2025 Kelly Cup playoffs

The 2025 Kelly Cup playoffs of the ECHL hockey league began on April 16, 2025, following the conclusion of the 2024–25 ECHL regular season and ended on June 7 with the Trois-Rivières Lions winning their first Kelly Cup championship over the Toledo Walleye in five games.

Playoff format

Since all 29 teams were able to complete all 72 games this season, the league went back to the points system, instead of the point percentage that was used the year prior. The top 4 teams in each division qualified for the playoffs based on highest point total earned in the season. The first two rounds of the playoffs are held within the division with the first seed facing the fourth seed and the second seed facing the third. The division champions then play each other in a conference championship. The Kelly Cup finals pits the Eastern Conference champion against the Western Conference champion. All four rounds are a best-of-seven format. The South Carolina Stingrays secured the top record, winning the Brabham Cup, and therefore scheduled to have home ice advantage for all the rounds they advance in.

Nine out of the 16 teams in this year's playoffs were participants in the previous Kelly Cup Playoffs.

Playoff seeds

After the regular season, 16 teams qualified for the playoffs.

<small>Final seeds and points:</small>

Eastern Conference

North Division

• Trois-Rivières Lions – Division champions, 98 points
• Wheeling Nailers – 90 points
• Norfolk Admirals – 87 points
• Reading Royals – 77 points

South Division

• South Carolina Stingrays – Brabham Cup winners, Division champions, 109 points
• Florida Everblades – 106 points
• Jacksonville Icemen – 92 points
• Orlando Solar Bears – 84 points

Western Conference

Central Division

• Toledo Walleye – Division champions, 99 points
• Fort Wayne Komets – 91 points
• Iowa Heartlanders – 83 points
• Indy Fuel – 74 points

Mountain Division

• Kansas City Mavericks – Division champions, 103 points
• Wichita Thunder – 89 points
• Tahoe Knight Monsters – 88 points
• Tulsa Oilers – 88 points

Playoff bracket

Source: <section begin=2025bracket />

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Division semifinals

Note: All times listed are in EDT ().

North Division

(1) Trois-Rivières Lions vs. (4) Reading Royals

(2) Wheeling Nailers vs. (3) Norfolk Admirals

South Division

(1) South Carolina Stingrays vs. (4) Orlando Solar Bears

(2) Florida Everblades vs. (3) Jacksonville Icemen

Central Division

(1) Toledo Walleye vs. (4) Indy Fuel

(2) Fort Wayne Komets vs. (3) Iowa Heartlanders

Mountain Division

(1) Kansas City Mavericks vs. (4) Tulsa Oilers

(2) Wichita Thunder vs. (3) Tahoe Knight Monsters

Division finals

Note: All times listed are in EDT ().

North Division

(1) Trois-Rivières Lions vs. (3) Norfolk Admirals

South Division

(2) Florida Everblades vs. (4) Orlando Solar Bears

Central Division

(1) Toledo Walleye vs. (2) Fort Wayne Komets

Mountain Division

(1) Kansas City Mavericks vs. (3) Tahoe Knight Monsters

Conference finals

Note: All times listed are in EDT ().

Eastern Conference

(N1) Trois-Rivières Lions vs. (S2) Florida Everblades

Western Conference

(C1) Toledo Walleye vs. (M1) Kansas City Mavericks

Kelly Cup finals

(N1) Trois-Rivières Lions vs. (C1) Toledo Walleye

Statistical leaders

Skaters

These are the top ten skaters based on points.

<small>GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/– = Plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes</small>

Goaltending

This is a combined of the top five goaltenders based on goals against average and the top five goaltenders based on save percentage, with at least 240 minutes played as of May 13, 2025. The table is sorted by GAA, and the criteria for inclusion are bolded. Players in bold are still active in the playoffs.

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

References