The 2020-21 ECHL season is officially set to get underway starting Friday, Dec. 11 with 13 teams around the league set to begin their 72-game season. The rest of the league is set to begin their 62-game season starting on Friday, Jan. 15.
However, a number of teams have already informed the league that they are opting out of the 2020-21 season under the league’s COVID-19 policy and will resume play in the 2021-22 season. In all, 11 of the league's 26 teams have voluntarily suspended operations this upcoming season.
It was announced on Monday that the Buffalo Sabres' ECHL affiliate, the Cincinnati Cyclones, are one of those teams that have elected to opt out of the 2020-21 season.
“After much consideration and discussion, we have decided it is in the best interest of our players, fans, and the organization as a whole to opt out of the 2020-2021 ECHL season,” said Cyclones Governor Ray Harris in a team statement on Monday. “This decision was not taken lightly but we feel it is the proper resolution for all involved. Our organization will continue to be active in our community as we look to contribute via new and unique outlets. We will also continue our work as part of the Cincinnati Cyclones Foundation and strengthen youth hockey in the Cincinnati area.”
The team also said in their official statement that with the the state of Ohio's strict social distancing guidelines, it makes it financially impossible to put a team on the ice going forward.
“Today is a difficult day for everyone in the Cyclones organization,” said Cyclones Alternate Governor and General Manager Kristin Ropp in the team statement. “We pride ourselves in being a staple of affordable family fun in the Cincinnati community and look forward to the day when Cyclones fans can safely return to Heritage Bank Center. We will now turn our attention to the 2021-2022 season and to elevating an already superb level of entertainment for Cyclones fans. While we will miss seeing our fans this year, we vow to return to the ice with a better product than ever before. We wish all our fans, players, and staff continued good health.”
“This decision for our clubs was immensely difficult amidst the everchanging landscape of the COVID-19 pandemic and the inability to return to play throughout our various jurisdictions,” said ECHL Commissioner Ryan Crelin in a league statement. “We look forward to returning fans and ECHL hockey in these great markets as they shift their focus to the 2021-22 season.”
This decision for the Cyclones leaves the Sabres and the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League without an ECHL affiliate for the 2020-21 season. While it may not impact a majority of Sabres prospects heading into the upcoming season, there are a couple of names that could leave the Sabres in a tough decision for their playing status in the coming weeks.
The most notable name that was likely to start the 2020-21 season in Cincinnati is goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.
The 21-year-old is currently playing with TPS Turku in the SM-Liiga in Finland, where he has posted a 5-2-4 record in 11 games played with a 2.34 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage. His goals-against average is currently tied for eighth in the league rankings, while his save percentage has him sitting fourth in the league.
Last season in Cincinnati, Luukkonen was stellar in his first full professional season in North America with a 12-7-3 record, a 2.24 goals-against average, a .912 save percentage and three shutouts. His early numbers to start the 2019-20 season also earned Luukkonen an All-Star bid as a 20-year-old.
Getting Luukkonen the valuable playing time in Finland will certainly help him continue his strong line of development going forward as, arguably, Buffalo's top goaltending prospect. The second round pick (54th overall) in the 2017 NHL Draft is playing so well in Finland that he has, arguably, taken over the starting duties from fellow netminder Andrei Kareyev.
The original plan for Luukkonen was for him to play in Finland until NHL training camps were set to get underway for the 2020-21 season. However, with Jonas Johansson and Dustin Tokarski set to start the 2020-21 season as the goaltending duo in Rochester, it may be more beneficial to keep Luukkonen playing on a loan with TPS and continue to get valuable experience playing professionally overseas.
The Amerks also have veteran goalie Michael Houser under an AHL contract for the 2020-21 season, and he was set to back up Luukkonen in Cincinnati this year.
The Sabres may have also utilized the Cyclones to start the 2020-21 season to allow some young defensive prospects to get some valuable playing time.
During the offseason, the Sabres signed 2017 third round pick Oskari Laaksonen and 2018 second round pick Mattias Samuelsson to their entry-level contracts. Buffalo could also have prospects Jacob Bryson, Will Borgen, and Casey Fitzgerald playing in Rochester to start the year. When you add in veterans Brandon Davidson, Casey Nelson, as well as AHL free agent signee Ryan Jones, there is a logjam of talent on the blue line in Rochester for the upcoming season.
One possible solution for the Sabres could be to loan out Laaksonen to Finland for the remainder of the 2020-21 season, similar to a possible scenario for Luukkonen.
Laaksonen has played in 18 games this season with the Lahti Pelicans in the SM-Liiga, where he has scored four goals and eight assists for 12 points. Laaksonen's 12 points rank him tied for seventh in league scoring among defensemen, while his four goals have all come while on the power play, which is tied for the league-lead.
The addition of Laaksonen has solidified the defensive group for the Pelicans to start the season. The team has the 21-year-old averaging nearly 21 minutes per-night, shooting the puck plenty, and playing some key minutes, especially on the power play that ranks second overall in the league. His 89 shots on goal from the blue line ranks him third overall in the league.
It may be beneficial to allow Laaksonen the chance to continue his solid play in Finland for the remainder of the 2020-21 Liiga season. If he does return to North America for training camp, he will likely be competing for a full-time roster spot in the AHL. Laaksonen should have a decent shot at earning a top-six role in Rochester, but it will be up to general manager Kevyn Adams to determine what is best for him going forward.
Fitzgerald is also on a loan playing in Europe to start the 2020-21 season with the Krefeld Pinguine of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga in Germany. He may also be an option for the Sabres to allow him to continue playing in Germany for the entirety of the DEL season, where he could play with his older brother Ryan.
The DEL season is set to get underway on Thursday, Dec. 17.