October 19, 2024
By Fred Liggett
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The shortest off-season in Kansas City Mavericks franchise history is about to end thanks to the start of the new 2024-25 ECHL hockey season. The Mavericks reached the Kelly Cup Finals for the first time in their 15 year history and allowed the team to play into the month of June. The weekend of October 18-19 is opening weekend with the Mavericks playing a home and home series against rival Wichita Thunder.
Mavericks are once again led by head coach Tad O’Had as they take to the ice in hopes of a return trip to the Kelly Cup Finals. For Coach O’Had playing into June is, “The way you want it.” O’Had acknowledges, “It adds challenges to recruiting, but it’s the way we want it.” O’Had adds, “We want to play in championship games.”
The Mavericks, the defending Western Conference Champions, have two new teams to overcome to repeat as the conference champions that are both league expansion teams. New to the ECHL for the 2024-25 season are the Tahoe Knight Monsters and the Bloomington Bison. For the Mavericks to return to the top of the Mountain Division it’s now an eight team division. The Mavs and traditional rivals like Allen, Wichita and Tulsa welcome Tahoe to the division. Coach O’Had states, “It’s always good to see growth in the league.” Tahoe is affiliated with the Vegas Golden Knights. Only the top four teams in the division make the playoffs.
For the third year the Mavericks are affiliated with the Coachella Valley Firebirds of the American Hockey League and the Seattle Kraken of the National Hockey League. The Mavericks drop the puck on the 2024-25 season with a home and home series with their closest rival in the Wichita Thunder. Following the season opener on Friday, Oct. 18 in Wichita the Mavs welcome the Thunder to KC the next night on Saturday, Oct. 19 for their home opener.
The Mavericks roster not only has players returning from last season but familiar names from years past. On Monday, Oct. 14 the Mavericks announced forward Pascal Laberge is back after spending last season in Hungary. Forward Marcus Crawford is also back after playing in Europe. Coach O’Had “is excited” to have Crawford back in KC saying his play “is very consistent.”
Fans of the Mavericks will have to keep up on their favorite hockey team online as the Mavs have only five home games in November. This season the Mavericks have a home-heavy schedule near the end of the regular season. The chase for a Kelly Cup begins again for the KC Mavericks who will play all home games inside Cable Dahmer Arena.
