Kelly Cup
The Patrick J. Kelly Cup goes to the play-off 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] The Kelly Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player award is also given out as part of the Kelly Cup Championship ceremonies. Nick Vitucci and Dave Gagnon are the only players to win the award on multiple occasions.[2]
17 different teams have won the ECHL Championship, with eight (Alaska, Allen, Cincinnati, Colorado, Hampton Roads, Idaho, South Carolina, and Toledo) winning multiple times. The Hampton Roads Admirals, the Alaska Aces and the South Carolina Stingrays hold the record for most championships won with three.[3] Current possession of the trophy belongs to the Colorado Eagles, who won it in 2018 after a four-games-to-three win over the Florida Everblades in the Kelly Cup Finals. The Eagles will not be defending the title, as the franchise is moving to the American Hockey League in 2018–19.
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
- MVP was a member of the defeated team in the Kelly Cup Finals
| Season | Winning team | Score | Losing team | MVP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 1995 | Richmond Renegades (1) | 4–1 | Greensboro Monarchs | Blaine Moore |
| 1996 | Charlotte Checkers (1) | 4–0 | Jacksonville Lizard Kings | Nick Vitucci |
| 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 |