Welcome to the ECHL Hall of Fame!

In conjunction with the celebration of its 20th Anniversary, the ECHL announced the formation of the ECHL Hall of Fame in 2007.

The third-longest tenured professional hockey league, behind only the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League, the Premier ‘AA’ Hockey League has grown from five teams in four states in 1988-89 into a coast-to-coast league with 25 teams playing in 17 states and British Columbia in 2007-08.

The first class of four inductees will be honored at a ceremony in Stockton, Calif. as part of the 2008 ECHL All-Star Game. Each successive class will also be inducted as part of the league’s annual All-Star event.

The first class of inductees are league founder Henry Brabham, first league commissioner Patrick J. Kelly, five-time ECHL champion Nick Vitucci and seven-time All-Star defenseman Chris Valicevic.

Hall of Fame members will be selected in four categories: Player, Developmental Player, Builder, and Referee/Linesman. Players must have concluded their career as an active player for a minimum of three playing seasons, though not continuous or full seasons. Development Players must have begun their career in the ECHL and went on to a distinguished career in the NHL, playing a minimum of 260 regular season games in the NHL, AHL and ECHL. Builders may be active or inactive whereas Referee/Linesman must have concluded their active officiating career for a minimum of three playing seasons.

No more than five candidates may be elected to the ECHL Hall of Fame each year with no more than three Players, one Developmental Player, two Builders and one Referee/Linesman. The Builder and the Referee/Linesman categories are dependent upon the number of candidates in the Player category.

The nomination and/or selection of candidates will be determined by the ECHL Hall of Fame Selection Committee which will be appointed by the ECHL.

Only members of the Selection Committee, the Board of Governors, teams or persons affiliated with the ECHL may submit official nominations which must be made in writing to the league office. Fans are encouraged to contact their team to propose names for nomination.