The 2025 Kelly Cup Playoffs have finally arrived, with the Division Semifinals kicking off beginning Wednesday.
All series in each round of the ECHL post-season are best-of-seven. Here are things to know about each of the 16 teams taking part in the Division Semifinals.
North Division Semifinals
#1 Trois-Rivières Lions (45-19-8) vs. #4 Reading Royals (33-28-11)
Game 1 – Friday, April 18 at 7 p.m. ET at Trois-Rivières
Game 2 – Saturday, April 19 at 7 p.m. ET at Trois-Rivières
Game 3 – Monday, April 21 at 7 p.m. ET at Reading
Game 4 – Wednesday, April 23 at 7 p.m. ET at Reading
Game 5 – Thursday, April 24 at 7 p.m. ET at Reading (If Necessary)
Game 6 – Sunday, April 27 at 3 p.m. ET at Trois-Rivières (If Necessary)
Game 7 – Tuesday, April 29 at 7 p.m. ET at Trois-Rivières (If Necessary)
1. The Lions were one of seven ECHL clubs to win at least 20 games both at home and on the road.
2. After getting off to a sluggish start, Reading clinched a playoff spot by going 15-6-3 over its final 24 games.
#2 Wheeling Nailers (43-25-4) vs. #3 Norfolk Admirals (40-25-7)
Game 1 – Wednesday, April 16 at 7:05 p.m. ET at Norfolk
Game 2 – Thursday, April 17 at 7 p.m. ET at Norfolk
Game 3 – Wednesday, April 23 at 7:10 p.m. ET at Wheeling
Game 4 – Friday, April 25 at 7:10 p.m. ET at Wheeling
Game 5 – Saturday, April 26 at 7:10 p.m. ET at Wheeling (If Necessary)
Game 6 – Monday, April 28 at 7:10 p.m. ET at Wheeling (If Necessary)
Game 7 – Tuesday, April 29 at 7:10 p.m. ET at Wheeling (If Necessary)
3. Wheeling’s Jordan Martel factored into the scoring on over 40 percent of the team’s power-play strikes, tallying 19 points (10-9-19) in those situations.
4. Admirals forward Brady Fleurent has worn the sweaters of both teams during his ECHL career. He spent 11 games with the Nailers during the 2019-20 season. This season, Fleurent led Norfolk and tied for fifth in the league with 77 points (30-47-77) and skated in all 72 games.
South Division Semifinals
#1 South Carolina Stingrays (52-15-5) vs. #4 Orlando Solar Bears (37-25-10)
Game 1 – Friday, April 18 at 7:05 p.m. ET at South Carolina
Game 2 – Saturday, April 19 at 6:05 p.m. ET at South Carolina
Game 3 – Monday, April 21 at 7 p.m. ET at Orlando
Game 4 - Wednesday, April 23 at 7:05 p.m. ET at Orlando
Game 5 - Thursday, April 23 at 7:05 p.m. ET at Orlando (If Necessary)
Game 6 – Sunday, April 27 at 6:05 p.m. ET at South Carolina (If Necessary)
Game 7 – Tuesday, April 29 at 7:05 p.m. ET at South Carolina (If Necessary)
5. Winners of the Brabham Cup for the best record in the regular season, the Stingrays set franchise single-season records for points (109), wins (52) and home wins (29). All of this was accomplished in Jared Nightingale’s first season as head coach and director of hockey operations.
6. This is the third playoff meeting between the two teams, with Orlando coming out on top in both the 2018 and 2019 post-seasons.
#2 Florida Everblades (49-15-8) vs. #3 Jacksonville Icemen (42-22-8)
Game 1 – Friday, April 18 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Florida
Game 2 – Saturday, April 19 at 7 p.m. ET at Florida
Game 3 – Wednesday, April 23 at 7 p.m. ET at Jacksonville
Game 4 – Thursday, April 24 at 7 p.m. ET at Jacksonville
Game 5 – Sunday, April 27 at 3 p.m. ET at Jacksonville (If Necessary)
Game 6 – Tuesday, April 29 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Florida (If Necessary)
Game 7 –Wednesday, April 30 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Florida (If Necessary)
7. This is the fourth straight year the Everblades and Icemen have clashed in the Kelly Cup Playoffs, with Florida coming out on top in each of the previous three en route to three straight Kelly Cup championships.
