Kelly Cup

Last updated
Kelly Cup
Kelly Cup.jpg
Sport Ice hockey
Competition ECHL
Awarded forPlayoff champions
Sponsored byFLOHOCKEY
History
First award1997;27 years ago (1997)
First winner South Carolina Stingrays
Most wins Florida Everblades (4 titles)
Most recent Florida Everblades
Website List of winners
Riley Cup
SportIce hockey
Competition ECHL
Awarded forPlayoff champions
History
First award1989
Final award1996
First winner Carolina Thunderbirds
Most wins Hampton Roads Admirals
Toledo Storm
(2 each)
Most recent Charlotte Checkers

The Patrick J. Kelly Cup goes to the playoff champion of the ECHL. The Kelly Cup has been awarded to teams since 1997. Prior to 1997, the playoff winner was awarded the Riley Cup, named after former American Hockey League president Jack Riley. The current cup is named after Patrick J. Kelly, the league's first commissioner. The cup is loaned to the winning team for one year and is returned at the start of the following year's playoffs, [1] although the trophy itself has been replaced three times with the first two iterations preserved in the Hockey Hall of Fame. [2] The Kelly Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player award is also given out as part of the Kelly Cup Championship ceremonies. Nick Vitucci, Dave Gagnon and Cam Johnson (ice hockey) are the only players to win the award on multiple occasions, with Johnson the only player to win the award in consecutive years. [3]

Contents

Eighteen different teams have won the ECHL Championship, with nine (Alaska, Allen, Cincinnati, Colorado, Florida, Hampton Roads, Idaho, South Carolina, and Toledo) winning multiple times. The Florida Everblades hold the record for most championships won with four. [4] The Colorado Eagles, who won it in 2018 for their second consecutive title, moved to the American Hockey League in 2018–19. In 2019, the Eagles' ownership did not return the Kelly Cup to the ECHL before the playoffs, leading to the league creating a replacement trophy for the 2019 Kelly Cup playoffs. [5] [6] The Eagles' ownership eventually returned the cup before the 2019–20 season, and the league returned its status to be the primary trophy. [7] [8] The 2019 Kelly Cup was the fourth copy of the trophy, but was allowed to be kept by the Newfoundland Growlers when the previous cup returned to circulation. [2]

On one occasions an ECHL club has won the Kelly Cup coincidentally with its NHL affiliate winning the Stanley Cup: 2023 when the Florida Panthers and their ECHL affiliate, the Florida Everblades both won this also occurred with its AHL affiliate winning the Calder Cup: 2009 when the Hershey Bears and their ECHL affiliate, the South Carolina Stingrays both won.

Playoff format

The Kelly Cup playoffs is an elimination tournament, consisting of four rounds of a best-of-seven series. The format has changed often throughout the years. Since 2016–17, the top four point earners from each division qualify. The first two playoff rounds are played within each division, followed by the conference finals (contested between the four division winners), and ending with the Kelly Cup finals (featuring the two conference champions).

