Guilford, Conn.,

The California Wildcats will wear new sweaters come the ECEL Fall Classic as the owners have made the decision to move forward under the banner of the Los Angeles Kings & their AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign. After a very successful 2016-17 at the 16U level, advancing to the semi-finals where they fell to The Hill Academy in a shootout, The Jr Reign looks to advance even further at the 18U level. 

ECEL President, Peter Alden, had this to say about the Wildcats - Reign: "We are very pleased to have the Jr. Reign, former Wildcats, back for another season. This club was steady all of last season where they finished second in the regular season & made a strong push in the playoffs. Playing in front of scouts on the East Coast will continue to help these players grow and advance to the Junior & NCAA levels.

"The Jr. Reign - Wildcats Hockey Club is honored to play at the prestigious Midget 18 AAA Tier I East Coast Elite League,. Providing diversified opportunities for exposure, advancement and elite level competition for our Tier 1 players at the Midget age groups is an essential component of our programs' values, in assisting players with achieving their goals and dreams as hockey players and young men. This well thought out mixed participation at the various showcases combined with our focus on delivering a daily world class development environment, in line with USA Hockey's American Development Model, puts the Wildcats players in position to pursue all of their dreams in our great sport."

Founded in 2014, the East Coast Elite League is a four-weekend showcase series that will provide maximum exposure for its member organizations and their players, by playing in top venues, in ideal scouting locations. Spread across the U16 and U18 divisions and represented by several of the top hockey organizations across the country, the ECEL is the premier showcase series in the United States, unmatched in its format and exposure opportunities. For more information please visit us online: www.ECELHockey.com or follow us on Twitter @ECELHOCKEY.