The Abbotsford Canucks won their first-ever Calder Cup Championship in franchise history Monday night, with three former ECHL players getting to hoist the trophy.
Joe Arntsen (Kalamazoo Wings, 2024-25), Ty Glover (Kalamazoo, 2023-24) and Arturs Silovs (Trois-Rivières Lions, 2021-22) were on Abbotsford’s roster during the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs. The K-Wings served as the ECHL affiliate for Abbotsford during the 2024-25 season and is the ECHL affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks.
Silovs received the Jack Butterfield Trophy as the Most Valuable Player of the Calder Cup Playoffs, becoming the seventh player to receive the award after playing in the ECHL. The Abbotsford goaltender went 16-7 with a .931 SP, 2.01 GAA and five shutouts.
Silovs is the second ECHL player to win the award in the last three seasons after Hunter Shepard received the honor in 2023.
Abbotsford defeated the Charlotte Checkers 3-2 Monday to capture the title four games to two. It marks the first AHL championship for a Vancouver Canucks affiliate.
Three of the 24 players on the runner-up Checkers had ECHL experience with Riley Bezeau (Savannah Ghost Pirates, 2024-25), Dennis Cesana (Florida Everblades, 2023-24 and Savannah, 2024-25) and Wilmer Skoog (2023-24).
The Canucks defeated the Tucson Roadrunners 2-1, the defending Western Conference champion Coachella Valley Firebirds 3-1, the Colorado Eagles 3-2, and the Texas Stars 4-2 before winning the Cup against the Checkers in six.
For the 34th season in a row, the ECHL is represented on the American Hockey League champion. There have been 157 former ECHL players on the last 19 AHL champions.
Abbotsford’s Development & Goaltending Coach Justin Pogge went 6-2-0 in nine appearances with Bakersfield during the 2009-10 season.
During the 2024-25 season, 298 ECHL players were recalled to the American Hockey League for a total of 575 recalls. The Wheeling Nailers led the ECHL with 22 players recalled, while the Bloomington Bison and Iowa Heartlanders led the League with 41 overall recalls.
Mar 15, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks goalie Arturs Silovs (31) handles the puck against the Chicago Blackhawks in the second period at Rogers Arena. (Photo Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images)