Alright, let’s talk about this ECHL thing, you know, the hockey stuff. Sounds fancy, but it ain’t that complicated. They got these dates, important ones, like when them boys start playing and when they can’t be swapped around like cattle.
First off, they gotta get trainin’, right? Training camp, that’s what they call it. That starts on October 4th, in 2024. But before that, on October 3rd, they can go for meetings and check-ups, you know, make sure they ain’t breakin’ down before they even start. Gotta keep them boys healthy, I reckon.
Then, the real fun begins! The games, the actual hockey matches, they start on October 21st. That’s when you can start yellin’ at the TV, or if you’re lucky enough, at the game itself. I ain’t never been to one of them fancy hockey games, but I hear they’re somethin’ else.
Now, they got rules about how many players a team can have. On November 20th, in 2022 they gotta cut down the active roster from 21 players to 20. Gotta make some tough choices, I guess. Someone’s gotta go sit on the bench, or maybe go home, I dunno.
And then there’s the money part. These boys get paid, you know. Not as much as them fellas in the big leagues, but still, it’s a livin’. They say a rookie, that’s a new guy, gotta make at least $530 a week in 2024-25. And if you’ve played before, you get a bit more, like $575 a week. But there’s a limit, the team can’t spend more than $8,000 a week on all the players put together. And each player gotta get at least $300 a week. Sounds like a lot of numbers, but it just means they gotta share the pie, you know?
- Rookie Minimum Salary: $530 per week (2024-25)
- Returning Player Minimum Salary: $575 per week (2024-25)
- Team Salary Cap: $8,000 per week
- Individual Player Minimum: $300 per week
They say the average player, he’s about 23 years old, and they make somethin’ like $55,000 a year. Plus, maybe they get some extra cash, like a bonus or somethin’. Not bad for chasin’ a puck around, I guess.
Now, around Christmas time, things get quiet. They got this Christmas Waiver/Trade Freeze that starts on December 23rd, in 2022. That means no tradin’ players, no movin’ ’em around. Everyone gets to stay put for a bit, enjoy the holidays with their families, I suppose. Makes sense, family’s important.
Then, later in the season, there’s another deadline. February 2025, that’s when they have this Jersey Reversal Date. I ain’t rightly sure what that means, but it sounds important. Maybe they switch jerseys or somethin’? And in March 2025, there are a couple more deadlines. One for players comin’ from overseas and another for when teams can call players up or send ’em down. It’s all a bit confusing, but I guess they gotta have rules.
- Christmas Waiver/Trade Freeze: December 23rd (2022)
- Jersey Reversal Date: February (2025)
- Overseas Deadline and IIHF Transfer Deadline: March 17th (2025)
- Recall/Assignment Deadline: March 19th (2025)
So, that’s the gist of it. Important dates, money stuff, and rules about players. It’s a whole lot more than just skatin’ around and hittin’ a puck, I tell ya. But at the end of the day, it’s just a game, and folks seem to enjoy it. And that’s all that matters, right?
Tags: ECHL, Hockey, Season, Schedule, Dates, Salary, Roster, Deadline, Training Camp, 2024-2025
