ECHL vs NIHL

The ECHL sits at a higher caliber than the NIHL which is the 2nd tier in the UK. Whereas the ECHL is the 3rd tier in North America (below the AHL/NHL), the NIHL sits below the EIHL and serves as a feeder and development league. There are a select number of top players in NIHL that could play in the ECHL, but most of the rosters here would not cut it at the ECHL level.

The level of hockey isn't as high as the EIHL (top level), but there are some solid players across the league. Rosters are built up primarily with younger British players and some teams dedicate a portion of the clubs budget on bringing top imports over to greatly strengthen their teams and carry the load (veteran presence, point production, etc).