2003–04 ECHL season

Infobox sports season
title =2003–04 ECHL season
league =ECHL
sport =Ice hockey
duration =
season =Regular season
season_champ =
MVP =flagicon|USA Scott Stirling (Atlantic City)
MVP_link =
top_scorer =flagicon|CAN Tim Smith (Columbia)
top_scorer_link =
playoffs =Playoffs
playoffs_link =
conf1 =Eastern
conf1_link =
conf1_champ =Florida Everblades
conf1_runner-up =Reading Royals
conf2 =Western
conf2_link =
conf2_champ =Idaho Steelheads
conf2_runner-up =Gwinnett Gladiators
finals =Finals
finals_link =Kelly Cup
finals_champ =Idaho Steelheads
finals_runner-up =Florida Everblades
playoffs_MVP =flagicon|CAN Dan Ellis (Idaho)
playoffs_MVP_link=
seasonslist = List of ECHL seasons
seasonslistnames = ECHL
prevseason_link = 2002–03 ECHL season
prevseason_year = 2002-03
nextseason_link = 2004–05 ECHL season
nextseason_year = 2004-05

The 2003-04 ECHL season was the 16th season of the ECHL. This season brought a major change in the ECHL as the ECHL Board of Governors approved membership applications from the Anchorage Aces, the Bakersfield Condors, the Fresno Falcons, the Idaho Steelheads, the Las Vegas Wranglers, the Long Beach Ice Dogs and the San Diego Gulls from the recently defunct West Coast Hockey League. Alaska, Bakersfield, Fresno, Idaho, Las Vegas, Long Beach and San Diego were joined by franchises in Duluth, GA and Beaumont, TX as the league's latest expansion teams. In a change reflective of the nationwide presence of the ECHL, the East Coast Hockey League changed its name to simply ECHL on May 19, 2003.

The ECHL All-Star Game was held at Carver Arena in Peoria, Illinois and was hosted by the Peoria Rivermen. The Eastern Conference All-Stars defeated the Western Conference All-Stars 7:6, with Peoria's Randy Rowe named Most Valuable Player.

At the end of the season, the Columbus Cottonmouths, Greensboro Generals, and Roanoke Express franchises all ceased operations as their franchises were revoked. (The Columbus team moved to the Southern Professional Hockey League for 2004-05; the franchise planned to be in Bradenton, Florida, but had its franchise revoked in the September 2006 ECHL Board of Governors meeting.) The Cincinnati Cyclones requested a voluntary suspension of franchise, which was lifted for the 2006-07 season, when the Cyclones resumed play following a full season without minor league hockey in the city.

Regular Season

Final Standings

"Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L= Loses; T = Ties; GF = Goals For; GA = Goals Against; PTS = Points; Green shade = Clinched Playoff Spot; Blue shade = Clinched Division; (z) = Clinched Home-Ice Advantage"

Eastern Conference

coring Leaders

"Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty Minutes"

Division Semifinals

Division Finals

Conference Finals

valign="top"

Division Finals

Conference Finals

ECHL Awards

ee also

* ECHL All-Star Game
* Kelly Cup