2025–26 ECHL season
| 2025–26 ECHL season | |
|---|---|
| League | ECHL |
| Sport | Ice hockey |
| Duration | October 17, 2025 – April 12, 2026 |
| Regular season | |
| Playoffs | |
| Kelly Cup | |
The 2025–26 ECHL season is the 38th season of the ECHL. The regular season began on October 17, 2025, and is scheduled to end on April 12, 2026, with the 2026 Kelly Cup playoffs to follow. Thirty teams affiliated with an NHL team in 22 states and one Canadian province will play 72 games.[1]
The Trois-Rivières Lions enter the season as the Kelly Cup champions, while South Carolina enters as the defending Brabham Cup winners.[2]
League changes
The league has one new team this season: the Greensboro Gargoyles.[3]
Coaching changes
| Old Coach | New Coach | Team |
|---|
Affiliation changes
| ECHL team | New affiliates | Former affiliates |
|---|---|---|
| Allen Americans | Ottawa Senators (NHL) Belleville Senators (AHL) |
Utah Mammoth (NHL) Tucson Roadrunners (AHL) |
Standings
As of December 17, 2025[4]
Eastern Conference
x – clinched playoff spot, y – clinched regular season division title, z – Brabham Cup (regular season) champion
e – indicates team has been eliminated from playoff contention
| North Division | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | GF | GA | Pts | Pts% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheeling Nailers (PIT) | 25 | 19 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 85 | 52 | 39 | 0.780 |
| Reading Royals (PHI) | 26 | 14 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 75 | 74 | 30 | 0.577 |
| Maine Mariners (BOS) | 21 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 63 | 51 | 26 | 0.619 |
| Adirondack Thunder (NJD) | 22 | 11 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 53 | 55 | 26 | 0.591 |
| Worcester Railers (NYI) | 23 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 59 | 68 | 24 | 0.522 |
| Trois-Rivières Lions (MTL) | 21 | 10 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 61 | 58 | 23 | 0.548 |
| Greensboro Gargoyles (CAR) | 23 | 6 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 53 | 80 | 17 | 0.370 |
| Norfolk Admirals (WPG) | 24 | 6 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 60 | 95 | 14 | 0.292 |
| South Division | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | GF | GA | Pts | Pts% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Everblades (STL) | 24 | 17 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 81 | 48 | 36 | 0.750 |
| South Carolina Stingrays (WAS) | 26 | 16 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 80 | 74 | 33 | 0.635 |
| Atlanta Gladiators (NSH) | 22 | 16 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 70 | 45 | 32 | 0.727 |
| Jacksonville Icemen (BUF) | 25 | 13 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 69 | 78 | 26 | 0.520 |
| Greenville Swamp Rabbits (LAK) | 23 | 11 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 64 | 62 | 25 | 0.543 |
| Savannah Ghost Pirates (FLA) | 22 | 9 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 70 | 67 | 21 | 0.477 |
| Orlando Solar Bears (TBL) | 23 | 7 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 54 | 76 | 17 | 0.370 |
Western Conference
| Central Division | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | GF | GA | Pts | Pts% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Wayne Komets (EDM) | 24 | 16 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 86 | 57 | 34 | 0.708 |
| Toledo Walleye (DET) | 22 | 13 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 76 | 61 | 30 | 0.682 |
| Bloomington Bison (NYR) | 24 | 13 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 80 | 73 | 30 | 0.625 |
| Cincinnati Cyclones (TOR) | 24 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 80 | 84 | 27 | 0.563 |
| Indy Fuel (CHI) | 24 | 10 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 61 | 75 | 23 | 0.479 |
| Kalamazoo Wings (VAN) | 22 | 8 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 63 | 82 | 19 | 0.432 |
| Iowa Heartlanders (MIN) | 24 | 8 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 65 | 87 | 18 | 0.375 |
| Mountain Division | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | GF | GA | Pts | Pts% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho Steelheads (DAL) | 27 | 17 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 94 | 84 | 37 | 0.685 |
| Kansas City Mavericks (SEA) | 23 | 15 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 76 | 61 | 32 | 0.696 |
| Tahoe Knight Monsters (VGK) | 27 | 14 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 98 | 90 | 30 | 0.556 |
| Wichita Thunder (SJS) | 24 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 68 | 68 | 26 | 0.542 |
| Allen Americans (OTT) | 23 | 11 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 72 | 72 | 25 | 0.543 |
| Rapid City Rush (CGY) | 25 | 11 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 76 | 83 | 24 | 0.480 |
| Utah Grizzlies (COL) | 24 | 10 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 71 | 78 | 22 | 0.458 |
| Tulsa Oilers (ANA) | 23 | 9 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 85 | 18 | 0.391 |
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 | PIM |
|---|
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 |
|---|
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-7 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.[5]
Bracket
2026 Kelly Cup playoffs
See also
References
- ^ "ECHL releases 2024–25 schedule". echl.com. ECHL. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
- ^ "Trois-Rivieres claims 2025 Kelly Cup title". echl.com. ECHL. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
- ^ ECHL News (January 14, 2025). "Introducing the Greensboro Gargoyles". echl.com. Greensboro, NC. Retrieved October 21, 2025.
The ECHL's 30th Member team, the Greensboro Gargoyles...will begin play in the ECHL's 2025-26 season, starting in October of 2025.
- ^ "ECHL standings". echl.com. Retrieved December 18, 2025.
- ^ "Preview of Division Semifinals - 2025 Kelly Cup Playoffs". ECHL. April 16, 2025. Retrieved April 20, 2025.