After weeks of anticipation, the roster for the 2022 ECHL All-Star Game was finally revealed on Wednesday. The format pits a team of all-stars against ECHL franchise Jacksonville Icemen on their home ice.

Set for January 17 at Jacksonville’s VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, the mid-season classic will feature a team made up of the top players you’ve been watching all season long on FloHockey.

It will be the 26th installment of the game, which was not held in 2012, 2014, 2016 or 2021, and will be streamed live on FloHockey, as well as broadcast nationally on NHL Network. 

The 26-player roster features one player from each of the league’s teams—besides Jacksonville—represented among the three goalies, eight defensemen and 15 forwards who were selected.

In addition, via a partnership with the Premier Hockey Federation and Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association, two members from each organization will participate in the All-Star Classic. Taking part in the All-Star festivities will be the PHF’s Allie Thunstrom of the Minnesota Whitecaps, Jillian Dempsey of the Boston Pride, the PWHPA’s Sophia Shaver of Team adidas (Minnesota) and Loren Gabel of Team Sonnet (Toronto).

After last season’s game—which was also set to be held in Jacksonville—was ultimately postponed due to 13 teams opting out of the 2020-21 campaign over COVID concerns, ECHL commissioner Ryan Crelin told FloHockey earlier this month that he’s excited to be finally able to put on the event this year.

“Looking forward to that this year, and we’ll have our challenges and things won’t be 100 percent in terms of a normal All-Star Game with keeping our COVID protocols and reducing player interactions,” Crelin said. “But, it’s our mid-season showcase, and we want to be able to put those festivities on for the fans.”

Broadcasters Arley Johnson and Alex Reed of the Jacksonville Icemen will provide play-by-play and color commentary for the event respectively, while Jesse Liebman of the Orlando Solar Bears will serve as rinkside reporter/interviewer. 

There had been more speculation than ever regarding just who would make the team of ECHL All-Stars themselves this year given all of the turnover in the league this year. Let’s break it down. 

Goaltenders

Samuel Harvey, Fort Wayne Komets: Harvey is a 23-year-old second-year pro who is third in the league with a .933 save percentage.

Evan Buitenhuis, Wichita Thunder: Buitenhuis has been the league’s workhorse in net, leading the ECHL with 24 appearances between the pipes.

Ken Appleby, Worcester Railers: Appleby is a former NHL’er who split his season between AHL Bridgeport and the Railers.

Defensemen

Joe Masonius, Adirondack Thunder: Masonius is a UConn grad who leads Adirondack defensemen with 16 points so far this season.

Tim Davison, Atlanta Gladiators: Davison, 27, is his team’s third-leading scorer this year.

Wyatt Ege, Cincinnati Cyclones: Ege has seen time with two different AHL teams in 2021-22.

Mike Lee, Indy Fuel: Lee is tied as the league-leader in points among defensemen with 27.

Brenden Miller, Kalamazoo Wings: Miller is an ECHL veteran who has already put up his fifth career double-digit point total in the league.

Marcus Crawford, Kansas City Mavericks: Crawford is a former Red Wings prospect who is on pace to exceed his career year last season.

Jordan Subban, South Carolina Stingrays: Subban is the brother of NHL’ers P.K. and Malcolm, and is in his first ECHL season.

Charles-Edouard D'Astous, Utah Grizzlies: D’Astous is the only ECHL defenseman to have reached double-digits in goals, having already potted a career-high 13 in just 23 games.

Forwards

Gavin Gould, Allen Americans: Gould excelled with Allen after an early-season trade from Greenville, and is their fifth-leading scorer despite not joining the team until mid-November.

Blake Winiecki, Florida Everblades: Winiecki is the league’s leading scorer with 38 points so far this year.

Liam Pecararo, Greenville Swamp Rabbits: Pecararo is currently with the AHL’s Hartford WolfPack after scoring 13 goals in 19 games with Greenville.

Yauheni Aksiantsiuk, Idaho Steelheads: At 20 years old, Aksiantsiuk is Idaho’s youngest-ever representative in the All-Star Game.

Kris Bennett, Iowa Heartlanders: Bennett is the Heartlanders leading scorer despite currently playing with the AHL’s Iowa Wild.

Justin Brazeau, Maine Mariners: Brazeau is another player currently in the AHL; he’s with the Providence Bruins after producing at over a point-per-game clip for Maine.

Zach O’Brien, Newfoundland Growlers: O’Brien helped lead Newfoundland to the Kelly Cup in 2019.

Alex Tonge, Norfolk Admirals: Tonge is pacing the Admirals in both goals (12) and assists (14) this season.

Aaron Luchuk, Orlando Solar Bears: Luchuk has earned two separate AHL call-ups this season, and is currently still with Hartford.

Logan Nelson, Rapid City Rush: Nelson is the league’s second-leading scorer with 36, and is still awaiting his first opportunity at the next level in his seventh ECHL season.

Jacob Pritchard, Reading Royals: Pritchard is Reading’s second leading scorer with 17 points.

TJ Hensick, Toledo Walleye: Hensick, 36, has played in over 100 NHL games in his career and is likely in his last professional season. He’s still producing at an incredible rate and is the league’s third-leading scorer.

Olivier Archambault, Trois-Rivières Lions: A former Montreal Canadiens draft pick, Archambault has posted 26 points in just 22 games for the expansion Lions.

Jack Doremus, Tulsa Oilers: Doremus is one of the game’s more intriguing prospects. The first-year pro is showing a scoring touch for Tulsa that wasn’t evident during his time at the University of Denver.

Patrick Watling, Wheeling Nailers: Watling returned to the AHL on Wednesday, loaned to Scranton Wilkes-Barre for his third stint at the highest level of the minors this season.