The ECHL on Wednesday announced that Tad O’Had of the Kansas City Mavericks is the 2025-26 recipient of the John Brophy Award as the league’s Coach of the Year.
The John Brophy Award is the trophy presented annually to the ECHL coach selected to have contributed the most to his team’s success as selected in a vote of ECHL coaches, broadcasters, media relations directors and media members. The trophy is named for John Brophy, who won a record three ECHL titles with Hampton Roads in 1991, 1992 and 1998, and was inducted into the ECHL Hall of Fame in 2009.
Matt Ginn of Atlanta finished second in the voting, followed by Maine’s Rick Kowalsky, Brad Ralph of Florida and Wheeling’s Ryan Papaioannou.
The winner of the Nick Vitucci Goaltender of the Year Award will be announced on Thursday.
O’Had led Kansas City to its third consecutive Mountain Division title and its second Brabham Cup as ECHL regular-season champions in the last three years. The Mavericks’ 55 wins and 115 points are both tied as the third-most in a single-season in ECHL history while their 28 road wins are second all-time. Kansas City was third in the league with 3.54 goals per game while ranking second with 2.21 goals-against per game.
In six seasons with Kansas City, O’Had is 255-136-14 and has led the club to the Western Conference Finals in the previous two seasons, including a trip to the Kelly Cup Finals in 2024. O’Had joined the Mavericks after seven seasons as an assistant coach with the Florida Everblades. Before his time with the Everblades, O’Had served as head coach and general manager of the Florida Jr. Blades, steering the program to a 112-19-8 record, two USA Hockey Nationals appearances and multiple regular-season titles.
In addition, Kansas City is the recipient of League’s Hockey Operations Department of the Year Award.
The award is presented annually to the team judged to have the best hockey operations department in the league and is determined by a vote of ECHL coaches.
The Toledo Walleye finished second in the voting, followed by the Idaho Steelheads, Fort Wayne Komets and Maine Mariners.
John Brophy Award Winners (ECHL Coach of the Year)
2025-26 Tad O’Had, Kansas City Mavericks
2024-25 Jared Nightingale, South Carolina Stingrays
2023-24 Andrew Lord, Greenville Swamp Rabbits
2022-23 Everett Sheen, Idaho Steelheads
2021-22 Jeff Pyle, Atlanta Gladiators
2020-21 Bruce Ramsay, Wichita Thunder
2019-20 Steve Bergin, South Carolina Stingrays
2018-19 Matt Thomas, Cincinnati Cyclones
2017-18 Brad Ralph, Florida Everblades
2016-17 Dan Watson, Toledo Walleye
2015-16 Richard Matvichuk, Missouri Mavericks
2014-15 Derek Lalonde, Toledo Walleye
2013-14 Spencer Carbery, South Carolina Stingrays
2012-13 Jarrod Skalde, Cincinnati Cyclones
2011-12 Rob Murray, Alaska Aces and John Wroblewski, Gwinnett Gladiators
2010-11 Brent Thompson, Alaska Aces
2009-10 Derek Laxdal, Idaho Steelheads
2008-09 Rick Kowalsky, Trenton Devils
2007-08 Chuck Weber, Cincinnati Cyclones
2006-07 Davis Payne, Alaska Aces
2005-06 Glen Gulutzan, Las Vegas Wranglers
2004-05 Nick Vitucci, Toledo Storm
2003-04 Pat Bingham, Wheeling Nailers
2002-03 Claude Noel, Toledo Storm
2001-02 Dave Farrish, Louisiana Ice Gators
2000-01 Troy Ward, Trenton Titans
1999-00 Bob Ferguson, Florida Everblades
1998-99 Bob Ferguson, Florida Everblades
1997-98 Chris Nilan, Chesapeake IceBreakers
1996-97 Brian McCutcheon, Columbus Chill
1995-96 Roy Sommer, Richmond Renegades
1994-95 Jim Playfair, Dayton Bombers
1993-94 Barry Smith, Knoxville Cherokees
1992-93 Kurt Kleinendorst, Raleigh IceCaps
1991-92 Doug Sauter, Winston-Salem Thunderbirds
1990-91 Don Jackson, Knoxville Cherokees
1989-90 Dave Allison, Virginia Lancers
1988-89 Ron Hansis, Erie Panthers
ECHL Hockey Operations Department of the Year Award
2025-26 Kansas City Mavericks
2024-25 Toledo Walleye
2023-24 Jacksonville Icemen
2022-23 Idaho Steelheads
2021-22 Toledo Walleye
