Thirty teams, four divisions, two countries. The ECHL sits a rung below the AHL as the NHL’s second development tier, which means most of these clubs are quietly stocked with prospects trying to play their way up. Below is the full 2026-27 lineup — where each team plays, and which NHL and AHL clubs it’s tied to.
Two things changed the map this year, and they’re worth knowing before the table: New Mexico joins as a brand-new expansion team in Rio Rancho, and the old Utah Grizzlies packed up and became the Trenton Ironhawks, putting the league back in New Jersey for the first time since 2012-13.
Eastern Conference
North Division
| Team | Home | NHL / AHL parent |
|---|---|---|
| Adirondack Thunder | Glens Falls, NY — Cool Insuring Arena | New Jersey Devils / Utica Comets |
| Greensboro Gargoyles | Greensboro, NC — First Horizon Coliseum | Carolina Hurricanes / Chicago Wolves |
| Maine Mariners | Portland, ME — Cross Insurance Arena | Boston Bruins / Providence Bruins |
| Norfolk Admirals | Norfolk, VA — Norfolk Scope | Winnipeg Jets / Manitoba Moose |
| Reading Royals | Reading, PA — Santander Arena | Philadelphia Flyers / Lehigh Valley Phantoms |
| Trenton Ironhawks | Trenton, NJ — CURE Insurance Arena | New York Islanders |
| Trois-Rivières Lions | Trois-Rivières, QC — Colisée Vidéotron | Montreal Canadiens / Laval Rocket |
| Worcester Railers | Worcester, MA — DCU Center | New York Islanders / Bridgeport Islanders |
South Division
| Team | Home | NHL / AHL parent |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Gladiators | Duluth, GA — Gas South Arena | Nashville Predators / Milwaukee Admirals |
| Florida Everblades | Estero, FL — Hertz Arena | Pittsburgh Penguins / WBS Penguins |
| Greenville Swamp Rabbits | Greenville, SC — Bon Secours Wellness Arena | Los Angeles Kings / Ontario Reign |
| Jacksonville Icemen | Jacksonville, FL — VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena | Minnesota Wild / Iowa Wild |
| Orlando Solar Bears | Orlando, FL — Kia Center | Tampa Bay Lightning / Syracuse Crunch |
| Savannah Ghost Pirates | Savannah, GA — Enmarket Arena | see note |
| South Carolina Stingrays | North Charleston, SC — North Charleston Coliseum | Washington Capitals / Hershey Bears |
Western Conference
Central Division
| Team | Home | NHL / AHL parent |
|---|---|---|
| Bloomington Bison | Bloomington, IL — Grossinger Motors Arena | Winnipeg Jets / Manitoba Moose |
| Cincinnati Cyclones | Cincinnati, OH — Heritage Bank Center | Toronto Maple Leafs / Toronto Marlies |
| Fort Wayne Komets | Fort Wayne, IN — Memorial Coliseum | Edmonton Oilers / Bakersfield Condors |
| Indy Fuel | Indianapolis, IN — Indiana Farmers Coliseum | Chicago Blackhawks / Rockford IceHogs |
| Kalamazoo Wings | Kalamazoo, MI — Wings Event Center | Vancouver Canucks / Abbotsford Canucks |
| Toledo Walleye | Toledo, OH — Huntington Center | Detroit Red Wings / Grand Rapids Griffins |
| Wheeling Nailers | Wheeling, WV — WesBanco Arena | Columbus Blue Jackets / Cleveland Monsters |
Mountain Division
| Team | Home | NHL / AHL parent |
|---|---|---|
| Allen Americans | Allen, TX — Credit Union of Texas Event Center | Ottawa Senators / Belleville Senators |
| Idaho Steelheads | Boise, ID — Idaho Central Arena | Dallas Stars / Texas Stars |
| Kansas City Mavericks | Independence, MO — Cable Dahmer Arena | Seattle Kraken / Coachella Valley Firebirds |
| New Mexico Goatheads | Rio Rancho, NM — Rio Rancho Events Center | Colorado Avalanche / Colorado Eagles |
| Rapid City Rush | Rapid City, SD — The Monument | see note |
| Tahoe Knight Monsters | Stateline, NV — Tahoe Blue Event Center | see note |
| Tulsa Oilers | Tulsa, OK — BOK Center | see note |
| Wichita Thunder | Wichita, KS — INTRUST Bank Arena | see note |
A quick, honest caveat on the “see note” rows: ECHL affiliations get renewed (or swapped) every offseason, and a few clubs’ 2026-27 partners weren’t nailed down in the official list when this was put together. Rather than print a parent club that might be a year out of date, I’ve left those blank — check the team’s own site for the current tie-in.
The two stories that matter this season
New Mexico Goatheads. The expansion side brings pro hockey back to Rio Rancho for the first time since the Scorpions folded in 2009, and they’ve landed a strong parent in the Colorado Avalanche. They open at home on night one against Idaho.
Trenton Ironhawks. Same franchise that was the Utah Grizzlies, now relocated east and tied to the Islanders. Trenton hasn’t had an ECHL team since 2012-13, so the October 24 home opener is a genuine occasion for the city.
One smaller move worth a mention: Wheeling switched parents this year, signing a two-year deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets and their AHL club in Cleveland.
A few things people always ask
The ECHL is a “AA” league — think baseball’s Double-A. It’s a real pro league, not amateur, and it feeds the AHL and NHL; hundreds of guys have gone on to the NHL after starting here. The regular-season champion takes the Brabham Cup; the playoff champion lifts the Kelly Cup, which Trois-Rivières won last time out. And of the 30 teams, only Trois-Rivières sits outside the US.
For the full schedule, head to our ECHL 2026-27 schedule guide.
Divisions follow the official 2026-27 alignment. Affiliations reflect the best current information and can change between seasons — the team sites are the source of truth.
