2007–08 ECHL season
The 2007–08 ECHL season was the 20th season of the ECHL. Two teams suspended operations at the end of the 2006–07 season, the Long Beach Ice Dogs and the Toledo Storm. Toledo's suspension was granted after Toledo Arena Sports, Inc. acquired the Storm and requested a suspension of the team for two years in order to allow a new arena to be built in downtown Toledo to open in 2009 in time for the team to return to play.
| 2007–08 ECHL season | |
|---|---|
| League | ECHL |
| Sport | Ice hockey |
| Duration | October 2007 – May 2008 |
| Regular season | |
| Season MVP | David Desharnais (Cincinnati) |
| Top scorer | David Desharnais (Cincinnati) |
| Playoffs | |
| American champions | Cincinnati Cyclones |
| American runners-up | South Carolina Stingrays |
| National champions | Las Vegas Wranglers |
| National runners-up | Utah Grizzlies |
| Playoffs MVP | Cedrick Desjardins |
| Finals | |
| Champions | Cincinnati Cyclones |
| Runners-up | Las Vegas Wranglers |
The league officially welcomed back the Mississippi Sea Wolves, who had to suspend operations for two seasons (2005–07) because of damage to the Mississippi Coast Coliseum caused by Hurricane Katrina. The Elmira Jackals also joined the ECHL after being in the United Hockey League for their previous existence. Another established team, the Trenton, New Jersey franchise, entered its ninth season with a new name. The team, now owned by the NHL New Jersey Devils, adopted the Devils nickname.
Before the start of the season, the league announced that it would hand out a new award to honor on-ice referees for their dedication and contribution to the league, through the Ryan Birmingham Memorial Award. The award is given in honor of Ryan Birmingham, a former ECHL referee who died in an automobile accident, while driving from Chattanooga, Tennessee to Snellville, Georgia in May 2007. Birmingham died at the age of 24.
The Cincinnati Cyclones finished first overall in the regular season, winning the Brabham Cup, and became the third team in ECHL history to win the Brabham Cup and Kelly Cup in the same year by defeating the Las Vegas Wranglers four games to two.