1999–2000 ECHL season

The 1999–2000 ECHL season was the 12th season of the ECHL. Before the start of the season, the Miami Matadors and Columbus Chill suspended operations, the Chesapeake Icebreakers, who originally suspended operations, moved to Jackson, Mississippi. The league also welcomed expansion franchises in North Little Rock, Arkansas and Trenton, New Jersey, as well as welcoming back a franchise in the former market of Greensboro, North Carolina. The New Orleans Brass moved into the New New Orleans Arena. The league also created a new individual award, the Plus Performer Award, to be awarded to the player who leads the league in plus-minus rating at the end of the regular season.^[1] The Florida Everblades finished first overall in the regular season, winning the Brabham Cup and the Peoria Rivermen won their first Kelly Cup, defeating the Louisiana IceGators four games to two.

1999–2000 ECHL season
League	ECHL
Sport	Ice hockey
Duration	October 1999 – May 31, 2000
Regular season
Brabham Cup	Florida Everblades
Kelly Cup Playoffs
Northern champions	Peoria Rivermen
Northern runners-up	Trenton Titans
Southern champions	Louisiana IceGators
Southern runners-up	Greenville Grrrowl
Kelly Cup Finals
Champions	Peoria Rivermen
Runners-up	Louisiana IceGators

Regular season

Final standings

Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L= Losses; T = Ties; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points; Green shade = Clinched playoff spot; Blue shade = Clinched division; (z) = Clinched home-ice advantage

Northern Conference

Northeast Division	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	GF	GA
Roanoke Express	70	44	20	6	94	221	181
Richmond Renegades	70	44	21	5	93	258	205
Hampton Roads Admirals	70	44	22	4	92	241	198
Trenton Titans	70	37	29	4	78	233	199
Charlotte Checkers	70	25	38	7	57	186	254
Greensboro Generals	70	20	43	7	47	229	337

Northwest Division	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	GF	GA
Peoria Rivermen	70	45	20	5	95	273	216
Huntington Blizzard	70	35	25	10	80	230	238
Johnstown Chiefs	70	33	28	9	75	235	234
Dayton Bombers	70	32	28	10	74	230	226
Wheeling Nailers	70	25	40	5	55	202	246
Toledo Storm	70	22	41	7	51	214	306

Southern Conference

Southeast Division	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	GF	GA
Florida Everblades	70	53	15	2	108	277	181
Pee Dee Pride	70	47	18	5	99	233	175
Greenville Grrrowl	70	46	18	6	98	277	198
South Carolina Stingrays	70	35	25	10	80	253	242
Augusta Lynx	70	34	31	5	73	243	248
Tallahassee Tiger Sharks	70	31	33	6	68	256	261
Jacksonville Lizard Kings	70	27	34	9	63	246	291

Southwest Division	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	GF	GA
Louisiana IceGators	70	43	18	9	95	281	241
Mobile Mysticks	70	40	28	2	82	275	230
New Orleans Brass	70	36	27	7	79	230	219
Mississippi Sea Wolves	70	35	27	8	78	241	221
Pensacola Ice Pilots	70	35	29	6	76	215	216
Baton Rouge Kingfish	70	33	32	5	71	253	277
Jackson Bandits	70	32	32	6	70	201	227
Birmingham Bulls	70	29	37	4	62	255	297
Arkansas RiverBlades	70	18	49	3	39	192	316

Kelly Cup playoffs

Northern Conference

Bracket

	Conference Quarterfinals (Best of 5)					Conference Semifinals (Best of 5)					Conference Finals (Best of 7)
	1	Peoria	3
	8	Dayton	0
						1	Peoria	3
						7	Johnstown	0
	2	Roanoke	1
	7	Johnstown	3
											1	Peoria	4
											6	Trenton	2
	3	Richmond	0
	6	Trenton	3
						6	Trenton	3
						4	Hampton Roads	2
	4	Hampton Roads	3
	5	Huntington	2

Quarterfinals

(1) Peoria vs. (8) Dayton Date Away Home April 3 Dayton 2 Peoria 6 April 5 Dayton 2 Peoria 3 OT April 6 Peoria 4 Dayton 3 Peoria wins series 3–0

(2) Roanoke vs. (7) Johnstown Date Away Home April 4 Johnstown 3 Roanoke 0 April 5 Roanoke 4 Johnstown 3 April 7 Roanoke 0 Johnstown 4 April 8 Johnstown 4 Roanoke 1 Johnstown wins series 3–1

(3) Richmond vs. (6) Trenton Date Away Home April 6 Trenton 4 Richmond 2 April 8 Trenton 3 Richmond 0 April 9 Richmond 0 Trenton 2 Trenton wins series 3–0

(4) Hampton Roads vs. (5) Huntington Date Away Home April 5 Huntington 4 Hampton Roads 0 April 7 Huntington 1 Hampton Roads 7 April 9 Hampton Roads 6 Huntington 4 April 10 Hampton Roads 0 Huntington 3 April 12 Huntington 2 Hampton Roads 3 Hampton Roads wins series 3–2

Semifinals

(1) Peoria vs. (7) Johnstown Date Away Home April 16 Johnstown 3 Peoria 4 OT April 18 Johnstown 4 Peoria 7 April 21 Peoria 2 Johnstown 1 Peoria wins series 3–0

(4) Hampton Roads vs. (6) Trenton Date Away Home April 16 Trenton 0 Hampton Roads 1 April 18 Trenton 3 Hampton Roads 2 2OT April 20 Hampton Roads 4 Trenton 3 April 22 Hampton Roads 3 Trenton 6 April 24 Trenton 4 Hampton Roads 2 Trenton wins series 3–2

