The ECHL Alignment

The ECHL announced yesterday how the teams will be aligned for the 2016-17 season, and it's rather interesting. Before I get to what I think, let's look at the alignment, as well as how the playoffs will be played out.

Eastern Conference

The North Division will consist of the Adirondack Thunder, Brampton Thunder, Elmira Jackals, Manchester Monarchs, Reading Royals, and the Wheeling Nailers.

The South Division will have the Atlanta Gladiators, Cincinnati Cyclones, Florida Everblades, Greenville Swamp Rabbits, Norfolk Admirals, Orlando Solar Bears, and South Carolina Stingrays.

Western Conference

The Central Division will have the Fort Wayne Comets, Indy Fuel, Kalamazoo Wings, Quad City Mallards, Toledo Walleye, Tulsa Oilers, and Wichita Thunder.

The Mountain Division will be formed by the Alaska Aces, Allen Americans, Colorado Eagles, Idaho Steelheads, Missouri Mavericks, Rapid City Rush, and Utah Grizzlies.

As for the playoff format, the following is taken from the ECHL website:

The first two rounds of the Kelly Cup Playoffs will be played entirely within the division, with the division winner playing the fourth-place finisher and the second-place team meeting the third-place team in the Division Semifinals. The winners of each series will meet in the Division Finals, leading to the Conference Finals and Kelly Cup Finals. 

The new format will allow most teams to have a better chance of playing traditional rivals in the first two rounds of the playoffs, and to allow for more economical travel. 

The Eastern Conference alignment is mostly fine, with maybe the grey area of the Ohio/Virginias being an exception, but it is something that can be worked around. The Western Conference is where things get hazy, as it separates Missouri from Wichita, particularly when it comes to playoff alignment. It's been no secret that the Missouri/Kansas rivalry is something that is built in, and Missouri and Wichita were competing for bragging rights since the Mavericks joined the ECHL two seasons ago. Allen being considered part of the Mountain Division looks a little odd, but given the dearth of teams west of the Rockies, something had to give. The revised playoff format means that every division will be represented in the Conference Finals. The potential drawback lies in the fact that a powerhouse like Allen could face a weaker division champion in the Central, which may cause competition problems. Also of note, the Evansville IceMen are going dormant for the season while they await approval to relocate to Owensboro, KY.