Duluth, GA - The ECHL on Thursday announced its All-ECHL First and Second Teams for 2025-26, with Atlanta Gladiators defenseman Chad Nychuk named to the All-ECHL First Team.

All-ECHL First and Second Teams are determined in a vote of ECHL coaches, broadcasters, media relations directors and media, who were asked to select a goaltender, two defensemen and three forwards. 

Under contract with the Gladiators’ AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, Chad Nychuk was first assigned to Atlanta at the beginning of the season and has had a career year in the ECHL, scoring 8 goals and 45 assists for 53 points in 66 games. The fourth-year pro is T-3^rd in assists and 6^th in overall scoring among ECHL defensemen. His 45 assists set a new franchise record for most assists in a single season by a Gladiators defenseman. His 53 points are the 3^rd most by a defenseman in a single season in franchise history.  

The 25-year-old appeared in 19 games with the Gladiators last season, scoring 5 goals and 5 assists. Nychuk has spent time in the American Hockey League and ECHL in each of his four seasons of professional hockey and has recorded 2 goals and 10 assists in 54 games with the Milwaukee Admirals and Abbotsford Canucks since his professional debut in 2022.

Nychuk becomes the 9^th player in Gladiators history to be named to the All-ECHL First Team and the first since Sasha Guimond in the 2012-13 season. He is the 4^th defenseman in franchise history to be named to the team, joining Troy Milam (2005-06), Jon Awe (2006-07), and Sasha Guimond (2012-13).

2025-26 All-ECHL First Team

G – Cam Johnson, Florida Everblades (47 gp, 29-9-9, 1.86 GAA, .922 save pct.) 

D – Marcus Crawford, Kansas City Mavericks (69 gp, 14g, 72a, 86 pts.) 

D – Chad Nychuk, Atlanta Gladiators (66 gp, 8g, 45a, 53 pts.) 

F – Brandon Hawkins, Toledo Walleye (67 gp, 34g, 41a, 75 pts.) 

F – Danny Katic, Allen Americans (60 gp, 37g, 32a, 69 pts.)

F – Simon Pinard, South Carolina Stingrays (68 gp, 28g, 41a, 69 pts.) 

The ECHL will announce the Community Service Award and Sportsmanship Award winners on Friday. 

Cam Johnson of the Florida Everblades earns All-ECHL First Team honors for the second consecutive season. He is 29-9-9 in 47 appearances this season. He leads the league this season in wins, goals-against average (1.86) and minutes played (2,845) while ranking fifth with a .922 save percentage.

Marcus Crawford of the Kansas City Mavericks is tops overall in the ECHL with 72 assists, 86 points, 33 power-play assists and 39 power-play points. His +49 rating is second in the league and his 14 goals are the most among defensemen.

Brandon Hawkins of the Toledo Walleye earns All-ECHL First Team honors for the fourth consecutive season. He is second in the league with 34 goals and 75 points and tied for second with 31 power-play points while his 292 shots on goal lead the league.

Danny Katic of the Allen Americans leads the ECHL with 37 goals and is tied for fifth with 69 points in 60 games this season. His 10 power-play goals are tied for third and he is tied for 12th with six game-winning goals.

Simon Pinard of the South Carolina Stingrays is tied for fifth in the league with 69 points (28g-41a) in 68 games while ranking second with nine game-winning goals.

About the ECHL Formed in 1988-89 with five teams in four states, the ECHL has grown into a coast-to-coast league with 30 teams in 23 states and one Canadian province for its 38th season in 2025-26. There have been 780 players who have gone on to play in the National Hockey League after starting their careers in the ECHL, including 12 who have made their NHL debuts in the 2025-26 season. The ECHL has affiliations with 30 of the 32 NHL teams in 2025-26, marking the 28th consecutive season that the league has affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL. Further information on the ECHL is available on its website at ECHL.com.