# 2018 Kelly Cup playoffs

The 2018 Kelly Cup playoffs of the ECHL began in April 2018 following the conclusion of the 2017–18 ECHL regular season. The Kelly Cup was won by the Colorado Eagles, in their last season in the ECHL before joining the American Hockey League, in seven games over the regular season champions, the Florida Everblades.

## Playoff format

At the end of the regular season the top four teams in each division qualifies for the 2018 Kelly Cup playoffs and be seeded one through four based on highest point total earned in the season. Then 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.

## Playoff seeds

After the regular season, 16 teams qualify for the playoffs. The Florida Everblades were the first team to qualify during the regular season on February 28. The Everblades were the Eastern Conference regular season champions and clinched the Brabham Cup with the best record in the ECHL on April 5. The Toledo Walleye earned the top seed in the Western Conference.
Final seeds

## Playoff bracket

| Division Semifinals | Division Semifinals | Division Semifinals | | | Division Finals | Division Finals | Division Finals | Conference Finals | Conference Finals | Conference Finals | | Kelly Cup Finals | Kelly Cup Finals | Kelly Cup Finals |
| N1 | Adirondack Thunder | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| N4 | Worcester Railers | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| N4 | Worcester Railers | 2 | | | N1 | Adirondack | 4 | | | | | | | |
| North Division | North Division | North Division | | | N1 | Adirondack | 4 | | | | | | | |
| North Division | North Division | North Division | | | N2 | Manchester | 2 | | | | | | | |
| N2 | Manchester Monarchs | 4 | | | N2 | Manchester | 2 | | | | | | | |
| N3 | Reading Royals | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| N3 | Reading Royals | 0 | | | | | | N1 | Adirondack | 1 | | | | |
| Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | N1 | Adirondack | 1 | | | | |
| Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | S1 | Florida | 4 | | | | |
| S1 | Florida Everblades | 4 | | | | | | | | | S1 | Florida | 4 | | | | |
| S4 | Atlanta Gladiators | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| S4 | Atlanta Gladiators | 0 | | | S1 | Florida | 4 | | | | | | | |
| South Division | South Division | South Division | | | S1 | Florida | 4 | | | | | | | |
| South Division | South Division | South Division | | | S3 | Orlando | 1 | | | | | | | |
| S2 | South Carolina Stingrays | 0 | | | S3 | Orlando | 1 | | | | | | | |
| S3 | Orlando Solar Bears | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| S3 | Orlando Solar Bears | 4 | | | | | | | | | | S1 | Florida | 3 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | M1 | Colorado | 4 |
| C1 | Toledo Walleye | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | M1 | Colorado | 4 |
| C4 | Indy Fuel | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| C4 | Indy Fuel | 0 | | | C1 | Toledo | 2 | | | | | | | |
| Central Division | Central Division | Central Division | | | C1 | Toledo | 2 | | | | | | | |
| Central Division | Central Division | Central Division | | | C2 | Fort Wayne | 4 | | | | | | | |
| C2 | Fort Wayne Komets | 4 | | | C2 | Fort Wayne | 4 | | | | | | | |
| C3 | Cincinnati Cyclones | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| C3 | Cincinnati Cyclones | 1 | | | | | | C2 | Fort Wayne | 3 | | | | |
| Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | C2 | Fort Wayne | 3 | | | | |
| Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | M1 | Colorado | 4 | | | | |
| M1 | Colorado Eagles | 4 | | | | | | | | | M1 | Colorado | 4 | | | | |
| M4 | Wichita Thunder | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| M4 | Wichita Thunder | 2 | | | M1 | Colorado | 4 | | | | | | | |
| Mountain Division | Mountain Division | Mountain Division | | | M1 | Colorado | 4 | | | | | | | |
| Mountain Division | Mountain Division | Mountain Division | | | M2 | Idaho | 0 | | | | | | | |
| M2 | Idaho Steelheads | 4 | | | M2 | Idaho | 0 | | | | | | | |
| M3 | Allen Americans | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |

