It is finally opening night in the ECHL and the quest for the Kelly Cup has begun. The long summer for some and the short summer for others, is finally over. It is time to get back out on the ice and fight for a championship once again. Some teams will see several familiar faces return, while others will feel like they are looking at a brand new team. It amazes me how a team can come together in such a short amount of time. The ECHL began training camp two weeks ago with a mere two pre-season games to get their teams straight for opening night.

I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Patrick Kelly last season as he visited several teams with the Cup. What an honor it was to meet someone with such love and passion for a sport. I have met numerous athletes in different sports, but I must say this meeting ranks in my top 5. To see the Cup in person is an amazing feeling. To know that you are supporting these guys to do their very best to raise that over their head is priceless.

What was the biggest news in the off-season for the ECHL? I’m going to go with the re-branding of the Greenville Road Warriors to the Greenville Swamp Rabbits. This name change has brought a lot of negativity from many of the fans that have supported the Road Warriors over the past five years. However I look at it as a brilliant marketing move. It put the team in the national spot light with coverage from ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Yahoo Sports and several other media outlets. The name change brings more ties in from the city of Greenville. Most exciting part is what other team has the mascot of Swamp Rabbits? Answer: None. That’s right, congratulations Greenville you have your own identity now, and I love the #FearTheEars motto.

Good luck to each of the teams this season as they make their quest towards the Kelly Cup. Always remember… If you love the Game, It will love you back!

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