2025–26 ECHL season

The 2025–26 ECHL season was the 38th season of the ECHL. The regular season began on October 17, 2025, and ended on April 19, 2026, with the 2026 Kelly Cup playoffs starting on April 23 and ending on June 15. Thirty teams affiliated with an NHL team in 22 states and one Canadian province are scheduled to play 72 regular season games.

The Trois-Rivières Lions entered the season as the Kelly Cup champions, while South Carolina entered as the defending Brabham Cup winners. The season was interrupted from December 26 to December 29, 2025, by a strike action taken by Professional Hockey Players' Association (PHPA), the union representing ECHL players. An agreement to end the strike was ratified by the PHPA on December 30. Forty-one games were postponed as a result of the strike.

On March 9, 2026, the ECHL Board of Governors approved the voluntary suspension of operations for the Iowa Heartlanders. They finished the remainder of the season.

On June 15, 2026, the Florida Everblades won their fifth Kelly Cup championship over the Kansas City Mavericks in six games.

League changes The league has one new team this season: the Greensboro Gargoyles.

Affiliation changes

ECHL team New affiliates Former affiliates Allen Americans Ottawa Senators (NHL) Belleville Senators (AHL) Utah Mammoth (NHL) Tucson Roadrunners (AHL)

Standings

Eastern Conference – clinched playoff spot, – clinched regular season division title, – Brabham Cup (regular season) champion – indicates team has been eliminated from playoff contention

North Division y – Wheeling Nailers (PIT) 72 46 20 3 3 231 175 98 0.681x – Maine Mariners (BOS) 72 42 21 6 3 223 177 93 0.646x – Adirondack Thunder (NJD) 72 37 24 10 1 213 216 85 0.590x – Reading Royals (PHI) 72 36 26 8 2 199 205 82 0.569e – Trois-Rivières Lions (MTL) 72 35 30 3 4 207 203 77 0.535e – Worcester Railers (NYI) 72 35 30 5 2 196 213 77 0.535e – Norfolk Admirals (WPG) 72 30 38 4 0 211 250 64 0.444e – Greensboro Gargoyles (CAR) 72 19 46 6 1 184 276 45 0.313 South Division y – Florida Everblades (STL) 72 49 13 7 3 245 142 108 0.750x – South Carolina Stingrays (WAS) 72 45 23 1 3 223 204 94 0.653x – Atlanta Gladiators (NSH) 72 44 23 4 1 209 183 93 0.646x – Savannah Ghost Pirates (FLA) 72 35 33 3 1 209 208 74 0.514e – Jacksonville Icemen (BUF) 72 29 32 8 3 190 238 69 0.479e – Greenville Swamp Rabbits (LAK) 72 27 35 7 3 191 224 64 0.444e – Orlando Solar Bears (TBL) 72 29 38 4 1 186 230 63 0.438

Western Conference Central Division y – Fort Wayne Komets (EDM) 72 45 17 10 0 250 189 100 0.694x – Toledo Walleye (DET) 72 43 17 7 5 253 198 98 0.681x – Bloomington Bison (NYR) 72 37 30 2 3 224 219 79 0.549x – Indy Fuel (CHI) 72 34 27 10 1 182 190 79 0.549e – Kalamazoo Wings (VAN) 72 36 30 3 3 228 246 78 0.542e – Cincinnati Cyclones (TOR) 72 35 32 4 1 217 248 75 0.521e – Iowa Heartlanders (MIN) 72 24 40 5 3 188 252 56 0.389 Mountain Division z – Kansas City Mavericks (SEA) 72 55 12 3 2 255 159 115 0.799x – Allen Americans (OTT) 72 43 23 6 0 268 209 92 0.639x – Idaho Steelheads (DAL) 72 42 23 6 1 251 219 91 0.632x – Tahoe Knight Monsters (VGK) 72 35 30 4 3 257 260 77 0.535e – Utah Grizzlies (COL) 72 30 32 9 1 237 255 70 0.486e – Rapid City Rush (CGY) 72 29 36 6 1 223 261 65 0.451e – Tulsa Oilers (ANA) 72 29 38 5 0 196 255 63 0.438e – Wichita Thunder (SJS) 72 25 35 8 4 199 241 62 0.431

Statistical leaders

Scoring leaders

The following players are sorted by points, then goals.

GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

Player Team GP G A Pts PIMMarcus CrawfordKansas City Mavericks 70 14 72 86 125Brandon HawkinsToledo Walleye 69 35 43 78 20Brayden WattsAllen Americans 71 24 51 75 12Simon PinardSouth Carolina Stingrays 72 30 43 73 20Danny DzhaniyevUtah Grizzlies 62 24 49 73 22Danny KaticAllen Americans 62 38 32 70 109Kirill TyutyayevFort Wayne Komets 70 22 46 68 28Brannon McManusAdirondack Thunder 72 31 36 67 40Austin MageraFort Wayne Komets 71 32 33 65 20Devon PalianiTahoe Knight Monsters 72 32 33 65 107Peter BatesWichita Thunder 72 23 42 65 16

Leading goaltenders

GP = Games played; TOI = Time on ice (in minutes); SA = Shots against; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average; SV% = Save percentage; W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime/shootout loss

Player Team GP TOI SA GA SO GAA SV% W L OTL Cam Johnson Florida Everblades 49 2965 1175 91 3 1.84 .923 31 9 9 Jack LaFontaine Kansas City Mavericks 29 1704 782 56 4 1.97 .928 22 2 4 Taylor Gauthier Wheeling Nailers 36 2156 1062 75 3 2.09 .929 21 9 5 Brad Arvanitis Maine Mariners 38 2211 1124 80 3 2.17 .929 22 11 4 Will Cranley Florida Everblades 18 1080 460 39 2 2.17 .915 14 3 1

Labor dispute The 2025–26 ECHL began with an expired collective bargaining agreement between the Professional Hockey Players' Association and the ECHL. On December 19, 2025, the ECHL members of the PHPA voted to authorize a strike action. On December 22, the PHPA served notice to the ECHL that the players would strike beginning on December 26. A tentative agreement was reached to end the strike on December 27, which was subsequently ratified by the PHPA on December 30. Games resumed the same day, with the strike ultimately having postponed a total of 41 games between December 26 and December 29.

Postseason

The top four teams in each division at the end of the regular season will advance to the 2026 Kelly Cup playoffs and be seeded one through four based on their end-of-season division ranking. Each round is a best-of-seven series with the winner advancing to the next round. The first two rounds are played between teams in the same division, with the first seed facing the fourth seed and the second seed facing the third seed. The winners of each division then play off to determine the winners of each conference. Nine of the 16 playoff teams are repeats from the previous season, including Toledo on a 10-season playoff streak.

Bracket

2025–26 ECHL season

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