| 2017–18 NAHL season | |
|---|---|
| League | North American Hockey League |
| Sport | Ice hockey |
| Duration | Regular season September 13, 2017 – April 9, 2018 Post-season April 13 – May 14, 2018 |
| Games | 60 |
| Teams | 23 |
| Regular season | |
| Season champions | Fairbanks Ice Dogs |
| Season MVP | Jakov Novak (Janesville Jets) |
| Top scorer | Jakov Novak (Janesville Jets) |
| Robertson Cup Playoffs | |
| Robertson Cup Playoffs MVP | Jaxon Castor (Mudbugs) |
| Finals champions | Shreveport Mudbugs |
| Runners-up | Minot Minotauros |
| NAHL seasons | |
The2017–18 NAHL season was the34th season of theNorth American Hockey League. The regular season ran from September 2017 to April 2018 with a 60-game schedule for each team. TheFairbanks Ice Dogs won the regular season championship. TheShreveport Mudbugs defeated theMinot Minotauros 2–1 in the Championship game to capture the Robertson Cup.
Due to a persistent economic inAlaska, theKenai River Brown Bears announced that they would either be folding or relocating in 2017. After the team filed for dormancy after the '17 season, a Fundraising effort was held that eventually raised $300,000 as well as secure 300 season ticket applications. By April 17, the team received approval from the NAHL to reactivate in time to participate this season.[3]
The standings at the end of the regular season were as follows:[4]
Note: x = clinched playoff berth; y = clinched division title; z = clinched regular season title
| Team | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | Pts | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| xy –Aberdeen Wings | 60 | 39 | 16 | 4 | 1 | 83 | 194 | 140 |
| x –Austin Bruins | 60 | 33 | 19 | 4 | 4 | 74 | 176 | 160 |
| x –Minnesota Wilderness | 60 | 33 | 21 | 3 | 3 | 72 | 184 | 181 |
| x –Minot Minotauros | 60 | 28 | 26 | 4 | 2 | 62 | 161 | 168 |
| Bismarck Bobcats | 60 | 24 | 30 | 4 | 2 | 54 | 165 | 184 |
| Brookings Blizzard | 60 | 23 | 30 | 2 | 5 | 53 | 169 | 211 |
| Team | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | Pts | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| xy –Philadelphia Rebels | 60 | 41 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 86 | 206 | 134 |
| x –New Jersey Titans | 60 | 29 | 22 | 7 | 2 | 67 | 203 | 183 |
| x –Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights | 60 | 30 | 24 | 5 | 1 | 66 | 175 | 196 |
| x –Northeast Generals | 60 | 29 | 26 | 4 | 1 | 63 | 184 | 205 |
| Johnstown Tomahawks | 60 | 23 | 33 | 2 | 2 | 50 | 142 | 195 |
| Team | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | Pts | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| xyz –Fairbanks Ice Dogs | 60 | 45 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 97 | 223 | 125 |
| x –Janesville Jets | 60 | 38 | 13 | 6 | 3 | 85 | 181 | 140 |
| x –Springfield Jr. Blues | 60 | 33 | 21 | 5 | 1 | 72 | 169 | 166 |
| x –Minnesota Magicians | 60 | 28 | 24 | 5 | 3 | 64 | 164 | 183 |
| Coulee Region Chill | 60 | 17 | 34 | 4 | 5 | 43 | 162 | 214 |
| Kenai River Brown Bears | 60 | 18 | 38 | 1 | 3 | 40 | 153 | 238 |
| Team | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | Pts | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| xy –Shreveport Mudbugs | 60 | 41 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 89 | 191 | 112 |
| x –Lone Star Brahmas | 60 | 38 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 86 | 164 | 111 |
| x –Odessa Jackalopes | 60 | 33 | 22 | 3 | 2 | 71 | 192 | 263 |
| x –Corpus Christi IceRays | 60 | 27 | 23 | 5 | 5 | 64 | 160 | 177 |
| Amarillo Bulls | 60 | 23 | 26 | 8 | 3 | 57 | 166 | 193 |
| Topeka RoadRunners | 60 | 17 | 39 | 2 | 2 | 38 | 128 | 233 |
The following players led the league in regular season points at the completion of all regular season games.[5]
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jakov Novak | Janesville Jets | 56 | 32 | 41 | 73 | 131 |
| Travis Kothenbeutel | Austin Bruins | 56 | 24 | 43 | 67 | 26 |
| Hunter Wendt | Fairbanks Ice Dogs | 60 | 17 | 44 | 61 | 44 |
| Kip Hoffmann | Janesville Jets | 58 | 24 | 36 | 60 | 78 |
| Josh Boyer | Brookings Blizzard | 58 | 27 | 31 | 58 | 50 |
| Samuel Ruffin | Fairbanks Ice Dogs | 57 | 20 | 37 | 57 | 16 |
| Nathan Burke | Aberdeen Wings | 60 | 32 | 24 | 56 | 18 |
| Ricky Carballo | Odessa Jackalopes | 59 | 20 | 36 | 56 | 79 |