## Division semifinals
### North Division
#### (1) Adirondack Thunder vs. (4) Worcester Railers

* Adirondack won series 4–2

#### (2) Manchester Monarchs vs. (3) Reading Royals

* Manchester won series 4–0

### South Division
#### (1) Florida Everblades vs. (4) Atlanta Gladiators

* Florida won series 4–0

#### (2) South Carolina Stingrays vs. (3) Orlando Solar Bears

* Orlando won series 4–0

### Central Division
#### (1) Toledo Walleye vs. (4) Indy Fuel

* Toledo won series 4–0

#### (2) Fort Wayne Komets vs. (3) Cincinnati Cyclones

* Fort Wayne won series 4–1

### Mountain Division
#### (1) Colorado Eagles vs. (4) Wichita Thunder

* Colorado won series 4–2

#### (2) Idaho Steelheads vs. (3) Allen Americans

* Idaho won series 4–3

## Division finals
### North Division
#### (N1) Adirondack Thunder vs. (N2) Manchester Monarchs

* Adirondack won series 4–2

### South Division
#### (S1) Florida Everblades vs. (S3) Orlando Solar Bears

* Florida won series 4–1

### Central Division
#### (C1) Toledo Walleye vs. (C2) Fort Wayne Komets

* Fort Wayne won series 4–2

### Mountain Division
#### (M1) Colorado Eagles vs. (M2) Idaho Steelheads

* Colorado won series 4–0

## Conference finals
### Eastern Conference
#### (S1) Florida Everblades vs. (N1) Adirondack Thunder

* Florida won series 4–1

### Western Conference
#### (M1) Colorado Eagles vs. (C2) Fort Wayne Komets

* Colorado won series 4–3

## Kelly Cup finals
### (S1) Florida Everblades vs. (M1) Colorado Eagles

* Colorado won series 4–3

## Statistical leaders
### Skaters

These are the top ten skaters based on points.
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | +/– | PIM |
| Michael Joly | Colorado Eagles | 24 | 13 | 16 | 29 | +11 | 16 |
| Michael Kirkpatrick | Florida Everblades | 18 | 11 | 11 | 22 | +5 | 12 |
| Mitchell Heard | Florida Everblades | 20 | 9 | 13 | 22 | +4 | 39 |
| John McCarron | Florida Everblades | 21 | 10 | 10 | 20 | +3 | 62 |
| Gabriel Desjardins | Fort Wayne Komets | 18 | 9 | 11 | 20 | +13 | 12 |
| Matt Register | Colorado Eagles | 24 | 3 | 17 | 20 | +4 | 16 |
| J.C. Beaudin | Colorado Eagles | 22 | 10 | 8 | 18 | +0 | 6 |
| Ryan Schmelzer | Adirondack Thunder | 17 | 9 | 8 | 17 | +9 | 24 |
| Shawn Szydlowski | Fort Wayne Komets | 17 | 4 | 13 | 17 | +0 | 16 |
| Garrett Thompson | Fort Wayne Komets | 18 | 7 | 9 | 16 | +5 | 16 |
GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/– = Plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes

### Goaltending

This is a combined table 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. The table is sorted by GAA, and the criteria for inclusion are bolded.
| Player | Team | GP | W | L | OTL | SA | GA | GAA | SV% | SO | TOI |
| Mackenzie Blackwood | Adirondack Thunder | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 112 | 4 | 1.00 | 0.964 | 1 | 240 |
| Parker Milner | South Carolina Stingrays | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 95 | 7 | 1.54 | 0.926 | 0 | 273 |
| Cal Heeter | Orlando Solar Bears | 8 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 255 | 14 | 1.90 | 0.945 | 1 | 443 |
| Philippe Desrosiers | Idaho Steelheads | 10 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 290 | 19 | 2.00 | 0.934 | 0 | 571 |
| John Muse | Reading Royals | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 200 | 11 | 2.02 | 0.945 | 0 | 328 |
| Drew Fielding | Adirondack Thunder | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 360 | 25 | 2.35 | 0.931 | 1 | 639 |
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)