ESTERO, Fla. – The Florida Everblades made ECHL history on Saturday, June 8, capturing the 2024 Kelly Cup title with a 4-3 overtime win over the Kansas City Mavericks in Game 5 of the 2024 Kelly Cup Finals in front of a standing-room only crowd at Hertz Arena. Five Greater Toronto Hockey League alumni were part of the historic night, helping the Everblades capture the championship:
GTHL ALUMNI:
- Oliver Chau (North York Rangers)
- Sean Josling (U16: Toronto Red Wings; U18: North York Rangers)
- Josh Ho-Sang (Toronto Marlboros)
- Will Reilly (Toronto Red Wings)
- Jordan Sambrook (Toronto Young Nationals)
Florida becomes the first team in ECHL history to win three consecutive titles. The Everblades fourth overall title (2012, 2022, 2023 and 2024) also sets in ECHL record, while the team’s 12 consecutive series wins is also the most all-time.
The Everblades have defeated the Brabham Cup champion (best record during the regular season) in each of their three consecutive Finals victories (Toledo in 2022, Idaho in 2023 and Kansas City in 2024).
Everblades’ forward Oliver Chau earned the June M. Kelly Playoffs Most Valuable Player Award as the Most Valuable Player of the 2024 Kelly Cup Playoffs.
2024 Kelly Cup Finals
Game 1 – FLORIDA 8 at Kansas City 1
Game 2 – Florida 1 at KANSAS CITY 5
Game 3 – Kansas City 3 at FLORIDA 6
Game 4 – Kansas City 1 at FLORIDA 4
Game 5 – Kansas City 3 at FLORIDA 4 (OT)
About the ECHL
Formed in 1988-89 with five teams in four states, the ECHL has grown into a coast-to-coast league with 28 teams in 20 states and two Canadian provinces for its 35th season in 2022-23. There have been 740 players who have gone on to play in the National Hockey League after playing in the ECHL, including 13 who made their NHL debut in the 2022-23 season. The ECHL has affiliationswith 28 of the 32 NHL teams in 2022-23, marking the 26th consecutive season that the league has affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL. Further information on the ECHL is available on its website at ECHL.com.
