A Decade of Excellence with Everblades Coach Ralph

By Gary Israel

 

Close your eyes and visualize a tremendously successful hockey team. Where were you thinking about? Was it a city in Canada? Which province? Or maybe the upper Midwest? Or perhaps up the Northeast corridor? What if I told you that it was right here in Southwest Florida? Seriously!

The Florida Everblades of the ECHL have made the playoffs in every season but one since their launch in 1998! Talk about consistency. From the very beginning, the team, at every level, has been focused on one thing: winning.

That mindset continues today with everyone from the Hoffman family ownership to Everblades President Craig Brush to Head Coach Brad Ralph, the rest of the coaching staff, the award-winning front office staff and the fan favorite mascot, Swampee — the Florida Everblades are the envy of the league. They have strived to produce great hockey and an unforgettable entertainment value for all ages here in Southwest Florida. And the community couldn’t be more proud.

 

Proven Playoff Power

In just a couple of weeks, the Florida Everblades will kick off their 28th season at Hertz Arena in their quest to capture their unparalleled fifth Kelly Cup Championship. The 2025-26 season home opener is Saturday, Oct. 18.

Once again at the helm of the Blades will be Head Coach and General Manager Brad Ralph, entering his 10th season as head coach for the team and 16th season as a professional head coach. Ralph was named the fifth head coach of the Florida Everblades in July 2016 and has raised the bar every year since.

Ralph has a career coaching record of 654-283-98 shared between the Southern Professional Hockey League, Western Hockey League and the ECHL. His 105 career wins in the Kelly Cup playoffs gives Ralph the record for most career postseason wins.

Ralph has never missed clenching a spot in the playoffs in his 16 years as a head coach. He led the Florida Everblades to an unprecedented three-peat Kelly Cup Championship in the 2022, 2023 and 2024 seasons. And he accomplished this feat with predominantly new teams each year, as there are only three players that were part of all three championship teams: Cam Johnson, Joe Pendenza and Kyle Neuber.

Mike Kelly, vice president of business development and broadcasting, and TV broadcaster for the team, said one of Ralph’s greatest abilities lies in recruiting.

“He has a keen talent to acquire the right balance of players with the right skills, toughness and ability so that they develop a cohesiveness throughout the season to carry them into the playoffs,” Kelly said.

In addition to recruiting and player development, Ralph has a history of coaching development as evidenced by the fact that his last three assistant coaches with the Blades have gone on, because of his leadership and teaching, to take head coaching positions for themselves: Tad O’Had with Kansas City, Jesse Kallechy with Fort Wayne and Anthony Peters with Redding, all in the ECHL and competing against their mentor.

Ralph said he is excited for the upcoming season “because we have some very talented players returning this year. This should help us to get off to another great start like last year. Plus, we have added some quality players.”

There is truth in Ralph’s observations as returning players include goalie Cam Johnson, defensemen Jordan Sambrook, Conner Doherty and Sean Allen, and forwards Oliver Chau, Carson Gicewicz and Jesse Lansdell. Among the new players added are free agents Reid Duke (forward) and Gianfranco Cassaro (defenseman).

Brad Ralph will have another development opportunity with the addition of a new assistant coach, Kyle Mountain.

“Kyle comes to the Everblades with coaching experience at the ECHL level,” Ralph said. “He knows the game, he’s detailed, hardworking and eager to continue his growth as a coach to help the Everblades win another championship.”

A 35-year-old native of Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, Mountain started his coaching career at Neumann University in Aston, Pennsylvania, and most recently coached for the Greenville Swamp Rabbits.

 

It’s Hockey Night in Estero!

Another new face around the arena this season will be behind the microphone. With the retirement of veteran announcer Dave Alexander at the end of the 2024 season, the Blades have commissioned lifelong hockey fan, Josh Law from Biloxi, Mississippi. The 29-year-old Law grew up with the Mississippi Sea Wolves of the ECHL and recently served as the Sea Wolves announcer. With a variety of sports and hockey experiences to his credit, Law takes great pride in his announcing and assures fans, old and new, that he will bring a professional and energetic game day experience.

The Everblades have been working hard in the off season, increasing the number of season ticket holders, signing the right players, bringing in a new assistant coach and even a new public address announcer to make the game day experience an exceptional entertainment value.

“Everyone is excited about the upcoming season,” said team President Brush. “Creating more entertainment value and the hockey fan experience has always been a primary concern.”

As Brush has said on many occasions, “We also want to attract more and more non-hockey fans to experience the excitement of professional hockey.”

“We encourage them to just try one game,” he said. “We are confident they will have a great time!”

To this end, the team has increased the number of promotions during the season. Those include fan favorites like Opening Night (Oct. 18), Military Night (Nov. 8), Teddy Bear Toss (Dec. 12), Pink in the Rink (March 7) and Fan Appreciation Night (April 11), just to name a few.

Get ready, because … “It’s hockey night in Estero!” Go Blades!