Preview of 2025 Kelly Cup Finals
May 30, 2025 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release
The battle to determine the national "AA" hockey champion begins Saturday when the Western Conference champion Toledo Walleye host the Eastern Conference champion Trois-Rivières Lions in Game 1 of the 2025 Kelly Cup Finals at 7:15 p.m. ET at Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio.
Celebrating its 37th Season in 2024-25, the ECHL is the Premier 'AA' Hockey League and is the third-longest tenured professional hockey league behind only the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League.
The Kelly Cup trophy is named for Patrick J. Kelly, who presents it each year to the postseason champion. Kelly was one of the founding fathers of the ECHL and was the second inductee into the ECHL Hall of Fame in 2008. Kelly served as Commissioner for the league's first eight seasons and was named Commissioner Emeritus in 1996, a title that he continues to hold. Kelly, who celebrates his 72nd season in professional hockey in 2024-25, coached 1,900 career games and had 935 wins. Kelly coached in the Eastern Hockey League, the Southern Hockey League and the National Hockey League where he was the only coach to ever lead the Colorado Rockies to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Game 2 will be Monday at 7:15 p.m. ET at Toledo before the series shifts to Colisée Vidéotron in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, where the Lions will host Game 3 on Wednesday, June 4 at 7:00 p.m. ET and Game 4 on Friday, June 6 at 7:00 p.m. ET. Game 5, if necessary, would be at 3:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 7. The series would return to Toledo, if necessary, for Game 6 on Tuesday, June 10 at 7:15 p.m. ET and Game 7 on Thursday, June 12 at 7:15 p.m. ET.
The ECHL is the primary development league for the AHL and the NHL. The ECHL and the AHL are the only two minor professional hockey leagues that are recognized in the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NHL and the National Hockey League Players' Association. The CBA states that any player on an NHL entry-level contract designated for assignment to a minor league must report if assigned to a team in the ECHL or the AHL. A player on an NHL entry-level contract assigned to a minor professional league other than the ECHL or the AHL is not required to report and can request reassignment to a team in the ECHL or the AHL.
Toledo is the ECHL affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings while Trois-Rivières is the ECHL affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens.
How they got here
Toledo captured the Central Division regular-season title for the second consecutive season and third time in four years with a 44-17-11 record for 99 points. The Walleye swept Indy in the Central Division Semifinals and defeated Fort Wayne 4 games to 2 in the Central Division Finals before eliminating Kansas City 4 games to 1 in the Western Conference Finals.
Trois-Rivières won the North Division regular-season title for the first time in its four-season history, finishing with a 45-19-8 record for 98 points. The Lions won a playoff series for the first time in their existence with a 4 games to 0 win over Reading in the North Division Semifinals and eliminated Norfolk 4 games to 2 in the North Division Finals before defeating the three-time defending Kelly Cup champion Florida Everblades 4 games to 2 in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Walleye, Lions seek first Kelly Cup title
Toledo is appearing in the Kelly Cup Finals for the third time in its last five postseasons. The Walleye fell to Newfoundland in six games in 2019 and to Florida in five games in 2022. There were no Kelly Cup Playoffs in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Toledo took a Pandemic Voluntary Suspension during the 2020-21 season. The Toledo Storm captured back-to-back Riley Cup titles in 1993 and 1994.
Trois-Rivières, which joined the ECHL for the 2021-22 season, is appearing in the Kelly Cup Finals for the first time.
Success on the road
Winning games on the road has been a key to success for both Toledo and Trois-Rivières through the first three rounds of the 2025 Kelly Cup Playoffs.
Toledo, which went 21-10-5 on the road in the regular season, is 6-1 away from home in the Kelly Cup Playoffs. The Walleye have won their last four road games since dropping Game 3 of the Central Division Finals at Fort Wayne.
Trois-Rivières also enjoyed road success in the regular season, posting a record of 21-13-2, before going 7-1 on the road through the first three postseason rounds, outscoring their opponents 22-7 in those games. The Lions won all three games at Florida in the Eastern Conference Finals, where they outscored the Everblades 9-1.
Working overtime
The 2025 Kelly Cup Playoffs have seen 14 overtime games through three rounds. The record for overtime games in a single postseason is 26, which was set in the 2008 Kelly Cup Playoffs. Toledo is 2-0 in games that have gone beyond regulation in the postseason while Trois-Rivières is 1-0.
Scoring leaders on both sides
Toledo is led in the playoffs by Brandon Hawkins, who has a playoff-leading 22 points (8g-15a) in 15 games. Hawkins enters the Kelly Cup Finals second all-time in ECHL postseason history with 41 goals and fourth with 99 points. Trenton Bliss has scored a team-high eight goals, which is tied for second overall. Colby Ambrosio leads all rookies in the playoffs with 11 points (4g-7a) in while Jalen Smereck tops defensemen with 12 points (3g-9a).
Alex Beaucage (9g-5a) and Anthony Beauregard (8g-8a) share the Trois-Rivières lead with 14 points each with Beaucage leading all players in the playoffs with nine goals. Tyler Hylland is tied for first among rookies with six goals and Chris Jandric ranks second among defensemen with 11 points (2g-9a).
Between the pipes
Toledo has gone with a rotation in goal with Jan Bednar appearing in eight games and Carter Gylander seeing action in seven contests. Bednar ranks ninth with a 2.52 goals-against average while Gylander is 10th with a 2.59 goals-against average.
