The 1990–91 ECHL season was the third season

Season (sports)

In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an...

 of the ECHL

ECHL

The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...

. In 1990, the league welcomed three new franchises: Cincinnati Cyclones

Cincinnati Cyclones

The Cincinnati Cyclones are a professional hockey team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The team is a member of the ECHL. Founded in 1990, the team first played their games in the Cincinnati Gardens and now play at U.S. Bank Arena....

, Louisville Icehawks

Louisville Icehawks

The Louisville Icehawks were a professional ice hockey team competing in the East Coast Hockey League. The team, based in Louisville, Kentucky, played from 1990-1994. Their home venue was Broadbent Arena at the Kentucky Exposition Center. The mascot was called Tommy Hawk, a play on tomahawk, and...

, and Richmond Renegades

Richmond Renegades (ECHL)

The Richmond Renegades were an ECHL ice hockey team in Richmond, Virginia that played in the East Coast Hockey League from 1990 until 2003. The Renegades played at the Richmond Coliseum, which they marketed in later years as the Freezer....

. The Virginia Lancers

Virginia Lancers

The Virginia Lancers were a minor league hockey team that played in several leagues from 1983 until 1990. Their home ice was the Vinton Sports Complex, which held 3400 people.-Atlantic Coast Hockey League :...

 franchise was renamed the Roanoke Valley Rebels. The 11 teams played 64 games in the schedule. The Knoxville Cherokees finished first overall in the regular season. The Hampton Roads Admirals won their first Riley Cup championship.

League realignment

With the league expanded to 11 teams, the league was realigned to include two separate divisions, East and West.

East Division

• Erie Panthers
  Erie Panthers
  The Erie Panthers were a professional hockey team, and one of the founding members in the East Coast Hockey League. Based in Erie, Pennsylvania from 1988 to 1996, they were one of the most prolific teams in the ECHL. The Panthers were known for their ability to score goals quickly and often, as...
  
  
• Hampton Roads Admirals
  Hampton Roads Admirals
  The Hampton Roads Admirals were an American professional ice hockey team in the ECHL. They played in Norfolk, Virginia at the Norfolk Scope Arena....
  
  
• Johnstown Chiefs
  Johnstown Chiefs
  The Johnstown Chiefs were a minor league ice hockey team located in Johnstown, Pennsylvania that played in the ECHL. The team was founded in 1988 in the All-American Hockey League, and moved to the East Coast Hockey League when that league was formed...
  
  
• Richmond Renegades
  Richmond Renegades
  The Richmond Renegades was a SPHL ice hockey team in Richmond, Virginia. The team, owned by Allan B. Harvie Jr., the founder of the former ECHL Renegades franchise, began play in October 2006 at the Richmond Coliseum. The team's first head coach was John Brophy...
  
  
• Roanoke Valley Rebels

West Division

• Cincinnati Cyclones
  Cincinnati Cyclones
  The Cincinnati Cyclones are a professional hockey team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The team is a member of the ECHL. Founded in 1990, the team first played their games in the Cincinnati Gardens and now play at U.S. Bank Arena....
  
  
• Greensboro Monarchs
  Greensboro Monarchs
  The Greensboro Monarchs were a professional ice hockey team based in Greensboro, NC. The Monarchs joined the East Coast Hockey League as an expansion franchise prior to the start of the 1989-90 season and surrendered the franchise to the league when the Monarchs joined the AHL at the conclusion of...
  
  
• Knoxville Cherokees
  Knoxville Cherokees
  The Knoxville Cherokees were an East Coast Hockey League team based in Knoxville, Tennessee.-History:The franchise was formed in 1988 along with the ECHL...
  
  
• Louisville Icehawks
  Louisville Icehawks
  The Louisville Icehawks were a professional ice hockey team competing in the East Coast Hockey League. The team, based in Louisville, Kentucky, played from 1990-1994. Their home venue was Broadbent Arena at the Kentucky Exposition Center. The mascot was called Tommy Hawk, a play on tomahawk, and...
  