List of ECHL champions

The Kelly Cup MVP Trophy Kelly Cup MVP Trophy.jpg
The Kelly Cup MVP Trophy
  MVP was a member of the defeated team in the Kelly Cup Finals
SeasonWinning teamScoreLosing teamMVP
1989 Carolina Thunderbirds (1)4–3 Johnstown Chiefs Nick Vitucci
1990 Greensboro Monarchs (1)4–1 Winston-Salem Thunderbirds Wade Flaherty
1991 Hampton Roads Admirals (1)4–1 Greensboro Monarchs Dave Flanagan / Dave Gagnon
1992 Hampton Roads Admirals (2)4–0 Louisville Icehawks Mark Bernard
1993 Toledo Storm (1)4–2 Wheeling Thunderbirds Rick Judson
1994 Toledo Storm (2)4–1 Raleigh IceCaps Dave Gagnon (2)
1995 Richmond Renegades (1)4–1 Greensboro Monarchs Blaine Moore
1996 Charlotte Checkers (1)4–0 Jacksonville Lizard Kings Nick Vitucci (2)
1997 South Carolina Stingrays (1)4–1 Louisiana IceGators Jason Fitzsimmons
1998 Hampton Roads Admirals (3)4–2 Pensacola Ice Pilots Sebastien Charpentier
1999 Mississippi Sea Wolves (1)4–3 Richmond Renegades Travis Scott
2000 Peoria Rivermen (1)4–2 Louisiana IceGators J. F. Boutin / Jason Christie
2001 South Carolina Stingrays (2)4–1 Trenton Titans Dave Seitz
2002 Greenville Grrrowl (1)4–0 Dayton Bombers Simon Gamache / Tyrone Garner
2003 Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies (1)4–1 Columbia Inferno Kevin Colley
2004 Idaho Steelheads (1)4–1 Florida Everblades Dan Ellis
2005 Trenton Titans (1)4–2 Florida Everblades Leon Hayward
2006 Alaska Aces (1)4–1 Gwinnett Gladiators Mike Scott
2007 Idaho Steelheads (2)4–1 Dayton Bombers Steve Silverthorn
2008 Cincinnati Cyclones (1)4–2 Las Vegas Wranglers Cedrick Desjardins
2009 South Carolina Stingrays (3)4–3 Alaska Aces James Reimer
2010 Cincinnati Cyclones (2)4–1 Idaho Steelheads Robert Mayer / Jeremy Smith
2011 Alaska Aces (2)4–1 Kalamazoo Wings Scott Howes
2012 Florida Everblades (1)4–1 Las Vegas Wranglers John Muse
2013 Reading Royals (1)4–1 Stockton Thunder Riley Gill
2014 Alaska Aces (3)4–2 Cincinnati Cyclones Rob Madore
2015 Allen Americans (1)4–3 South Carolina Stingrays Greger Hanson
2016 Allen Americans (2)4–2 Wheeling Nailers Chad Costello
2017 Colorado Eagles (1)4–0 South Carolina Stingrays Matt Register
2018 Colorado Eagles (2)4–3 Florida Everblades Michael Joly
2019 Newfoundland Growlers (1)4–2 Toledo Walleye Zach O'Brien
2020 Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021 Fort Wayne Komets (1)3–1 South Carolina Stingrays Stephen Harper
2022 Florida Everblades (2)4–1 Toledo Walleye Cam Johnson
2023 Florida Everblades (3)4–0 Idaho Steelheads Cam Johnson (2)
2024 Florida Everblades (4)4–1 Kansas City Mavericks Oliver Chau

See also

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toledo Walleye</span> Minor league ice hockey team in Ohio, United States

The Toledo Walleye are a professional ice hockey team based in Toledo, Ohio. The Walleye are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the ECHL. The Walleye were founded in 1991 as the Toledo Storm and play their home games at the Huntington Center, which opened in 2009. Since the beginning of the 2009–10 season, the team has been affiliated with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League and the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League with an agreement in place through the 2023–24 season.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012–13 ECHL season</span> Ice hockey league season

The 2012–13 ECHL season was the 25th season of the ECHL. The regular season schedule ran from October 12, 2012 to March 30, 2013, with the Kelly Cup playoffs to follow. The All-Star Game, not held in 2011-12, was brought back and held on January 23, 2013 at Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, Colorado, home of the Colorado Eagles.

The 2014–15 ECHL season was the 27th season of the ECHL. The regular season schedule ran from October 17, 2014, to April 11, 2015, with the Kelly Cup playoffs following. Twenty-eight teams in 20 states and one Canadian province each played a 72-game schedule. Ten days prior to the start of the season, the league was significantly expanded on October 7, 2014, after the ECHL had accepted the Central Hockey League's remaining seven teams as members for the 2014–15 season.

