With the greatest number of teams hitting the ice in the Eastern Hockey League Premier in the Fall of 2023, the EHLP or EHL Premier is establishing itself as a league of growth and development.
Since its inception in 2015-16, the EHLP has continually seen the quality of the league, its events and the number of teams rise with each given season. Moreover, it has seen the number of success stories, both with its players and coaches rise with the success of the league.
On the coaching front a great many coaches started in the EHLP and then moved into a Head Coaching role in the EHL. These coaches include Adam Houli (NJ 87s), Tim Kunes & Andrew Trimble (New England Wolves), and Rich DeCaprio (Boston Jr Rangers). Several Coaches have also moved from EHLP into NCAA hockey, including Jim Mosso (VT Lumberjacks to Concordia – Wisconsin), Vinny Calgiuri (NH Avalanche to Hockey Operations at Princeton University) and Mike Grace ( Boston Jr Rangers to Elmira College). Even more, some coaches have moved from EHLP onto Pro Hockey, most notably former Boston Jr Rangers EHLP Head Coach Ryan Blair (South Carolina Stingrays). This upward mobility of coaches demonstrates the leagues commitment to its athletes at the EHLP level.
Every year, the success stories from the player’s perspectives rises as well, with over 150 athletes developing at the EHLP level, moving onto the EHL and then onto NCAA hockey. Some of these outstanding hockey playing institutions include; Utica College, Marian University, Plymouth State, SUNY- Geneseo and many others.
Two examples of players who rose through these ranks are goaltenders Graham Burke and Bradley Arvantis. Burke, the 2018-19 EHLP Goaltender of the Year, following his EHLP Frozen Finals appearance, played two seasons in the NAHL before committing to Hobart College. He now is enjoying a stellar freshman season with the Statesmen, sporting a 1.00 GAA and a .951 save percentage. Arvantis played for the Walpole Express EHLP team in the 2015-16 season, before joining the Coulee Region Chill in the NAHL. From there he played at NCAA D1 UMass- Amherst, and is now playing professionally in the ECHL.
Many other EHLP alumni have chosen the ACHA or CHF route for their college destinations including some of the finest academic institutions in the US. In fact, over 200 athletes have come through the EHLP and been placed directly into ACHA hockey schools with outstanding academic merits that do not offer NCAA Hockey programs, such as New York University, Syracuse University, Liberty University, and Columbia University.
Now completing its 8th year of continuous operation, the EHLP has proven to be “A League on the Rise”.
EHLP Player Testimonials:
“The EHLP was a great chance for me to understand junior hockey in development aspects of my game. In order to take the jump to the EHL level and college hockey, looking back, playing a year in the EHLP was crucial to my future.” Jack Johansen- EHLP Alum/ Currently at Fitchburg State
“The year I played in the EHLP developed me as a player more than any other season of my life and took my game and elevated it to be able to play at the college level.” Blake Harlow- EHLP Alum/ UMass- Dartmouth Hockey
“The EHLP helped me understand junior hockey more and be able to take the steps to develop into an everyday player in the EHL and eventually NCAA hockey”. Chris Peters- EHLP Alum/ Currently with Birmingham Bulls SPHL
EHL Coach Testimonials:
“In the Chiefs organization, we use the EHLP as a development/feeder team to our EHL program. We have many players practicing and playing with both teams through out the course of the season. Having these players get the experience they need at EHLP over the year, makes them ready for EHL in the future and eventually ready College hockey.”- Greg Heffernan CT Chiefs EHL Head Coach
The EHLP forms a great development path for inspiring student athletes. It gives our players a chance to develop at their own pace and help them reach their goals to play college hockey in the future. We have had many players who have climbed the development ladder for us from EHLP to our top EHL junior team and are now playing college hockey. The EHL Premier gives players 5 days a week of practice, off ice training, Full time coaching and a 40 plus game schedule which is a great resource to help players become better every day. The EHLP is a great way to get prepared for the next levels of hockey.- Chris Cerella NH Avalanche Head Coach
