Even though they fell just shy of winning their first Kelly Cup Championship, the Toledo Walleye still had a lot to be proud of this past season.
The team won the Central Division, swept the Indy Fuel in the Division Semifinals and disposed of Fort Wayne in the Division Finals. They reached the Kelly Cup Final for the third time since becoming the Walleye by downing the Kansas City Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals.
The Trois-Rivieres Lions proved to be too much for Toledo in the Final, taking home the Cup in five games.
The Walleye gave its loyal fans and community a chance to celebrate with an end-of-season thank-you event Tuesday evening at the Huntington Center.
Over 1,200 fans turned out, not surprising considering that every home game this past season was sold out for the first time in franchise history.
Practically the entire team was there including players, coaches and staff. Fans got to meet the team and take part in a 45-minute autograph session on the main concourse.
“It’s tough to say goodbye, especially after eight months together,” Walleye general manager Neil Neukam told the crowd. “You become family. This is a tough one for sure.”
Indeed it was, although the Walleye left everything out on the ice. Try as they might, they couldn’t solve Lions goaltender Luke Cavallin in the Final.
Over the five-game series, the 24-year-old netminder posted a .958 save percentage, which is the best save percentage in a Riley/Kelly Cup Finals in ECHL history.
On top of that, Cavallin’s 1.41 goals-against average in the Final ranks fourth all-time.
After taking Game 1 in Toledo, the Walleye looked to have the momentum. But the Lions, who were making their first appearance in the Final since joining the ECHL prior to the 2021-22 season, took the next four games, allowing just five goals during that span.
It was Toledo’s third trip to the Final, having lost previously to the Newfoundland Growlers in 2019 and the Florida Everblades in 2022. Trois-Rivieres and Newfoundland are the only two Canadian teams to have captured a Cup championship, with the Walleye being the victim in both cases.
Walleye players cleaned out their lockers and had their exit interviews on Monday. Chances are, the roster will look quite different next season, which is just a way of life in the ECHL.
The Toledo Storm were the last professional hockey team in the city to win an ECHL title back in 1994, when it was known as the Riley Cup.
As bitter a pill as this may be to swallow, The Walleye have built a consistent winning tradition of their own. Over their 15 seasons in the ECHL, they have made the playoffs 11 times. The best chance to bring home a championship is to keep putting themselves in a position to get to the top of the mountain.
Next season seems like a long way off. The wounds are still fresh, both physical and emotional. But look for the Walleye to retool rather than rebuild, and be heard from again.
Photo Courtesy of the Toledo Walleye