Brabham Cup
The Henry Brabham Cup is the trophy awarded annually by the ECHL to the team which finishes with the most points in the league during the regular season. The Brabham Cup has been awarded 29 times to 16 different franchises since its debut in 1989.[1]
History
Unlike the playoff championship, which was originally awarded with the Riley Cup and now the Kelly Cup, the trophy was introduced during the league's inaugural season in 1988 by the league's Board of Governors and was named after in recognition of the honorable Henry Brabham, who founded the ECHL in 1988–89 with five teams in four states. Brabham, who was the first inductee into the ECHL Hall of Fame in 2008, owned three of the original five teams. The dedication of the Virginia businessman was crucial to the league surviving to span from coast-to-coast while advancing 465 players and countless coaches, on-ice officials and front office personnel to the National Hockey League.
While only three Brabham Cup winners have gone on to win the ECHL Championship (one of which, the Alaska Aces, won the Kelly Cup twice while also winning the Brabham Cup) in their respective years, it remains the most likely position to produce the Kelly Cup winner, because the Brabham Cup winner is guaranteed home-ice advantage in all rounds of the Kelly Cup playoffs, provided the team advances to each round.
Six franchises — the Alaska Aces / Maine Mariners, Florida Everblades, Louisiana IceGators, Pee Dee Pride / Knoxville Cherokees, Toledo Walleye/Storm, and the Wheeling Nailers/Thunderbirds/Winston-Salem Thunderbirds have won the Brabham Cup on multiple occasions, with the Aces winning five times, the Walleye winning four, the Everblade, Nailers and former Pride franchise having won three each, and the others with two.
Winners
Defunct franchises are listed in italics.
Year | Winner | Points | Playoff result | Cup # |
---|---|---|---|---|
1988–89 | Erie Panthers | 77 | Lost Semifinals (CAR)[2] | 1 |
1989–90 | Winston-Salem Thunderbirds | 82 | Lost Riley Cup Finals (GRE)[3] | 1 |
1990–91 | Knoxville Cherokees | 97 | Lost Division Semifinals (LOU)[4] | 1 |
1991–92 | Toledo Storm | 95 | Lost Division 1st Round (LOU)[5] | 1 |
1992–93 | Wheeling Thunderbirds | 88 | Lost Riley Cup Finals (TOL)[6] | 2 |
1993–94 | Knoxville Cherokees | 94 | Lost 1st Round (LOU)[7] | 2 |
1994–95 | Wheeling Thunderbirds | 97 | Lost 1st Round (BIR) | 3 |
1995–96 | Richmond Renegades | 105 | Lost Riley Cup Quarterfinals (JAX) | 1 |
1996–97 | South Carolina Stingrays | 100 | Won Kelly Cup[8] | 1 |
1997–98 | Louisiana IceGators | 96 | Lost Kelly Cup Semifinals (PEN)[9] | 1 |
1998–99 | Pee Dee Pride | 106 | Lost Conference Finals (MIS)[10] | 3 |
1999–00 | Florida Everblades | 108 | Lost Conference Quarterfinals (AUG)[11] | 1 |
2000–01 | Trenton Titans | 104 | Lost Kelly Cup Finals (SC)[12] | 1 |
2001–02 | Louisiana IceGators | 116 | Lost Division Semifinals (JAC)[13] | 2 |
2002–03 | Toledo Storm | 104 | Lost Division Finals (CIN)[14] | 2 |
2003–04 | San Diego Gulls | 108 | Lost Division Semifinals (AK) | 1 |
2004–05 | Pensacola Ice Pilots | 107 | Lost Conference Quarterfinals (GVL)[15] | 1 |
2005–06 | Alaska Aces | 113 | Won Kelly Cup[16] | 1 |
2006–07 | Las Vegas Wranglers | 106 | Lost Conference Semifinals (IDH)[17] | 1 |
2007–08 | Cincinnati Cyclones | 115 | Won Kelly Cup | 1 |
2008–09 | Florida Everblades | 103 | Lost Division Finals (SC) | 2 |
2009–10 | Idaho Steelheads | 103 | Lost Kelly Cup Finals (CIN) | 1 |
2010–11 | Alaska Aces | 97 | Won Kelly Cup | 2 |
2011–12 | Alaska Aces | 97 | Lost Conference Finals (LV) | 3 |
2012–13 | Alaska Aces | 106 | Lost Conference Semifinals (STK) | 4 |
2013–14 | Alaska Aces | 97 | Won Kelly Cup | 5 |
2014–15 | Toledo Walleye | 107 | Lost Conference Finals (SC) | 3 |
2015–16 | Missouri Mavericks | 109 | Lost Conference Semifinals (ALN) | 1 |
2016–17 | Toledo Walleye | 106 | Lost Conference Finals (COL) | 4 |
2017–18 | Florida Everblades | 112 | Lost Kelly Cup Finals (COL) | 3 |
See also
References
- ^ "ECHL Awards". ECHL. Archived from the original on 2008-02-15. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ "1988-89 ECHL Playoff Results". The Internet Hockey Database. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
- ^ "1989-90 ECHL Playoff Results". The Internet Hockey Database. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
- ^ "1990-91 ECHL Playoff Results". The Internet Hockey Database. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
- ^ "1991-92 ECHL Playoff Results". The Internet Hockey Database. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
- ^ "1992-93 ECHL Playoff Results". The Internet Hockey Database. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
- ^ "1993-94 ECHL Playoff Results". The Internet Hockey Database. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
- ^ "1996-97 ECHL Playoff Results". The Internet Hockey Database. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
- ^ "1997-98 ECHL Playoff Results". The Internet Hockey Database. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
- ^ "1998-99 ECHL Playoff Results". The Internet Hockey Database. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
- ^ "1999-00 ECHL Playoff Results". The Internet Hockey Database. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
- ^ "2000-01 ECHL Playoff Results". The Internet Hockey Database. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
- ^ "2001-02 ECHL Playoff Results". The Internet Hockey Database. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
- ^ "2002-03 ECHL Playoff Results". The Internet Hockey Database. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
- ^ "2004-05 ECHL Playoff Results". The Internet Hockey Database. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
- ^ "2005-06 ECHL Playoff Results". The Internet Hockey Database. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
- ^ "2006-07 ECHL Playoff Results". The Internet Hockey Database. Retrieved 2008-05-13.