Toledo Captures Bruce Taylor Trophy as Western Conference Champions
May 24, 2025 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release
SHREWSBURY, N.J. - The Toledo Walleye captured the Bruce Taylor Trophy as ECHL Western Conference champions on Saturday with a 5-2 win over the Kansas City Mavericks in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals.
Toledo wins the series 4 games to 1, and advances to the 2025 Kelly Cup Finals, where it will meet the winner of the Eastern Conference Finals. Trois-Rivières leads Florida in that series 3 games to 2, with Game 6 set for Tuesday at Florida.
Brandon Hawkins notched three points (1g-2a), Matt Anderson and Trenton Bliss both scored a pair of goals and Jan Bednar stopped 23 Kansas City shots to record in the win in goal in Game 5.
The Walleye advance to the Kelly Cup Finals for the third time in their last five postseason appearances after falling to Newfoundland in six games in 2019 and to Florida in five games in 2022. It is the fifth visit to the final round of the ECHL playoffs for a Toledo team as the Toledo Storm won back-to-back Riley Cup championships in 1993 and 1994.
The trophy is named in recognition of Bruce Taylor, who was the founding father of the West Coast Hockey League. In the early 1990s, Taylor purchased teams in Fresno, Reno and Bakersfield and in 1995 joined them with teams in Anchorage, Fairbanks and San Diego to form the West Coast Hockey League. The Taylor Cup was presented to the playoff champion in the WCHL from the league's inaugural season in 1995-96 until the league ceased operations following the 2002-03 season. Taylor's ownership in hockey began in 1983 with the purchase of the Burnaby Bluehawks of the British Columbia Junior Hockey League and continued with the purchase of the Richmond Sockeyes in the BCJHL and the New Westminster Royals in the BCJHL.
Bruce Taylor Trophy Champions
2025 Toledo Walleye
2024 Kansas City Mavericks
2023 Idaho Steelheads
2022 Toledo Walleye
2021 Fort Wayne Komets
2020 Trophy not awarded due to COVID-19
2019 Toledo Walleye
2018 Colorado Eagles
2017 Colorado Eagles
2016 Allen Americans
2015 Allen Americans
2014 Alaska Aces
2013 Stockton Thunder
2012 Las Vegas Wranglers
2011 Alaska Aces
2010 Idaho Steelheads
2009 Alaska Aces
2008 Las Vegas Wranglers
2007 Idaho Steelheads
2006 Alaska Aces
2005 Trenton Titans
2004 Idaho Steelheads
2003 Columbia Inferno
2002 Greenville Grrrowl
2001 South Carolina Stingrays
2000 Louisiana IceGators
1999 Mississippi Sea Wolves
1998 Pensacola Ice Pilots
ECHL Stories from May 24, 2025
- Mavericks' Season Ends in Western Conference Final After 5-2 Game 5 Loss - Kansas City Mavericks
- Toledo Wins the Western Conference Finals in Game 5 Win to Kansas City - Toledo Walleye
- Toledo Captures Bruce Taylor Trophy as Western Conference Champions - ECHL
- Lions Shut out in Front of Sold-Out Crowd - Trois-Rivieres Lions
- Lions Regain the Series Lead - Trois-Rivieres Lions
- ECHL Transactions - May 24 - ECHL
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