Time flies when you’re having fun, so they say.
If you’re a fan of the ECHL, it’s probably hard to believe the 2024-25 season has come and gone. Wait, didn’t we just drop the puck for Opening Night in October?
Alas, that was eight months ago. But even with the off-season upon us, it’s always fun to relive some of the key moments and events that made up the league’s 37th season.
Each Wednesday over the next few weeks, we’ll look back on some of the key moments and events of the now-completed 37th season of the ECHL. Let’s dive in!
A New Kelly Cup Champion
Might as well start with the freshest memory: the 2025 Kelly Cup Playoffs.
For the first time in four years, the Kelly Cup goes to a team not named the Florida Everblades. The Trois-Rivieres Lions took care of that by knocking off the three-time defending champions in the Eastern Conference Finals in six games before taking down the Toledo Walleye in five games in the Final to win their first Cup in franchise history.
Trois-Rivieres goaltender Luke Cavallin did his best Cam Johnson post-season imitation, winning Playoff MVP honors in one of the most dominating performances in recent memory.
Cavallin went 15-5 in 20 appearances with three shutouts, leading the playoffs with a 1.53 goals-against average and a .948 save percentage. He allowed two goals or less in 16 of his 20 appearances and posted a .958 save percentage during the Kelly Cup Final, which is the best save percentage in a Riley/Kelly Cup Final in ECHL history.
The Lions finished fifth overall in the ECHL standings, winning the North Division with a 45-19-8 record for 98 points. They became only the second Canadian team to hoist the Cup, following the Newfoundland Growlers in 2019.
Attendance was high for the Final. Games 1 and 2 in Toledo and Games 4 and 5 in Trois-Rivières all welcomed standing-room only crowds. There were 8,600 fans at Huntington Center (capacity 7,431) for Games 1 and 2. Game 4 in Trois-Rivières welcomed 4,640 fans while Game 5 attracted 4,777 fans to Colisée Vidéotron (capacity 4,500).
The two sellouts in Trois-Rivières are the two largest crowds in team history. There have now been 57 all-time sell-outs in the Riley/Kelly Cup Finals, including 24 out of 40 games since 2017.
There were other notable moments and performances in this year’s playoffs.
Solar Bears Stun Stingrays
The South Carolina Stingrays had a regular season to remember in 2024-25. Unfortunately for them, it didn’t translate into a Kelly Cup title.
The Stingrays won the Brabham Cup, given to the team with the best overall regular-season record. They finished with 109 points, capturing the South Division and winning 17 of their last 18 games heading into the post-season.
The Orlando Solar Bears, however, dispatched South Carolina in the first round of the playoffs, winning their South Division Semifinals series in seven games.
Although Orlando eventually bowed out to Florida in the Division Finals, they can look back with pride on ousting the Brabham Cup champs in the first round.
Knight Monsters Make Splash In Playoff Debut
It isn’t easy for an expansion team to make the post-season in their very first year.
The Tahoe Knight Monsters managed to accomplish the feat, getting into the playoffs on the last weekend of the regular season. They even won a playoff series before bowing out in the Mountain Division Finals. (More on them in a future Season In Review).
Top Player Performances
Brandon Hawkins may have come just short of winning the Kelly Cup, but the Toledo Walleye forward led all scorers in the post-season with 24 points (6-18-24). His 18 assists also ranked first in the playoffs.
Trois-Rivieres’ Alex Beaucage led all skaters in goals with 10. His +17 plus/minus rating was tops in the ECHL.
Among defensemen, the Walleye’s Jalen Smereck had 14 points to lead all blueliners. Toledo’s Trenton Bliss had the most power-play goals (4).
Aside from Cavallin’s brilliant performance in goal, Florida’s Cam Johnson finished second in victories with 10. While his team failed to win a fourth straight Kelly Cup, Johnson still posted an impressive 1.75 goals-against average and .922 save percentage this post-season.
Photo Courtesy of the Trois-Rivieres Lions