| Erkka Vänskä | Fairbanks Ice Dogs | 60 | 19 | 36 | 55 | 18 |
| Miroslav Mucha | Minot Minotauros | 59 | 30 | 25 | 55 | 28 |
Note: GP = Games played; Mins = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime losses; SOL = Shootout losses; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average; SV% = Save percentage
| Player | Team | GP | Mins | W | L | OTL | SOL | GA | SV | SV% | GAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Durham | Shreveport Mudbugs | 19 | 1122:42 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 40 | 497 | .942 | 1.55 |
| Mitchell Gibson | Lone Star Brahmas | 43 | 2474:03 | 26 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 65 | 1,019 | .936 | 1.58 |
| Josh Benson | Fairbanks Ice Dogs | 37 | 2253:53 | 28 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 71 | 868 | .918 | 1.89 |
| Ryan Keane | Philadelphia Rebels | 33 | 1966:48 | 24 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 62 | 819 | .924 | 1.89 |
| Gustavs Dāvis Grigals | Shreveport Mudbugs | 26 | 1557:29 | 17 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 50 | 663 | .925 | 1.93 |
Teams are reseeded prior to the semifinal round based upon regular season records.
| Division Semifinals (Best-of-5) | Division Finals (Best-of-5) | Semifinal (Best-of-3) | Championship (Best-of-1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| C1 | Aberdeen Wings | 6 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| C4 | Minot Minotauros | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| C4 | Minot Minotauros | 4 | 3* | 2** | - | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Central Division | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| C2 | Austin Bruins | 1 | 2 | 1 | - | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| C2 | Austin Bruins | 2 | 3 | 2 | 5 | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| C3 | Minnesota Wilderness | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Fairbanks Ice Dogs | 5 | 0 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Minot Minotauros | 2 | 2 | 5* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| E1 | Philadelphia Rebels | 5 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4*** | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| E4 | Northeast Generals | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| E1 | Philadelphia Rebels | 1 | 4 | 1 | - | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| East Division | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| E3 | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights | 4 | 5 | 2 | - | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| E2 | New Jersey Titans | 0 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| E3 | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Minot Minotauros | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Shreveport Mudbugs | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MW1 | Fairbanks Ice Dogs | 4 | 3 | 4 | - | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| MW4 | Minnesota Magicians | 3 | 2 | 2 | - | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| MW1 | Fairbanks Ice Dogs | 4 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Midwest Division | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MW2 | Janesville Jets | 6 | 2 | 3* | 2 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| MW2 | Janesville Jets | 3 | 3 | 1 | - | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| MW3 | Springfield Jr. Blues | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Shreveport Mudbugs | 2 | 2 | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights | 0 | 1 | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| S1 | Shreveport Mudbugs | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| S4 | Corpus Christi IceRays | 2 | 2 | 5 | 3* | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| S1 | Shreveport Mudbugs | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Division | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| S2 | Lone Star Brahmas | 0 | 1 | 2* | 3 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| S2 | Lone Star Brahmas | 3 | 2 | 4 | - | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| S3 | Odessa Jackalopes | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)