The ECHL was the first recognised professional hockey league to begin play for the 2020-21 season.
Despite many teams having to opt-out, the fact that hockey is beginning played has given a chance for a few rookies to make an impact and begin their journey in climbing the hockey ladder.
Joseph Garreffa
Garreffa has a point to prove in turning professional having gone undrafted.
Signed to an AHL contract by San Jose Barracuda, the former Kitchener Rangers and Ottawa 67ers forward was reassigned to the Allen Americans to begin the season.
To say he hit the ground running is an understatement. Six goals and seven assists for thirteen points is good for ninth in league scoring and is currently leading the way for the Americans.
The Toronto native has been recalled to San Jose for their training camp in preparation for the 2020-21 AHL campaign and I would not be surprised if he carves himself a role, despite being a long-shot to do so.
Greg Meireles
Selected 168th overall by the Florida Panthers in 2019, Meireles is now trying to earn an entry-level NHL contract.
He was supposed to be playing for the Charlotte Checkers this upcoming season but with Florida’s AHL affiliate opting out, the ECHL might be his home for the entirety of this game.
The Greenville Swamp Rabbits are certainly benefiting from the addition of the 22-year-old centre-man who has four goals and eight assists for twelve points in ten games.
He’s the leading forward on the Swamp Rabbits, just a point behind leading scorer Sam Jardine and part of a team enjoying a nine-game point streak at the time of writing.
Patrick Harper
Drafted and signed by Nashville Predators, Harper has a step up on some of the other players in this article.
Assigned to the ECHL and one of the top teams in the form of the Florida Everblades, the Boston university wasted no time in making an impact.
In five games, the 22-year-old centre-man has helped himself to five goals and four assists for nine points.
The Milwaukee Admirals are another AHL team who have opted out for this year so Harper has been sent to the Chicago Wolves and joins their training camp.
Do not under any circumstances count him out of the running for an AHL spot despite the huge number of players in Chicago.
Jake McGrew
The 21-year-old right-winger was a team-mate of Joseph Garrefa with the Allen Americans and now joined him in San Jose.
The difference is McGrew is a legitimate prospect of the Sharks having been drafted in 2017 and signed by them a year later.
The California native has shown an eye for the net with six goals in eleven games and added a couple of assists.
He’s more likely to receive an opportunity at the AHL than Garrefa but I wouldn’t count either out.
Jeremy McKenna
McKenna was penned to a two-year AHL contract by the Toronto Marlies back in April of last year out of the QMJHL.
Whether he will be able to play for Toronto in the AHL at this point is very much a point of conjecture with the Canadian Division without a schedule and waiting for government approval to play.
Assigned to the Wichita Thunder, the 21-year-old has scored at a point-per-game pace through eight games (4-4-8).
His route to the AHL might be a long-shot this season but perhaps a year in the third tier of professional North-American hockey might be what the diminutive forward requires to make the step-up.
David Tendeck
Tendeck is the only goaltender on this list and unsurprisingly is signed to an NHL Entry-Level contract.
The Arizona Coyotes prospect was drafted in 2018 and played in the WHL for Vancouver Giants for the past four seasons.
The 21-year-old was assigned to Rapid City Rush of the ECHL in December but things haven’t gone smoothly for that team. Rapid City has won just five of fifteen games but Tendeck has been a lone bright spot.
Despite a 1-5-0 record, the Candian’s .915 save percentage ranks seventh amongst all goaltenders who have played at least five games.
Tendeck is not with the Tucson RoadRunners at the time of writing but he could well earn himself a call-up at some point this season.
Maxim Golod
Maxim Golod is the youngest player on this list at the tender age of twenty and doesn’t turn 21 until August.
The former Erie Otters forward was signed as a free agent by the Anaheim Ducks in October and has since been reassigned to the Tulsa Oilers.
Seven points, including two goals, in ten games, isn’t quite setting the world alight in the ECHL but a very promising beginning. Especially so on a team that has struggled to produce offense – just 32 goals in fifteen games at the time of writing.
Lower down the chain of Anaheim prospects it’s not a surprise that the Toronto native hasn’t joined the San Diego Gulls training camp. However, don’t discount the left-winger from making an impact and earning a call-up at some point.
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