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ECEL Expansion

04/24/2019, 4:30pm EDT
By Nick Cataldi

Guliford, Conn. April 24, 2019- The East Coast Elite League (ECEL) is happy to announce the formation of our Premier and Elite divisions at the U18 and U16 level for the upcoming 2019-2020 season. 

The league is able to create these divisions as a result of the tremendous growth of the league has seen this offseason.  The organization has added 10 teams to our league across these two divisions. The teams that have been added to the ECEL from all over the country and even the Maritimes in Canada. "We are really excited about the additions that we have made to our league," said ECEL Commissioner Peter Alden. "It lets our organization expand into strategic markets, but also surround our members with competitive teams that will make the league better."

The teams will be split into the Premier and Elite Divisions for the 2019-2020 season. In the Premier Divison and at the 18U and 16U level, you will see 10-12 programs in each division. The Premier Division has been adapted to create a competitive balance among the teams in the league. 

Meanwhile, in the Elite Divison level, 18U and 16U 10-12 teams that will create a lot of parody that will create a chance for the programs to grow and win in a competitive balance. 

One of the great things about our league is the ability to be seen by scouts from college, pro, and junior leagues across the country. With the most recent expansion, you see programs with associations with junior teams increase. Teams in the league are partnered with programs in the United States Hockey League (USHL), North America Hockey League (NAHL), British Columbia Hockey League(BCHL), Western Hockey League (WHL), and the Eastern Hockey League (EHL). 

With these divisions in mind, our players will still receive the exposure that so many of them desire, as we are near the mecca of College Hockey in Boston. Within 300 miles of  Boston, there are over 61 Division 1 and 3 programs. As a result, our league will get a lot of exposure to these programs throughout the season. These programs include some of the best programs in college hockey such as Northeastern, Providence, Quinnipiac, Harvard, BC, BU, National Runner-ups Umass Amherst, and Umass Lowell to name a few of the Division 1 schools around the Boston and New England Area. 

"Playing college hockey is a goal of a lot of players in this league, and this league lets them be seen by a lot of different schools within a drive away from Boston," said Peter Alden. 

With our location, we have seen players commit to schools from across the country in conferences such as the ECAC, Hockey East, Big Ten, and NCHC. Players have committed to schools such University of New Hampshire, Ohio State University, Brown, Merrimack, and Penn State to name a few schools. 

Schedule of Events for the Upcoming Season 

October 12-14 (Sat-Mon) Fall Classic Boston, Mass

November 30-December 2 (Sat-Mon) Holiday Classic Northford 

January 10-12 All-Star Game/ Winter Classic New Hampshire                           

February 7-9 Playoffs Boston, Mass 

As a result of the additions this offseason, the board of directors is very excited for the future of the league. "Our future is very bright, and we will only get better as a result of this most recent expansion," proclaimed Alden. “We want to be the best, and our broad of directors feel like we are closing in our what we wanted to accomplish when we founded the league back in 2013." 
 
    
 

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