For Trois-Rivières, Luke Cavallin has seen the majority of action, going 11-4 in 15 appearances. He leads all goaltenders in the postseason with 11 wins and a 1.57 goals-against average while ranking second with a .944 save percentage and tied for second with three shutouts. Cavallin has allowed two goals or less in 11 of his 15 appearances.
Behind the Benches
Toledo's Pat Mikesch has led the Walleye to the Central Division title in each of his two seasons as the team's head coach. Mikesch has gone 22-7 in the Kelly Cup Playoffs with Toledo, leading the Walleye to the Western Conference Finals last season in his first season behind the bench.
Trois-Rivières' Ron Choules is also in his second season as head coach, leading the Lions to the postseason in both seasons. He has posted a 76-49-16 record in the regular season while going 14-8 in the Kelly Cup Playoffs.
Name already on Kelly Cup
Toledo's Brandon Hawkins and Trois-Rivières' Morgan Adams-Moisan were teammates on Fort Wayne's Kelly Cup championship team in 2021. There are 71 players who have won multiple Kelly Cup championships since the trophy was introduced in 1997.
Players returning to Finals
In addition to the players who have previously won Kelly Cup titles, two players and two coaches from Toledo have previously appeared in the Kelly Cup Finals. Tyler Spezia was part of Toledo's 2019 team which faced Newfoundland while Conlan Keenan was with Toledo for its 2022 series against Florida. Assistant Coach Alden Hirschfeld was a part of the staff for both teams, while Brett Bain was an assistant coach in 2022. In addition to winning the Kelly Cup with Fort Wayne in 2021, Brandon Hawkins was also part of Toledo's 2022 team.
FloHockey broadcasts Kelly Cup Finals
For the 21st year in a row every game of the Kelly Cup Finals will be available online, through FloHockey, which is in its fifth season of streaming every ECHL regular season and postseason game.
2025 Kelly Cup Finals Schedule
Game 1 - Saturday, May 31 at 7:15 p.m. ET at Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio
Game 2 - Monday, June 2 at 7:15 p.m. ET at Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio
Game 3 - Wednesday, June 4 at 7:00 p.m. ET at Colisée Vidéotron in Trois-Rivières, Quebec
Game 4 - Friday, June 6 at 7:00 p.m. ET at Colisée Vidéotron in Trois-Rivières, Quebec
Game 5 - Saturday, June 7 at 7:00 p.m. ET at Colisée Vidéotron in Trois-Rivières, Quebec *
Game 6 - Tuesday, June 10 at 7:15 p.m. ET at Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio *
Game 7 - Thursday, June 12 at 7:15 p.m. ET at Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio *
* - If Necessary
Kelly Cup Champions
2024 - Florida defeated Kansas City, 4 games to 1
2023 - Florida defeated Idaho, 4 games to 0
2022 - Florida defeated Toledo, 4 games to 1
2021 - Fort Wayne defeated South Carolina, 3 games to 1
2020 - Playoffs were canceled due to COVID-19
2019 - Newfoundland defeated Toledo, 4 games to 2
2018 - Colorado defeated Florida, 4 games to 3
2017 - Colorado defeated South Carolina, 4 games to 0
2016 - Allen defeated Wheeling, 4 games to 2
2015 - Allen defeated South Carolina, 4 games to 3
2014 - Alaska defeated Cincinnati, 4 games to 2
2013 - Reading defeated Stockton, 4 games to 1
2012 - Florida defeated Las Vegas, 4 games to 1
2011 - Alaska defeated Kalamazoo, 4 games to 1
2010 - Cincinnati defeated Idaho, 4 games to 1
2009 - South Carolina defeated Alaska, 4 games to 3
2008 - Cincinnati defeated Las Vegas, 4 games to 2
2007 - Idaho defeated Dayton, 4 games to 1
2006 - Alaska defeated Gwinnett, 4 games to 1
2005 - Trenton defeated Florida, 4 games to 2
2004 - Idaho defeated Florida, 4 games to 1
2003 - Atlantic City defeated Columbia, 4 games to 1
2002 - Greenville defeated Dayton, 4 games to 0
2001 - South Carolina defeated Trenton, 4 games to 1
2000 - Peoria defeated Louisiana, 4 games to 2
1999 - Mississippi defeated Richmond, 4 games to 3
1998 - Hampton Roads defeated Pensacola, 4 games to 2
1997 - South Carolina defeated Louisiana, 4 games to 1
Riley Cup Champions
1996 - Charlotte defeated Jacksonville, 4 games to 0
1995 - Richmond defeated Greensboro, 4 games to 1
1994 - Toledo defeated Raleigh, 4 games to 1
1993 - Toledo defeated Wheeling, 4 games to 2
1992 - Hampton Roads defeated Louisville, 4 games to 0
1991 - Hampton Roads defeated Greensboro, 4 games to 1
1990 - Greensboro defeated Winston-Salem, 4 games to 1
1989 - Carolina defeated Johnstown, 4 games to 3
ECHL Stories from May 30, 2025
- Kelly Cup Final - Toledo Walleye vs. Trois-Rivières Lions - Trois-Rivieres Lions
- Nightingale Departs to AHL - South Carolina Stingrays
- Preview of 2025 Kelly Cup Finals - ECHL
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