The ECHL’s holiday break is a tough time for coaches and a great time for players.

The coaches won’t have any practice time Monday through Wednesday, and there’s even a moratorium on trades until Thursday. They’ll only have one, maybe two, practices before the weekend’s games.

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For the players, though, this weekend is well-earned time to go home and visit family and get away from the rigors of hockey for a few days.

When they return, here are some virtual gifts for some of them from your ECHL Santa Claus:

To The Indy Fuel: Offense To Match The Defense

The Fuel’s defense has been impressive this season, allowing 2.00 goals per game, second best in the ECHL behind the defending-champion Florida Everblades’ average of 1.96.

Utilizing what appears to be a 1-2-2 trap, the Fuel are adept at slowing down opposing teams in the offensive zone and limiting quality scoring chances. They’ve allowed only 22.13 shots per game, lowest in the 29-team league.

Offensively, though, things have been an adventure. 

On Friday, they were held scoreless for the fourth time this season in a 3-0 loss to their in-state rival Fort Wayne Komets.

There are some signs things are improving at the offensive end of the Fuel; a 5-2 victory Saturday over the Komets took the Fuel from 29th in offense to 27th at 2.17 goals per game. 

Cam Hausinger had three goals and an assist to help make it happen.

There’s too much talent offensively for the Fuel’s offense to remain relatively dormant – it has scored more than four goals only twice this season – and look for the likes of Colin Bilek and Bryan Lemos to break out soon.

Even if the Fuel’s offense doesn’t take off, the defense is more than good enough to keep the team in the playoff mix.

To The Idaho Steelheads: Defense To Match Their Offense

The Steelheads have the talent to win the Kelly Cup, especially on offense. 

Hank Crone has 10 goals and a league-leading 35 points, Ty Pelton-Byce has 17 goals and 33 points, and Matt Register leads all defensemen with 27 points.

Overall, the Idaho offense ranked third heading into Sunday with 3.74 goals per game, but the defense had been all over the map and ranked 23rd with 3.30 goals against per game.

The goaltending has been OK – Bryan Thomson, Ben Kraws and Tomas Sholl have combined for a .905 save percentage – but they need more help in front of them.

To The Wheeling Nailers: A Permanent Spot In The North

The Nailers’ best work always has been done in the North Division – including a regular-season division title in 2004 and a berth in the Kelly Cup Finals in 2016 – and while I enjoyed them more in the Central Division, maybe the North is the ideal fit for them.

The Nailers returned to the North after a six-season absence and are atop the division with an 18-5-1 record, including a 13-game winning streak between Nov. 9 and Dec. 14. 

This probably is the most talented roster they’ve ever had – I mean, a goaltending tandem of Sergei Murashov and Taylor Gauthier is ludicrous – and it could be the Nailers’ year to challenge for a Cup.

Hat tip to Matty De St. Phalle for having four game-winning goals.

To The Reading Royals: Home Cooking

I really thought Reading was turning the corner with some of its early-season play, but now the Royals are 9-15-4, and I’m less sure.

Poor performances at home have been the big issue. Reading is 2-6-3 at Santander Arena, 7-9-1 on the road.

Just look at the special teams: The power play is eighth on the road at 23.2%, 22nd at home at 14.3%, and the penalty kill is 20th on the road at 81.7%, 28th at home at 69.4%.

If Reading could get its home play improved, a playoff spot in the tightly packed North Division isn’t far-fetched.

To The South Carolina Stingrays: A Box Set Of “Rocky” Movies

I appreciate a team that plays aggressively, and the Stingrays aren’t afraid to be physical – even if they wind up in the penalty box.

The Stingrays led the ECHL heading into Sunday with 18.75 penalty minutes per game, including an ECHL-high 20 majors. I’m not saying there isn’t a downside to playing so often short-handed, but if you’re going to do so you’d better have a good penalty kill and the Stingrays certainly do, ranking first at 94.4%.