8. Jacksonville goaltender and ECHL All-Rookie Team selection Justen Close was tied for fifth in the league with a .922 save percentage and eighth with a 2.38 goals-against average. His netmate, Matt Vernon finished the season tied for second in the league with 24 wins.
Central Division Semifinals
#1 Toledo Walleye (44-17-11) vs. #4 Indy Fuel (32-30-10)
Game 1 – Thursday, April 17 at 7:15 p.m. ET at Toledo
Game 2 – Friday, April 18 at 7:15 p.m. ET at Toledo
Game 3 – Monday, April 21 at 7 p.m. ET at Indy
Game 4 – Tuesday, April 22 at 7 p.m. ET at Indy
Game 5 – Saturday, April 26 at 7:15 p.m. ET at Toledo (If Necessary)
Game 6 – Monday, April 28 at 7 p.m. ET at Indy (If Necessary)
Game 7 – Wednesday, April 30 at 7:15 p.m. ET at Toledo (If Necessary)
9. In two previous playoff meetings, each coming in the 2018 and 2023 Division Semifinals, the Walleye have taken both series over Indy in four games.
10. The Fuel went 8-3-2 over their final 13 games to punch their ticket to the post-season for the third consecutive year.
#2 Fort Wayne Komets (41-22-9) vs. #3 Iowa Heartlanders (36-25-11)
Game 1 – Friday, April 18 at 7:35 p.m. ET at Fort Wayne
Game 2 – Saturday, April 19 at 7:35 p.m. ET at Fort Wayne
Game 3 – Monday, April 21 at 7 p.m. CT at Iowa
Game 4 – Tuesday, April 22 at 7 p.m. CT at Iowa
Game 5 – Thursday, April 24 at 7 p.m. CT at Iowa (If Necessary)
Game 6 – Sunday, April 27 at 5:05 p.m. ET at Fort Wayne (If Necessary)
Game 7 – Tuesday, April 29 at 7:35 p.m. ET at Fort Wayne (If Necessary)
11. After missing the playoffs in 2023-24, the Komets have made it back for the 10th time in the last 12 years.
12. Iowa is making the first playoff appearance in its four-year history, setting single-season franchise records for wins (36) and points (83).
Mountain Division Semifinals
#1 Kansas City Mavericks (49-18-5) vs. #4 Tulsa Oilers (40-24-8)
Game 1 – Friday, April 18 at 7:05 p.m. CT at Kansas City
Game 2 – Saturday, April 19 at 6:05 p.m. CT at Kansas City
Game 3 – Tuesday, April 22 at 7:05 p.m. CT at Tulsa
Game 4 – Thursday, April 24 at 7:05 p.m. CT at Tulsa
Game 5 – Friday, April 25 at 7:05 p.m. CT at Tulsa (If Necessary)
Game 6 – Monday, April 28 at 7:05 p.m. CT at Kansas City (If Necessary)
Game 7 – Wednesday, April 30 at 7:05 p.m. CT at Kansas City (If Necessary)
13. Mavericks goaltender Jack LaFontaine went 21-8-1 and was tied for the league lead with five shutouts and fifth with a 2.22 goals-against average.
14. Michael Farren led the Oilers during the regular season with 24 goals and 48 points, and leads the team against Kansas City with four goals and six points in the regular-season series.
#2 Wichita Thunder (41-24-7) vs. #3 Tahoe Knight Monsters (41-25-6)
Game 1 – Saturday, April 19 at 6:05 p.m. CT at Wichita
Game 2 – Sunday, April 20 at 6:05 p.m. CT at Wichita
Game 3 – Wednesday, April 23 at 7 p.m. PT at Tahoe
Game 4 – Friday, April 25 at 7:30 p.m. PT at Tahoe
Game 5 – Saturday, April 26 at 7:30 p.m. PT at Tahoe (If Necessary)
Game 6 – Tuesday, April 29 at 7:10 p.m. CT at Wichita (If Necessary)
Game 7 – Wednesday, April 30 at 7:05 p.m. CT at Wichita (If Necessary)
15. Wichita is returning to the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2021, sweeping the Knight Monsters in a three-game series during the regular season’s final week to earn home-ice advantage in this series.
16. Tahoe reached the playoffs in its inaugural season, reaching the 20-win mark both at home and on the road.