Photo: The Coloradoan

The ECHL announced on Saturday that they have created a new Kelly Cup after the reigning champion Colorado Eagles failed to return the trophy to the league. A previous arrangement for the Eagles to return the trophy in December did not occur. The new Kelly Cup is the fourth in ECHL history.

The door is still open for the Eagles to return the previous Kelly Cup if the organization can find it and is willing to do so. Eagles owner Martin Lind released a statement on Saturday, saying that the organization has made numerous attempts to give it back but that the ECHL has refused to take it back and the Kelly Cup will stay with them.

From The ECHL

As stated by ECHL Commissioner Emeritus Patrick J. Kelly yesterday morning, the tradition of returning the Championship Trophy to the League was not honored by the Colorado Eagles.  Despite a confirmed plan with Eagles’ management to return the Kelly Cup to the ECHL in December 2018, the arrangement was not fulfilled.

In reaction to this, the League created a new Kelly Cup, complete with the history of players, coaches, and staff that have earned ECHL Championships over the past 30 years, including the inscription of ‘Patrick J. Kelly’ on the Cup itself to honor the man that is the trophy’s namesake.  This Cup represents the fourth Kelly Cup in ECHL history, with the older models enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

If the Colorado Eagles do intend to return the Kelly Cup, the ECHL welcomes its return so that it too may be a part of hockey history.

The ECHL looks forward to awarding the Kelly Cup and all that it represents for hockey to the Champion of the 2019 Kelly Cup Finals.

From The Eagles

The following statement was released today by Colorado Eagles Owner Martin Lind regarding the Kelly Cup:

“The management of the ECHL has full knowledge of the situation with the Kelly Cup. We have made numerous attempts to return it. They have chosen to ignore our requests, therefore the Kelly Cup remains in Colorado. This is all that will be released regarding this matter.”  – Martin Lind

By Harrison Brown