Every ECHL season builds toward one prize: the Kelly Cup. For Tulsa Oilers fans, the question each winter is simple. Will the team play past mid-April? This guide explains how the ECHL playoffs work, from qualification and seeding to the Kelly Cup Finals, and what Tulsa needs to do in the Mountain Division to reach them in 2026-27.
Quick answer: Sixteen teams qualify for the Kelly Cup playoffs, the top four in each of the ECHL’s four divisions. Every round is a best-of-seven series. The first two rounds are played inside each division, the division winners meet for the conference title, and the two conference champions play for the Kelly Cup. That is the format the league used in 2026, according to compiled playoff records.
How Teams Qualify for the ECHL Playoffs
The ECHL has 30 teams split into two conferences, each with two divisions. Tulsa plays in the Mountain Division of the Western Conference, alongside Allen, Idaho, Kansas City, New Mexico, Rapid City, Tahoe and Wichita. Our guide to the ECHL lists every team by division.
At the end of the 72-game regular season, the top four teams in each division by points qualify. In the ECHL, a win is worth two points, and an overtime or shootout loss earns one point. Consequently, games that go past regulation still matter, because the extra point can decide the final playoff spot.
With eight teams in the Mountain Division, half of the division reaches the playoffs and half goes home. That makes head-to-head games against division rivals especially important. In fact, Tulsa plays 14 games against Wichita and 10 against Kansas City this season, according to the club’s schedule release.
The Kelly Cup Playoffs Format, Round by Round
| Round | Matchups | Series length |
|---|---|---|
| Division Semifinals | 1st vs. 4th and 2nd vs. 3rd in each division | Best of seven |
| Division Finals | The two semifinal winners in each division | Best of seven |
| Conference Finals | The two division champions in each conference | Best of seven |
| Kelly Cup Finals | Eastern Conference champion vs. Western Conference champion | Best of seven |
Because the first two rounds stay inside the division, a Mountain Division team must usually beat two division rivals just to reach the conference final. For example, in 2026 Kansas City swept Tahoe in the semifinals and then swept Allen in the division final.
Home-ice advantage
Higher seeds host more games in each series. In addition, the team with the best regular-season record wins the Brabham Cup and holds home-ice advantage for as long as it keeps advancing. Kansas City earned that position in 2025-26.
Kelly Cup vs. Brabham Cup
New fans often mix up the ECHL’s two major trophies:
- Brabham Cup: awarded to the team with the best regular-season record.
- Kelly Cup: awarded to the playoff champion.
Winning one does not guarantee the other. In 2026, Kansas City won the Brabham Cup and reached the Kelly Cup Finals, but the Florida Everblades won the championship in six games. It was Florida’s fifth Kelly Cup.
How the Tulsa Oilers Have Done in the Playoffs
Tulsa’s best ECHL playoff run came in 2018-19, when the Oilers won the Mountain Division regular-season title, beat Kansas City in seven games and Idaho in six, and then lost the Western Conference Final to Toledo in seven games. More recently, Tulsa reached the playoffs in 2023-24 and 2024-25 but lost to Kansas City in the division semifinals both times. In 2025-26, the Oilers did not qualify; the Mountain Division semifinals featured Kansas City, Tahoe, Allen and Idaho.
Our season-by-season history of the Oilers in the ECHL lists every finish since 2014.
What Tulsa Needs to Reach the Kelly Cup Playoffs in 2026-27
Based on the format, a few things matter more than others:
- Win the Wichita series. With 14 meetings, the head-to-head record against Wichita can swing the standings by many points.
- Bank points at home. Long trips to Idaho and Tahoe are hard for any team, so home games against those clubs are valuable.
- Collect the extra point. Overtime and shootout losses still earn a point, which often separates the fourth and fifth seeds.
- Handle Kansas City. The Mavericks have ended Tulsa’s last two playoff appearances, and they meet the Oilers 10 times this season.
Tulsa started 1-1 this season, as our early Tulsa Oilers results report explains. It is far too early to judge the race, but every division game counts.
Key Dates
The ECHL regular season ends on April 11, 2027, and the Kelly Cup playoffs follow. In 2026, the postseason ran from April 23 to June 15. Dates for 2027 will be confirmed by the league, so check ECHL.com for the official playoff schedule.
The Bottom Line
The Kelly Cup playoffs reward teams that win inside their own division. For Tulsa, that means beating Wichita, competing with Kansas City and stacking up points at the BOK Center. If you want to understand the opponents standing in the way, our Mountain Division guide profiles every team.
Published Oct. 25, 2026. Format details reflect the 2026 Kelly Cup playoffs. The ECHL can adjust its playoff format between seasons, so confirm the current rules with the league.
