With a little more than eleven minutes gone in the third period of Game 6, the Florida Everblades trailed the Kansas City Mavericks 4-1. They then scored three goals in the last 8:41 of regulation. The tying goal came from captain Oliver Chau, who knocked the puck in with 13.2 seconds on the clock and his goalie pulled for an extra attacker. Isaac Nurse ended it deep in the second overtime. The game ran four hours and 45 minutes, the second-longest in Kelly Cup Finals history, and Florida outshot Kansas City 56-28. The team's recap has the full sequence.
That win gave the Everblades their fifth Kelly Cup, after titles in 2012, 2022, 2023 and 2024. No other ECHL team has won five. The banner goes up at Hertz Arena on Saturday, Oct. 17, before the 7 p.m. regular-season opener against the Orlando Solar Bears.
The players skating under it won't match the team in that Game 6 recap. The captain who forced overtime is gone. The three-time playoff MVP in goal now has a contract with an American Hockey League club. And for the first time, the Everblades get part of their roster from an NHL organization's development pipeline. The banner is the fixed part of opening night. The team is still being assembled.
Who Is Back, Who Is Gone, Who Is Undecided
Every championship team turns over some of its roster. What's different this summer is which players left. Here is where the Game 6 names stand as of early October 2026, based on team announcements and local reporting.
| Player | Role in the 2026 run | Status for 2026-27 |
|---|---|---|
| Isaac Nurse | Scored the double-overtime Cup winner | Signed with Florida on July 28 |
| Oliver Chau | Captain, scored the tying goal with 13.2 seconds left | Leaving; departure announced July 27 |
| Cam Johnson | Goaltender, three-time playoff MVP | Signed an AHL contract with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on July 24 |
| Gianfranco Cassaro | Scored the first goal of the third-period comeback | Traded to Kansas City on July 30 |
| Kyle Betts | Scored Game 6's opening goal | On Florida's protected list; no signing announced |
The team announced Chau's exit with a thank-you post on social media on July 27, according to The News-Press. The Naples Press reported that he is likely retiring from professional hockey.
The front office kept a core of veterans. Craig Needham, Riese Zmolek and Ben Brar each signed for a fourth season in Estero, in announcements dated Aug. 3, Aug. 20 and Sept. 1. Forward Mark Estapa joined after a 2025-26 season with Trois-Rivières. WINK's preseason report counted 10 returners and 10 contracted players.
Brad Ralph is still behind the bench. His fourth title made him the first head coach to win four ECHL championships, and he holds the league's postseason records for games coached and wins. The coach and the system carry over from last season. More of the roster than usual is new.
Pittsburgh's Prospects Now Come Through Estero
The reason so much of the roster is new comes down to an announcement from Pittsburgh on July 16. The Penguins named the Everblades their ECHL affiliate starting this season. Florida is the secondary developmental club, one level below the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL.
Penguins assistant general manager Jason Spezza described the arrangement as a "three-tiered development model between the NHL, AHL and ECHL." He said Pittsburgh's goal is to "provide Coach Ralph with quality prospects that can continue to help the Everblades bring championship hockey to Southwest Florida."
Those prospects started arriving before the first preseason game. On Oct. 5, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton sent seven players to Florida:
- Mark Senden
- Jack Horbach
- Brent Johnson
- David Breazeale
- Daniel Laatsch
- Broten Sabo
- Tyler Duke
On Oct. 8, two more forwards came down: Max Graham and Tiernan Shoudy. Also on Oct. 5, the Everblades signed Ryan Naumovski, Max Messier and Tyriq Outen to professional tryout agreements.
That makes 12 new names in the four days before the preseason ended, nine of them assigned by an AHL club. Players assigned from above can also be called back up. For anyone watching from the stands, the roster on Oct. 17 is a snapshot that can change, and the faces behind the bench may shift more over the winter than they did during the three-peat years.
