2022-23 ECHL Power Rankings

The final installment of FloHockey’s very unofficial weekly ECHL power rankings finally is upon us, and there’s no other choice but the Idaho Steelheads for the top spot.

As they put the finishing touches on a stunning regular-season campaign, they’re the favorites to bring the Kelly Cup back to the Gem State for the first time since 2007.

1) Idaho Steelheads (56-10-1-2) (Last Week: 1)

The Brabham Cup winners unquestionably are the league’s top team this regular season. 

They finish out the slate in Rapid City with a three-game series, starting Wednesday, as they await their first-round opponent, which could be any one of four teams vying for the final two spots in the Mountain, the Rush included.

One win and two points by Idaho over those final two games would establish new ECHL records in those categories.

2) Cincinnati Cyclones (47-14-6-3) (Last Week: 2)

Cincinnati has little left to play for over its final two regular-season contests, in which the Cyclones will be facing a motivated Kansas City Mavericks team that’s in the race for the final two spots in the Mountain.

The Cyclones have wrapped up the first seed in the Central and would have home ice through at least the first two rounds.

3) Newfoundland Growlers (48-20-2-0) (Last Week: 5)

The Growlers finish the season as the East’s top team and would have home ice advantage through the Eastern Conference Finals, if they should advance that far.

They head to Reading for the final two games of their regular season, where they’ll battle a team that’s still fighting for the second seed in the North.

4) South Carolina Stingrays (43-21-4-1) (Last Week: 4)

No team in the league has a longer win streak right now than the ‘Rays, who’ve rattled off six straight to put themselves in the driver’s seat in the South, up five points on Jacksonville, with three games remaining in their season.

South Carolina hosts Savannah on Wednesday and goes to Greenville on Friday, before a potentially pivotal faceoff at home against the Icemen on Saturday to close out their campaign.

5) Toledo Walleye (44-18-4-3) (Last Week: 3)

With everything decided in the Central, Toledo also has little to play for this week, having locked up the second seed and home-ice advantage in their first-round series against the Indy Fuel.

The Walleye are set for a home-and-home against Kalamazoo to kick off their final weekend of play, followed by the finale at home against Fort Wayne.

6) Jacksonville Icemen (41-23-3-1) (Last Week: 8)

Jacksonville has a busy slate, with four games in five days to close out the regular season.

The Icemen still have a chance to win the division, but they also could slide as far down as the fourth seed, so their final week is huge for how their postseason will shape up.

They play Florida, Orlando and South Carolina on the road, before finishing at home against the Solar Bears.

7) Greenville Swamp Rabbits (38-23-8-1) (Last Week: 10)

Greenville is a bit on the back foot, as the final three seeds in the South get determined, having only two games left, compared Florida’s three and Jacksonville’s four.

Greenville hosts Savannah and South Carolina over the final weekend, and even in sweeping that stretch, still might have to open the postseason on the road.

8) Indy Fuel (40-24-5-0) (Last Week: 6)

With the third seed set in stone, the Fuel essentially will have this weekend as a tuneup for their opening-round matchup with Toledo.

Indy hosts Fort Wayne, before wrapping up the year on the road against the Komets and Wings.

9) Reading Royals (39-24-5-1) (Last Week: 7)

Reading is one point ahead of Maine in the North. With each having three games left to play, the Royals control their own destiny for home ice in the first round.

Beat Norfolk on Wednesday and Reading in back-to-back games on Friday and Saturday – with all three at home – and they’d have the advantage against the Mariners when the playoffs start.

10) Allen Americans (36-30-2-1) (Last Week: 15)

Allen moves up into the top 10 to close out this season’s power rankings after a late surge saw the Americans clinch a playoff spot last week.

The Americans would need two points over their final three games to guarantee home ice in the first round. They host Kansas City and then finish the regular season with a home-and-home against Wichita.

The Rest Of The ECHL

11) Florida Everblades (37-23-4-5) (Last Week: 12)
12) Maine Mariners (40-26-2-1) (Last Week: 11)
13) Adirondack Thunder (30-28-9-2) (Last Week: 9)
14) Fort Wayne Komets (33-28-4-3) (Last Week: 14)
15) Worcester Railers (34-32-4-0) (Last Week: 16)
16) Atlanta Gladiators (34-29-6-1) (Last Week: 13)
17) Rapid City Rush (32-33-4-0) (Last Week: 19)
18) Kansas City Mavericks (31-30-6-2) (Last Week: 18)
19) Wichita Thunder (32-32-6-0) (Last Week: 22)
20) Utah Grizzlies (32-33-4-0) (Last Week: 17)
21) Wheeling Nailers (28-36-5-0) (Last Week: 26)
22) Orlando Solar Bears (30-31-7-1) (Last Week: 21)
23) Savannah Ghost Pirates (27-32-9-1) (Last Week: 20)
24) Kalamazoo Wings (27-36-5-0) (Last Week: 25)
25) Iowa Heartlanders (20-35-13-1) (Last Week: 23)
26) Trois-Rivieres Lions (27-40-3-0) (Last Week: 24)
27) Tulsa Oilers (22-38-8-1) (Last Week: 28)
28) Norfolk Admirals (20-44-2-3) (Last Week: 27)