  
• Nashville Knights
• Winston-Salem Thunderbirds

Regular season

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, Green shade = Clinched playoff spot, Blue shade = Clinched division

East Division	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	GF	GA
Hampton Roads Admirals Hampton Roads Admirals The Hampton Roads Admirals were an American professional ice hockey team in the ECHL. They played in Norfolk, Virginia at the Norfolk Scope Arena....	64	38	20	6	82	300	248
Johnstown Chiefs Johnstown Chiefs The Johnstown Chiefs were a minor league ice hockey team located in Johnstown, Pennsylvania that played in the ECHL. The team was founded in 1988 in the All-American Hockey League, and moved to the East Coast Hockey League when that league was formed...	64	32	29	3	67	324	287
Erie Panthers Erie Panthers The Erie Panthers were a professional hockey team, and one of the founding members in the East Coast Hockey League. Based in Erie, Pennsylvania from 1988 to 1996, they were one of the most prolific teams in the ECHL. The Panthers were known for their ability to score goals quickly and often, as...	64	31	30	3	65	302	302
Richmond Renegades Richmond Renegades (ECHL) The Richmond Renegades were an ECHL ice hockey team in Richmond, Virginia that played in the East Coast Hockey League from 1990 until 2003. The Renegades played at the Richmond Coliseum, which they marketed in later years as the Freezer....	64	29	29	6	64	300	307
Roanoke Valley Rebels	64	26	31	7	59	218	295

West Division	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	GF	GA
Knoxville Cherokees Knoxville Cherokees The Knoxville Cherokees were an East Coast Hockey League team based in Knoxville, Tennessee.-History:The franchise was formed in 1988 along with the ECHL...	64	46	13	5	97	377	230
Cincinnati Cyclones Cincinnati Cyclones The Cincinnati Cyclones are a professional hockey team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The team is a member of the ECHL. Founded in 1990, the team first played their games in the Cincinnati Gardens and now play at U.S. Bank Arena....	64	37	24	3	77	285	281
Greensboro Monarchs Greensboro Monarchs The Greensboro Monarchs were a professional ice hockey team based in Greensboro, NC. The Monarchs joined the East Coast Hockey League as an expansion franchise prior to the start of the 1989-90 season and surrendered the franchise to the league when the Monarchs joined the AHL at the conclusion of...	64	34	27	3	71	275	268
Louisville Icehawks Louisville Icehawks The Louisville Icehawks were a professional ice hockey team competing in the East Coast Hockey League. The team, based in Louisville, Kentucky, played from 1990-1994. Their home venue was Broadbent Arena at the Kentucky Exposition Center. The mascot was called Tommy Hawk, a play on tomahawk, and...	64	31	29	4	66	251	309
Nashville Knights	64	29	31	4	62	307	317
Winston-Salem Thunderbirds	64	20	41	3	43	228	323

Riley Cup playoffs

• E is short for East Division
• W is short for West Division

ECHL awards

Jack Riley Cup:	Hampton Roads Admirals Hampton Roads Admirals The Hampton Roads Admirals were an American professional ice hockey team in the ECHL. They played in Norfolk, Virginia at the Norfolk Scope Arena....
Henry Brabham Cup:	Knoxville Cherokees Knoxville Cherokees The Knoxville Cherokees were an East Coast Hockey League team based in Knoxville, Tennessee.-History:The franchise was formed in 1988 along with the ECHL...
John Brophy Award:	Don Jackson Don Jackson (ice hockey) Donald Clinton Jackson is an ice hockey coach and a retired professional ice hockey player who played 315 games in the National Hockey League between 1978 and 1987 and began his coaching career in 1988.... (Knoxville)
ECHL Most Valuable Player:	Stan Drulia Stan Drulia Stanley W. Drulia is the coach of the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL and a former professional right winger. He was drafted in the eleventh round, 214th overall, by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft. He played 126 games in the National Hockey League, all with the Tampa Bay Lightning... (Knoxville)
Riley Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player:	Dave Flanagan / Dave Gagnon Dave Gagnon David Anthony Gagnon is a retired professional ice hockey goaltender. Dave only played 2 games in NHL, with the Detroit Red Wings, posting an official record of 0–1–0 and goals against average of 10.27.... (Hampton Roads)
ECHL Rookie of the Year:	Dan Gauthier (Knoxville)
Defenseman of the Year:	Brett McDonald (Nashville)
Leading Scorer:	Stan Drulia (Knoxville)

See also

• ECHL
  ECHL
  The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
  
  
• ECHL All-Star Game
  ECHL All-Star Game
  The ECHL All-Star Game is an exhibition ice hockey game that traditionally marks the midway point of the ECHL's regular season, with many of the league's star players playing against each other. The starting lineup for the two teams, including the starting goaltender, is voted on by the coaches,...
  
  
• Kelly Cup
  Kelly Cup
  The Patrick J. Kelly Cup goes to the play-off champion of the ECHL. The Kelly Cup has been awarded to teams since 1997. Prior to 1997, the playoff winner was awarded the Riley Cup. The current cup is named after Patrick J. Kelly, the league's first commissioner. The cup is loaned to the winning...
  
  
• List of ECHL seasons