The 2016–17 ECHL season was the 29th season of the ECHL. The regular season schedule ran from October 14, 2016 to April 9, 2017, with the Kelly Cup playoffs following. Twenty-seven teams in 21 states and one Canadian province each played a 72-game schedule.

The 2017–18 ECHL season is the 30th season of the ECHL. The regular season ran from October 13, 2017 to April 8, 2018, with the 2018 Kelly Cup playoffs following. Twenty-seven teams in 21 states and one Canadian province each played a 72-game schedule.

The 2018 Kelly Cup playoffs of the ECHL began in April 2018 following the conclusion of the 2017–18 ECHL regular season. The Kelly Cup was won by the Colorado Eagles, in their last season in the ECHL before joining the American Hockey League, in seven games over the regular season champions, the Florida Everblades.

The 2018–19 ECHL season was the 31st season of the ECHL. The regular season was scheduled to run from October 12, 2018, to April 7, 2019, with the Kelly Cup playoffs to follow. Twenty-seven teams in 20 states and two Canadian provinces each play a 72-game schedule. The Kelly Cup was won by the Newfoundland Growlers in their inaugural season over the Toledo Walleye.

The 2019 Kelly Cup playoffs of the ECHL began in April 2019 following the conclusion of the 2018–19 ECHL regular season. The Kelly Cup was won by the expansion Newfoundland Growlers in six games over the Toledo Walleye.

The 2019–20 ECHL season was the 32nd season of the ECHL. The regular season began in October 2019 to and was set to conclude in April 2020 with the Kelly Cup playoffs to follow. Twenty-six teams in 19 states and two Canadian provinces were each scheduled for 72 games.

The 2021–22 ECHL season was the 34th season of the ECHL. The regular season was scheduled to run from October 21, 2021, to April 17, 2022, with the Kelly Cup playoffs to follow. Twenty-seven teams in 20 states and two Canadian provinces were each scheduled to play 72 games. The Florida Everblades were the 2022 Kelly Cup champions when they defeated the Toledo Walleye in five games in the Kelly Cup championship.

The 2022–23 ECHL season was the 35th season of the ECHL. The regular season began on October 21, 2022, and ended on April 16, 2023, with the 2023 Kelly Cup playoffs to follow. 28 teams in 20 states and two Canadian provinces played 72 games.

The 2023 Kelly Cup playoffs of the ECHL hockey league began on April 19, 2023, following the conclusion of the 2022–23 ECHL regular season and ended on June 9 with the Florida Everblades winning their second consecutive Kelly Cup and third overall over the Idaho Steelheads in four games.

The 2023–24 ECHL season was the 36th season of the ECHL. The regular season began on October 19, 2023, and ended on April 14, 2024, with the 2024 Kelly Cup playoffs to follow. Twenty-eight teams, all of which are affiliated with an NHL team, in 20 states and two Canadian provinces are scheduled to play 72 games.

References

  1. ↑ ECHL Trophies Archived 2008-02-15 at the Wayback Machine
  2. 1 2 "STATEMENT FROM THE ECHL REGARDING THE KELLY CUP". ECHL. June 1, 2019.
  3. ↑ "Kelly Cup Playoffs MVP All-Time Winners". Archived from the original on 2010-01-05. Retrieved 2008-07-15.
  4. ↑ "Kelly Cup All-Time Winners". Archived from the original on 2009-09-16. Retrieved 2008-07-15.
  5. ↑ "The Kelly Cup was never returned so the ECHL created a replacement trophy". WTVG . May 31, 2019.
  6. ↑ "STATEMENT FROM EAGLES OWNER MARTIN LIND REGARDING KELLY CUP". Colorado Eagles. May 31, 2019.
  7. ↑ "Growlers to Celebrate Opening Night with Two Kelly Cups". OurSports Central. October 10, 2019.
  8. ↑ "ECHL RECEIVES RETURNED KELLY CUP". ECHL. November 11, 2019.
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