The ECHL says that the Colorado Eagles have literally stolen their championship trophy

BarDown Staff

They REALLY liked this trophy , Photo via Twitter/CompleteHkyNews

It’s June.

To the average individual, it means the beginning of summer, the opening of pools, and the cutting of jeans into jorts.

To the hockey-minded individual, though, it means that it’s championship season.

Across the hockey world, trophies are being polished, patiently awaiting their moment to be hoisted by their respective leagues’ victorious clubs.

Except for one.

That trophy? Is currently missing in action, and allegedly, was stolen by last year’s winners.

The Kelly Cup is the hardware awarded to the team that wins the ECHL, and the Colorado Eagles won the honour two years in a row before they were moved up to the AHL this season.

Apparently, they decided to take the Cup with them.

The ECHL has issued a statement saying it has created a new Kelly Cup and that if Colorado Eagles want to give back their Kelly Cup, the league would “welcome its return so that it too may be part of hockey history.” #EaglesCountry pic.twitter.com/IOxzMC3BXW
— Ryan S. Clark (@ryan_s_clark) June 1, 2019

It was ECHL Commissioner, Patrick Kelly, after whom the trophy is also named, that spilled the beans on a Toledo radio broadcast that the Eagles hadn’t yet returned the trophy.

Patrick Kelly on @FSMBlitz. "I don't know if I should say this or not. But Colorado kept the trophy. If you can believe it. They still have it. This is a new trophy. I've never heard of this in the history of hockey."@ACBellino @bustedcoverage
Listen:
https://t.co/kZNOGvWEi2
— Mark Monroe (@MonroeBlade) May 31, 2019

Twitter was completely dumbfounded by the whole situation, and the reactions have been priceless.

Today's Eagles vs ECHL battle. @Ms_kool_aid @jes1283 pic.twitter.com/lGmnCNy3kC
— Amy D (@AmyD3315) June 1, 2019

Eagles holding on to it like... pic.twitter.com/yThtxDPZMt
— Raudel Wilson (@raudelwilson) June 1, 2019

The Colorado Eagles stealing the ECHL's Kelley Cup is the equivalent to CM Punk walking out with the WWE title.
— NSH HomeKatz (@NSHHousecats) June 1, 2019

Weirdest hockey story ever: the Colorado Eagles (ECHL) won the Kelly Cup last season and have yet to return it......
— World Hockey Report (@worldhockeyrpt) June 1, 2019

This all seems pretty shady, and the Eagles released a statement of their own, claiming that the league had ignored their attempts to return the Cup.

Former ECHL commissioner Patrick Kelly said on @FSMBlitz that the Colorado Eagles have not returned the Kelly Cup to the league.

Eagles owner Martin Lind issued the following statement: #EaglesCountry pic.twitter.com/aD75ybnn4g
— Ryan S. Clark (@ryan_s_clark) May 31, 2019

Regardless, the ECHL had a replacement Kelly Cup made, and the battle for it is currently underway between the Newfoundland Growlers and the Toledo Walleye.

The Growlers, the Walleye, and a missing trophy.

What a league.

(H/T: Twitter)