Road to Kelly Cup Finals
VS 2012 KELLY CUP FINALS MEDIA GUIDE Produced by: Joe Babik, ECHL Director of Communications With assistance from: Alex Reed, Florida Everblades and Rachel Wright, Las Vegas Wranglers Patrick J. Kelly ECHL Commissioner Emeritus 2008 Inductee ECHL Hall of Fame Patrick J. Kelly was named Commissioner Emeritus of the ECHL in 1996 after serving as Commissioner for the first eight seasons of the ECHL. He was inducted into the inaugural class of the ECHL Hall of Fame in 2008. Kelly celebrated his 59th season in hockey in 2011-12, having begun his career with the St. Catherine Teepees of the Ontario Junior Hockey League in 1952. He played professionally for the Springfield Indians of the American Hockey League, the Trois Riveres Lions in the Quebec League, Troy Bruins of the International Hockey League and the Greensboro Generals of the Eastern Hockey League. He helped Crowland capture the 1948-49 Bantam B Championship of Ontario, beating Peterborough in the finals. He began his coaching career in the Eastern Hockey League, beginning with the Jersey Devils and later with the Clinton (New York) Comets from 1965-73. Clinton was 151-39- 28 and won three straight regular season and postseason titles from 1967-70. In 1967-68, the Comets finished with a 57-5-10 record, making them the only professional team in history to lose only five games or less in a season, and in 1969-70, Kelly was named Minor League Coach of the Year by The Hockey News. Kelly served as head coach and general manager for Charlotte in the Southern Hockey League from 1973-76 guiding the Checkers to a 136-68-12 record, two regular season titles and two postseason titles while earning Coach of the Year honors in the SHL twice.
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