Finals

(1) Peoria vs. (6) Trenton Date Away Home April 30 Trenton 6 Peoria 7 May 2 Trenton 2 Peoria 7 May 4 Peoria 1 Trenton 2 OT May 5 Peoria 5 Trenton 2 May 7 Peoria 1 Trenton 3 May 10 Trenton 2 Peoria 5 Peoria wins series 4–2

Southern Conference

Bracket

	Conference Wild Card (Best of 3)					Conference Quarterfinals (Best of 5)					Conference Semifinals (Best of 5)					Conference Finals (Best of 7)
						1	Florida	2
						10	Augusta	3
	7	New Orleans	1
	10	Augusta	2
											10	Augusta	1
											4	Greenville	3
						4	Greenville	3
						5	Mobile	2
																4	Greenville	2
																2	Louisiana	4
						3	Pee Dee	2
						6	South Carolina	3
	6	South Carolina	2
	11	Baton Rouge	0
											6	South Carolina	0
											2	Louisiana	3
						2	Louisiana	3
						8	Mississippi	1
	8	Mississippi	2
	9	Pensacola	1

Wild Card

(6) South Carolina vs. (11) Baton Rouge Date Away Home April 4 Baton Rouge 2 South Carolina 6 April 5 South Carolina 5 Baton Rouge 4 OT South Carolina wins series 2–0

(7) New Orleans vs. (10) Augusta Date Away Home April 3 Augusta 1 New Orleans 2 OT April 5 New Orleans 1 Augusta 2 OT April 7 Augusta 5 New Orleans 2 Augusta wins series 2–1

(8) Mississippi vs. (9) Pensacola Date Away Home April 4 Pensacola 2 Mississippi 1 April 5 Mississippi 4 Pensacola 2 April 7 Mississippi 4 Pensacola 0 Mississippi wins series 2–1

Quarterfinals

(1) Florida vs. (10) Augusta Date Away Home April 8 Augusta 3 Florida 1 April 10 Augusta 3 Florida 5 April 16 Florida 4 Augusta 3 April 17 Florida 2 Augusta 4 April 19 Augusta 4 Florida 2 Augusta wins series 3–2

(2) Louisiana vs. (8) Mississippi Date Away Home April 9 Mississippi 2 Louisiana 3 April 11 Mississippi 3 Louisiana 7 April 12 Louisiana 2 Mississippi 3 2OT April 17 Louisiana 4 Mississippi 2 Louisiana wins series 3–1

(3) Pee Dee vs. (6) South Carolina Date Away Home April 8 South Carolina 3 Pee Dee 2 April 11 Pee Dee 5 South Carolina 1 April 13 South Carolina 2 Pee Dee 3 April 14 Pee Dee 1 South Carolina 8 April 15 South Carolina 4 Pee Dee 3 OT South Carolina wins series 3–2

(4) Greenville vs. (5) Mobile Date Away Home April 10 Mobile 4 Greenville 1 April 11 Mobile 3 Greenville 6 April 14 Greenville 4 Mobile 5 April 15 Greenville 5 Mobile 1 April 16 Mobile 2 Greenville 5 Greenville wins series 3–2

Semifinals

(4) Greenville vs. (10) Augusta Date Away Home April 24 Augusta 1 Greenville 2 April 25 Augusta 2 Greenville 4 April 27 Greenville 3 Augusta 4 OT April 28 Greenville 4 Augusta 0 Greenville wins series 3–1

(2) Louisiana vs. (6) South Carolina Date Away Home April 21 South Carolina 2 Louisiana 4 April 22 South Carolina 3 Louisiana 6 April 25 Louisiana 8 South Carolina 3 Louisiana wins series 3–0

Finals

(2) Louisiana vs. (4) Greenville Date Away Home May 3 Louisiana 4 Greenville 5 May 5 Louisiana 2 Greenville 3 4OT May 6 Greenville 4 Louisiana 6 May 9 Greenville 5 Louisiana 6 OT May 10 Greenville 3 Louisiana 6 May 13 Louisiana 4 Greenville 0 Louisiana wins series 4–2

Kelly Cup finals

	Kelly Cup finals
	N.1	Peoria	4
	S.2	Louisiana	2

(N.1) Peoria vs. (S.2) Louisiana Date Away Home May 19 Louisiana 5 Peoria 3 May 20 Louisiana 4 Peoria 2 May 24 Peoria 5 Louisiana 4 2OT May 25 Peoria 4 Louisiana 2 May 28 Peoria 6 Louisiana 5 2OT May 31 Louisiana 3 Peoria 4 OT Peoria wins series 4–2

ECHL awards

See also: ECHL awards

Patrick J. Kelly Cup:	Peoria Rivermen
Henry Brabham Cup:	Florida Everblades
Northern Conference Champion:	Peoria Rivermen
Southern Conference Champion:	Louisiana IceGators
John Brophy Award:	Bob Ferguson (Florida)
ECHL Most Valuable Player:	Andrew Williamson (Toledo)
Kelly Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player:	J. F. Boutin and Jason Christie (Peoria)
ECHL Goaltender of the Year:	Jan Lasak (Hampton Roads)
ECHL Rookie of the Year:	Jan Lasak (Hampton Roads)
Defenseman of the Year:	Tom Nemeth (Dayton)
Leading Scorer:	John Spoltore (Louisiana)
Plus Performer Award:	Andy MacIntyre (Florida)
Sportsmanship Award:	Jamie Ling (Dayton)

See also

• ECHL All-Star Game
• List of ECHL seasons
• 1999 in sports
• 2000 in sports