the first-place team in each division and the next five teams in the conference, based on points. The division winner with the best record in the conference received a bye in the first round. The other division winner was seeded second and met the team that finished seventh in the conference in the first round. The other first round matchups were the third-place finisher in the conference against the sixth-place finisher in the conference and the fourth-place finisher in the conference against the fifth-place finisher in the conference. The conference semifinals had the first-place finisher meet the winner of the fourth-place and fifth-place matchup and the winner of the second-place finisher and seventh-place finisher against the winner of the third-place finisher and the sixth-place finisher.

The first round in each Conference was a best of five series with each subsequent round being a best of seven series.

End of season standings

Eastern Conference

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|}

|}

Western Conference

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End of season standings

|-

| Divisions: AT – Atlantic, NO – North, SO – South

|}

* – Division leader; y – Won division; z – Won conference (and division)

|-

| Divisions: MT – Mountain, PA – Pacific

|}

* – Division leader; y – Won division; b – Won Brabham Cup, best record in the league and first round bye

{{16TeamBracket

| RD1-RD2-path=0

| RD3-group1 = Note: Pairings are re-seeded after the first round.

| RD1=Conference Quarterfinals

| RD2=Conference Semifinals

| RD3=Conference Finals

| RD4=Kelly Cup Finals

| byes=1

| RD2-group1=Eastern

| RD2-group2=Western

| RD1-seed01=1

| RD1-team01=Elmira

| RD1-score01=3

| RD1-seed02=8

| RD1-team02=Reading

| RD1-score02=2

| RD1-seed03=4

| RD1-team03=Greenville

| RD1-score03=0

| RD1-seed04=5

| RD1-team04=Florida

| RD1-score04=3

| RD1-seed05=2

| RD1-team05=Gwinnett

| RD1-score05=2

| RD1-seed06=7

| RD1-team06=South Carolina

| RD1-score06=3

| RD1-seed07=3

| RD1-team07=Kalamazoo

| RD1-score07=3

| RD1-seed08=6

| RD1-team08=Wheeling

| RD1-score08=1

| RD1-seed11=4

| RD1-team11=Colorado

| RD1-score11=1

| RD1-seed12=5

| RD1-team12=Stockton

| RD1-score12=3

| RD1-seed13=2

| RD1-team13=Ontario

| RD1-score13=2

| RD1-seed14=7

| RD1-team14=Idaho

| RD1-score14=3

| RD1-seed15=3

| RD1-team15=Las Vegas

| RD1-score15=3

| RD1-seed16=6

| RD1-team16=Utah

| RD1-score16=0

| RD2-seed01=1

| RD2-team01=Elmira

| RD2-score01=1

| RD2-seed02=5

| RD2-team02=Florida

| RD2-score02=4

| RD2-seed03=7

| RD2-team03=South Carolina

| RD2-score03=1

| RD2-seed04=3

| RD2-team04=Kalamazoo

| RD2-score04=4

| RD2-seed05=1

| RD2-team05=Alaska

| RD2-score05=4

| RD2-seed06=5

| RD2-team06=Stockton

| RD2-score06=0

| RD2-seed07=7

| RD2-team07=Idaho

| RD2-score07=1

| RD2-seed08=3

| RD2-team08=Las Vegas

| RD2-score08=4

| RD3-seed01=5

| RD3-team01=Florida

| RD3-score01=4

| RD3-seed02=3

| RD3-team02=Kalamazoo

| RD3-score02=1

| RD3-seed03=1

| RD3-team03=Alaska

| RD3-score03=3

| RD3-seed04=3

| RD3-team04=Las Vegas

| RD3-score04=4

| RD4-seed01=E5

| RD4-team01=Florida

| RD4-score01=4

| RD4-seed02=W3

| RD4-team02=Las Vegas

| RD4-score02=1

}}

The following were the top ten players in the league in points at the conclusion of the 2011–12 season.{{cite web|url=http://www.echl.com/stats/statdisplay.php?type=topscorers |title=Top Scorers 2011–12 Regular Season – All Players |publisher=ECHL |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314163624/http://echl.com/stats/statdisplay.php?type=top_scorers&season_id=22 |archive-date=March 14, 2012 |url-status=dead }}

GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

|-

|{{sortname|Adam|Miller|Adam Miller (ice hockey)}} || Las Vegas Wranglers || 71 || 32 || 52 || 84 || 45

|-

|{{sortname|Justin|Bowers}} || Greenville Road Warriors || 69 || 19 || 59 || 78 || 37

|-

|{{sortname|Chad|Costello|}} || Colorado Eagles || 47 || 29 || 47 || 76 || 26

|-

|{{sortname|Trent|Daavettila|}} || Kalamazoo Wings || 69 || 18 || 56 || 74 || 40

|-

|{{sortname|Yannick|Tifu}} || Reading Royals || 69 || 23 || 47 || 70 || 65

|-

|{{sortname|Dan|Kissel}} || Alaska Aces || 70 || 35 || 33 || 68 || 30

|-

|{{sortname|Mathieu|Aubin}} || Cincinnati Cyclones || 62 || 30 || 38 || 68 || 59

|-

|{{sortname|Kevin|Ulanski}} || Colorado Eagles || 56 || 27 || 41 || 68 || 60

|-

|{{sortname|Eric|Lampe}} || Las Vegas Wranglers || 52 || 37 || 30 || 67 || 38

|}

The following were the top ten goaltenders in the league in goals against average at the conclusion of the 2011–12 season.{{cite web|url=http://www.echl.com/stats/statdisplay.php?type=top_goalies&season_id= |title=Top Goalies 2011–12 Regular Season – Goals Against Average |publisher=ECHL |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314163619/http://echl.com/stats/statdisplay.php?type=top_goalies&season_id=22 |archive-date=March 14, 2012 |url-status=dead }}

GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime losses; SOL = Shootout losses; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average

{{See also|ECHL awards}}

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{{col-2}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

• ECHL All-Star Game
• List of ECHL seasons
• 2011 in sports
• 2012 in sports

{{Reflist}}

{{ECHL seasons}}

{{ECHL}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Echl Season 2011-12}}

2011-12

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