The Goalie Question Sits at the Center
Cam Johnson's situation shows the trade-off most clearly. He was in goal for every one of the recent title runs. In 2026 he went 16-3-1 in the playoffs with a 1.93 goals-against average. He holds ECHL postseason records for appearances, minutes, wins and shutouts.
On July 24 he signed an AHL contract with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Five days later, The News-Press wrote "Florida Everblades fans, don't panic," and reported that Johnson was "not likely to be leaving this year." The Naples Press reported that Florida expects him back but may end up sharing him with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
So the most decorated goalie in league playoff history now plays under the affiliation that supplies the rest of the new roster. The deal gives the Everblades a steadier flow of NHL-system talent. The cost is that a player like Johnson may be needed in Pennsylvania on any given week. As of today, nobody has said publicly how often he will be in Estero.
The Florida Everblades were founded in 1998, and they have been owned by David Hoffmann and the Hoffmann Family of Companies since 2019. The team has made the playoffs in 25 of its 26 seasons. That record raises expectations for this season more than it predicts the lineup.
A Fall Calendar Built Around the Title Defense
The team's promotional schedule, released Sept. 8, starts the season on the championship. Here are the home dates through early December:
| Date | Opponent | Theme and giveaway |
|---|---|---|
| Sat., Oct. 17 | Orlando Solar Bears | Banner Raising; LED bracelet for the first 7,000 fans |
| Fri., Oct. 23 | Atlanta Gladiators | Blackout Night; specialty jerseys, magnet schedule while supplies last |
| Sat., Oct. 24 | Atlanta Gladiators | Sweets in the Suites; commemorative championship banner for the first 1,500 |
| Fri., Nov. 13 | South Carolina Stingrays | Swampee's Birthday; bucket hat for the first 1,500 |
| Sat., Nov. 14 | South Carolina Stingrays | Military Night; replica specialty jersey for the first 1,500 |
| Fri., Nov. 20 | Savannah Ghost Pirates | Country Night; cowboy hat for the first 1,500 |
| Sat., Nov. 21 | Savannah Ghost Pirates | Blades Fight Cancer and Faith & Family Night; specialty jerseys |
| Fri., Dec. 4 | Cincinnati Cyclones | Teddy Bear Toss |
The team notes that promotions and dates can change.
Saturday, Nov. 14 lines up with a Village event. The Village of Estero's Veterans Day Celebration runs from 10 a.m. to noon that morning at Estero Park & Recreation Center, 9200 Corkscrew Palms Blvd. Military Night at Hertz Arena is that evening.
The arena's non-hockey bookings fill in between games. The Doobie Brothers play Oct. 21, Gavin Adcock on Oct. 31, Il Volo on Nov. 11, and WWE's Road to Survivor Series: WarGames on Nov. 12, per the Hertz Arena event calendar.
Before You Drive to Everblades Parkway
Hertz Arena is at 11000 Everblades Pkwy. in Estero. Opening night will be the biggest crowd of the fall, so a few details help:
- Parking. The lot has 2,000 spaces and opens two hours before events. Rates run $15 to $30 plus taxes and fees, payment is cashless, and tailgating isn't allowed, according to the arena's parking page.
- Bags. The arena's sources disagree. The current policy page prohibits bags and backpacks and limits purses to 4.5 by 6.5 inches. An older security notice linked from that page allows clear bags up to 12 by 6 by 12 inches. Calling the box office before you go is the safest way to know which rule applies.
- Tickets. Online sales go through Ticketmaster, and the arena runs the Fifth Third Bank Box Office. Season tickets, Blades 365 memberships and group packages for 2026-27 are on sale, per the team.
- Getting in early. The LED bracelets on Oct. 17 go to the first 7,000 fans. The championship banner giveaway on Oct. 24 is limited to the first 1,500.
If you're new to the area or splitting your year between here and up north, a season of Everblades games is an easy way to get to know Estero, and this winter's roster may change from one month to the next. At Fernando Daza, Gateway is home, and we're glad to talk through Southwest Florida in English or Spanish, whether the question is about hockey night or about where you might want to live. Let's Connect.
