The Henry Brabham Cup is an award presented by the ECHL to the team which finishes with the most points in the league during the regular season. The Brabham Cup has been awarded 21 times to 16 different teams since first being awarded in 1989.The Florida Everblades won their second Brabham Cup in the 2008–09 season, with a winning percentage of .730 (49-17-5, 103 points of 142 possible) to win the Brabham Cup. (The ECHL used percentage of points won in 2008–09 as some teams played 71 games and others 73 instead of the usual 72 games because of teams ceasing operations during the season.)
History[]
The trophy was introduced during the league's inaugural season in 1988 by the league's Board of Governors and was named after ECHL founding father and first Erie Panthers owner, Henry Brabham. While only three Brabham Cup winners have gone on to win the ECHL Championship in their respective years, it remains the most likely position to produce the cup winner, because the Brabham Cup winner is guaranteed home-ice advantage in all rounds of the Kelly Cup playoffs, provided the team advances to each round.
Five franchises — the Florida Everblades, Knoxville Cherokees/Pee Dee Pride, Louisiana IceGators, Toledo Storm/Walleye, and Winston-Salem/Wheeling Thunderbirds/Nailers have won the Brabham Cup on multiple occasions, with the Nailers and former Cherokees/Pride franchise winning three each, and the others with two. However, only the Everblades, Walleye, and Nailers remain in the ECHL. The Wheeling Nailers were originally referred as the (Winston-Salem, North) Carolina Thunderbirds until 1992 before moving to Wheeling that year, changing their nickname to the Nailers before the start of the 1995–96 season. The Toledo Walleye were originally called the Storm before its sale and suspension of operations two years after the 2006–07 season for construction of the new Lucas County Arena, changing their name to the Toledo Walleye to resume play for the 2009–10 season.
Winners[]
Green - Team Won Kelly Cup
Red - Lost Kelly Cup Finals
| Year | Winner | Points | Playoff result | Win # |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988–89 | Erie Panthers | 77 | Lost Semifinal (CAR) | 1 |
| 1989–90 | Winston-Salem Thunderbirds | 82 | G) | 1 |
| 1990–91 | Knoxville Cherokees | 97 | Lost Division Semifinal (Louisville IceHawks) | 1 |
| 1991–92 | Toledo Storm | 95 | Lost Division 1st Round ([[Louisville IceHawks|LOU) | 1 |
| 1992–93 | Wheeling Thunderbirds | 88 | Lost Riley Cup Final (TOL) | 2 |
| 1993–94 | Knoxville Cherokees | 94 | Lost 1st Round (Louisville IceHawks) | 2 |
| 1994–95 | Wheeling Thunderbirds | 97 | Lost 1st Round (Birmingham Bulls) | 3 |
| 1995–96 | Richmond Renegades | 105 | Lost Riley Cup Quarterfinal (Jacksonville Lizard Kings) | 1 |
| 1996–97 | South Carolina Stingrays | 100 | Won Kelly Cup | 1 |
| 1997–98 | Louisiana IceGators | 96 | Lost Kelly Cup Semifinal (Pensacola Ice Pilots) | 1 |
| 1998–99 | Pee Dee Pride | 106 | Lost Conference Final (MIS | 3 |
| 1999–2000 | Florida Everblades | 108 | Lost Conference Quarterfinal (Augusta Lynx) | 1 |
| 2000–01 | Trenton Titans | 104 | Lost Kelly Cup Final (SC) | 1 |
| 2001–02 | Louisiana IceGators | 116 | Lost Division Semifinal (Jackson Bandits) | 1 |
| 2002–03 | Toledo Storm | 104 | Lost Division Final (CIN) | 2 |
| 2003–04 | San Diego Gulls | 108 | Lost Division Semifinal (AK) | 1 |
| 2004–05 | Pensacola Ice Pilots | 107 | Lost Conference Quarterfinal (Greenville Grrrowl) | 1 |
| 2005–06 | Alaska Aces | 113 | Won Kelly Cup | 1 |
| 2006–07 | Las Vegas Wranglers | 106 | Lost Conference Semifinal (IDH) | 1 |
| 2007–08 | Cincinnati Cyclones | 115 | Won Kelly Cup | 1 |
| 2008–09 | Florida Everblades | 103 | Lost Division Final (SC) | 2 |