ECHL Season 2026-27: Rep the Teams That Built It

When does the 2026-27 ECHL season start?

Friday, October 16. Opening weekend runs Friday through Sunday, Oct. 16–18.

It's the league's 39th season: 30 teams in the United States and one Canadian province, playing 1,080 games through April 11, 2027.

The ECHL grew into a coast-to-coast league by moving into new markets, and a lot of great clubs came and went along the way. This season, two of those stories come full circle.

Pro hockey returns to Rio Rancho

The expansion New Mexico Goatheads debut on opening night.

It's the first professional hockey in Rio Rancho, New Mexico since 2008-09. Every new team stands on the history of the ones before it. That history is what we design for.

Which defunct ECHL teams can you still wear?

Sixteen of them, starting with the Johnstown Chiefs: the city that gave the movie Slap Shot its setting.

The Pensacola Ice Pilots, Augusta Lynx, Columbia Inferno, Dayton Bombers, Fresno Falcons, Long Beach Ice Dogs, Quad City Mallards, Texas Wildcatters, Victoria Salmon Kings, Elmira Jackals, San Francisco Bulls and Manchester Monarchs round out the lineup with Trenton, Greensboro and Mobile. Browse every design in our defunct and retro ECHL collection.

Can you wear a hockey tank in October?

Yes, if you layer it.

Wear your retro ECHL tank as the base layer under a tee and a hockey hoodie. When the building warms up during a home-opener crowd, the hoodie comes off and you're still repping your team. Our Hockey Game Layering Guide walks through the full system.

Go deeper on minor league hockey: the ECHL & Minor League Hockey Gear Guide covers what to wear to a minor league game and why the ECHL fan experience is one of the best in sports. Retro Revival: The Defunct Teams of the AHL, ECHL & RHI has more of the clubs that time forgot. Love the league one step up? Check out our AHL collection.