The ECHL presents numerous annual awards to recognize its teams, players, front office staff, and media contributors. The first awards were given out in recognition of the achievements of the league's teams and players in the league's inaugural season of 1989 and included the Jack Riley Cup and Brabham Cup awarded to the league's teams and the Most Valuable Player, Playoffs Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year, Defenseman of the Year, Coach of the Year, and Leading Scorer awards to the league's players. The league has added many other awards since the league's inception including, the Goaltender of the Year award in 1994, the Sportsmanship Award in 1997, separate titles for each of its conference playoff champions in 1998, and the Plus Performer Award in 2000.
Team Trophies[]
| Award | Created | Description | Current holder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patrick J. Kelly Cup | 1989 | Awarded to the ECHL playoff champion since 1989. Previously it was known as the Riley Cup from 1988 to 1996. | Cincinnati Cyclones |
| E.A. "Bud" Gingher Memorial Trophy | 1998 | Awarded to the American Conference playoff champion, since 2005. Previously awarded to the Northern Conference playoff champion from 1998 to 2005 | Cincinnati Cyclones |
| Bruce Taylor Trophy | 1998 | Awarded to the National Conference playoff champion, since 2005. Previously the Bruce Taylor Trophy was awarded to the playoff champion of the West Coast Hockey League until the league was absorbed by the ECHL in 2003. The Bruce Taylor Trophy has also been tagged as the trophy awarded to the Southern Conference playoff champion from 1998 to 2005 | Idaho Steelheads |
| Henry Brabham Cup | 1989 | Awarded to the club finishing the regular season with the best overall record (based on points) | Idaho Steelheads |
Individual Trophies and Awards[]
| Award | Created | Description | Current Holder |
|---|---|---|---|
| CCM U+ Most Valuable Player | 1989 | Awarded to the player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team as voted by the coaches of each team in the ECHL. | Tyler Donati Elmira Jackals |
| Kelly Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player | 1989 | Awarded to the most valuable player for his team in the playoffs as selected by members of the media at the conclusion of the final game of the Kelly Cup playoffs. | Robert Mayer and Jeremy Smith Cincinnati Cyclones |
| Reebok Goaltender of the Year | 1994 | Awarded to the goaltender adjudged to be the best at his position as voted by the coaches of each team in the ECHL. | Jean-Philippe Lamoureux Alaska Aces |
| CCM Rookie of the Year | 1989 | Awarded to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the ECHL as voted by the coaches of each of the ECHL teams. Previously known as the John A. Daley Memorial Trophy | Justin Donati Elmira Jackals |
| Defenseman of the Year | 1989 | Awarded to the defenseman who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest ability at the position as voted by the coaches of each of the ECHL teams. | J.C. Sawyer Toledo Walleye |
| John Brophy Award | 1989 | Awarded to the ECHL coach adjudged to have contributed the most to his team's success as voted by the coaches of each of the ECHL teams. | Derek Laxdal Idaho Steelheads |
| Leading Scorer | 1989 | Awarded to the player who leads the league in scoring at the end of the regular season. | Tyler Donati Elmira Jackals |
| Reebok Plus Performer Award | 2000 | Awarded to the player who leads the league in plus/minus rating at the end of the regular season. | Mark Derlago Idaho Steelheads |
| Sportsmanship Award | 1997 | Awarded to the player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability as voted by the coaches of each of the ECHL teams. | Barret Ehgoetz Cincinnati Cyclones |
Staff and Miscellaneous Awards[]
| Award | Created | Description | Current Holder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Birmingham Memorial Award | 2007 | Awarded to an On-Ice Official for his contributions and dedication to the league officiating staff and is determined in voting of ECHL On-Ice Officials. It is named in honor of ECHL linesman Ryan Birmingham, who tragically lost his life in an automobile accident in May 2007. | David Jones |
| In Glas Co Equipment Manager of the Year | 2003 | The In Glas Co Equipment Manager of the Year Award is determined in a vote of ECHL equipment managers. | Pat Noecker Reading Royals |
| Sports Health Athletic Trainer of the Year | 2007 | The Sports Health Athletic Trainer of the Year Award is determined in a vote of ECHL athletic trainers. | Brian Grogelsky Reading Royals |
| Executive of the Year | 1992 | The Executive of the Year is determined in a vote of the ECHL Board of Governors. | Darren Abbott South Carolina Stingrays |
| Media Relations Director of the Year | 1996 | The Media Relations Director of the Year is determined in a vote of the ECHL media relations directors and broadcasters. | John Hamel, Cincinnati Cyclones Jeff Harris & Mike Walker, Victoria Salmon Kings |
| Broadcaster of the Year | 2001 | The Broadcaster of the Year is determined in a vote of the ECHL broadcasters and media relations directors. | Joe Babik, Fresno Falcons Brendan Burke, Wheeling Nailers |
| Excellence In Marketing | 1997 | The Excellence In Marketing Award is presented annually to the team marketing department "adjudged to be the best in the league” as determined by outside expert judges. | Bakersfield Condors Charlotte Checkers |
| Outstanding Media | 2002 | The Outstanding Media Award is determined in a vote of the ECHL media members, broadcasters, and media relations directors. | Cleve Dheensaw, Victoria Times-Colonist Doyle Woody, Anchorage Daily News |
| Award of Excellence | 2003 | The Award of Excellence will be presented by the league office to teams that are first-rate, who excel in all categories of sales and marketing, and who distinguish themselves in their community, both on and off the ice. | Gwinnett Gladiators |
| Ticket Department of the Year | 2002 | The ECHL Ticket Department of the Year is determined in a vote of ECHL teams. | Reading Royals Victoria Salmon Kings |
| Ticket Executive of the Year | 2002 | The Ticket Executive of the Year is determined in a vote of the ECHL general managers. | Thom Emerson, Mississippi Sea Wolves Dave Piecuch, Stockton Thunder |
| Website of the Year | 2004 | The ECHL Web Site of the Year award is presented annually to the team whose web site is adjudged to be the best in the league as determined by outside expert judges. | Bakersfield Condors Gwinnett Gladiators |
| Marketing Campaign of the Year | 2007 | The Marketing Campaign Award is presented annually to the team marketing department adjudged to be the best in the league as determined by outside expert judges. | Alaska Aces Reading Royals |