They’re also an incredible 10-1-1 at the North Charleston Coliseum and Micah Miller has a league-best five game-winning goals.

So, keep doing your physical thing, Justin Nachbaur, Andrew Perrott, Jacob Graves and company.

To The Iowa Heartlanders (Again) And The Trois-Rivières Lions: Fans Galore

Last year, I gave the Heartlanders this gift, but maybe it got lost in the mail. In fact, their average attendance at this time last year was 1,846, and it’s actually down this season to 1,167.

I don’t pretend to know all the issues the Heartlanders go through when it comes to drawing crowds, but historically poor teams, and a 2023 change in ownership, probably haven’t helped.

I do know this: Some sports fans in Coralville, Iowa, are missing out because the Heartlanders are playing good hockey and are on pace for the franchise’s first playoff berth.

They’re 15-8-3 and in second place – based on points – in the Central Division.

The second-worst attendance average (2,309) belongs to Trois-Rivières Lions, and they’ve been playing even better hockey than the Heartlanders.

The Lions are in a packed Quebec hockey market and had a change in ownership, too, this year.

But Trois-Rivières has some awfully exciting players such as Anthony Beauregard, Chris Jandric and Nicolas Guay, and they’re 8-1-1 in their last 10, 15-4-3 overall, so the fans should tune in.

To The Tulsa Oilers: Anaheim Ducks Snuggies

Sometimes, an NHL affiliation can pay off in very unexpected ways, as the Oilers found out this month when defenseman Jérémie Biakabutuka landed on their doorstep free of charge.

The Oilers’ NHL affiliate, the Ducks, acquired Biakabutuka and a second-round 2027 draft pick from the St. Louis Blues for Cam Fowler and a fourth-round pick in 2027.

Biakabutuka had been with the Blues’ ECHL affiliate – they’re in their first season with the Kelly Cup-champion Florida Everblades – but the Ducks moved him to their affiliate in Tulsa.

Biakabutuka had been playing very well for the Everblades with one goal and four points in 13 games, and even though the Oilers are off to a strong 16-8-2 start, Biakabutuka is just what they needed as a competent, physical defender who can contribute some offense.

He has one goal and two points in two games so far with the Oilers.

To The Worcester Railers: Alarm Clocks

I’m just not sure the Railers are aware of when their games start; heading into Sunday they’d been outscored 36-18 in the first period of games, something they’ve no doubt been working on since Nick Tuzzolino took over as head coach Dec. 14.

The Railers had outscored opponents 25-23 in second periods, been outscored 31-24 in third periods and gone 5-1 in overtime (Anthony Repaci scoring twice in OT), so if the Railers (10-15-3) can get their early-game play to improve, they could get back in the North Division mix.

To The Florida Everblades And Jacksonville Icemen: Overtime Pay

Like the Railers, the Everblades and Icemen have racked up a significant number of their points through success in overtime.

Florida has gone past regulation time seven times and won five games in overtime, while losing two. Ditto for Jacksonville.

I’m no fan of 3-on-3 overtime, but if it’s there, you’d better have guys who know how to take advantage of all that open ice. Florida’s Colin Theisen has scored twice in OT, as has Jacksonville’s Davis Koch.

Another team that’s looked particularly good in overtime has been Fort Wayne, which is 3-1 in games decided in OT and 1-0 in shootouts. Alex Aleardi has two OT goals and one SO goal.

To The Norfolk Admirals: Another Goal Scorer

Don’t get me wrong, Norfolk has been very good with a 17-6-3 record and the No. 5-ranked offense heading into Sunday with 3.68 goals per game.

They have so many unselfish players – such as Brady Fleurent, Stepan Timofeyev and Ben Zloty – and an incredible amount of depth.

But I do think they could benefit from a put-their-head-down shooter to take the pressure off Carson Golder, who had 12 goals and was the only player on the roster in double digits in that category.

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