League ECHL Eastern champions Florida Everblades Western champions Idaho Steelheads Dates 17 Oct 2003 – 22 May 2004 Location United States of America Finals champion Idaho Steelheads | Sport Ice hockey Eastern runners-up Reading Royals Western runners-up Gwinnett Gladiators Champion Idaho Steelheads Season MVP Scott Stirling People also search for 2004–05 ECHL season | |
Top scorer Tim Smith (Columbia Inferno) | ||
The 2003–04 ECHL season was the 16th season of the ECHL. This season brought a major change in the ECHL as the ECHL Board of Governors approved membership applications from the Anchorage Aces, the Bakersfield Condors, the Fresno Falcons, the Idaho Steelheads, the Las Vegas Wranglers, the Long Beach Ice Dogs and the San Diego Gulls from the recently defunct West Coast Hockey League. Alaska, Bakersfield, Fresno, Idaho, Las Vegas, Long Beach and San Diego were joined by franchises in Duluth, GA and Beaumont, TX as the league's latest expansion teams. In a change reflective of the nationwide presence of the ECHL, the East Coast Hockey League changed its name to simply ECHL on May 19, 2003.
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The ECHL All-Star Game was held at Carver Arena in Peoria, Illinois and was hosted by the Peoria Rivermen. The Eastern Conference All-Stars defeated the Western Conference All-Stars 7:6, with Peoria's Randy Rowe named Most Valuable Player.
At the end of the season, the Columbus Cottonmouths, Greensboro Generals, and Roanoke Express franchises all ceased operations as their franchises were revoked. (The Columbus team moved to the Southern Professional Hockey League for 2004–05; the franchise planned to be in Bradenton, Florida, but had its franchise revoked in the September 2006 ECHL Board of Governors meeting.) The Cincinnati Cyclones requested a voluntary suspension of franchise, which was lifted for the 2006–07 season, when the Cyclones resumed play following a full season without minor league hockey in the city.
Final standings
Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L= Loses; T = Ties; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points; Green shade = Clinched playoff spot; Blue shade = Clinched division; (z) = Clinched home-ice advantage
Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty Minutes
Leading goaltenders
Note: GP = Games played; Mins = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals allowed; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average