With the ECHL regular season winding down to its final two weeks, the FloHockey playoff primer is back.

The Kelly Cup Playoffs get underway April 19, and while some teams already have clinched their spots, here’s a division-by-division look at the race to get in, with some of them surely set to go all the way down to the wire.

All information is accurate as of the start of play April 4.

NORTH

Clinched: Newfoundland Growlers, 92 points, Reading Royals (82), Maine Mariners (79)
Likely In: None
Bubble: Worcester Railers (70), Adirondack Thunder (69)
Eliminated: Trois-Rivieres Lions (57), Norfolk Admirals (43)

Analysis/Key Games This Week: The Growlers have all but clinched the division, up 10 points with five games left to play. Thus, the battles for the second home ice spot in the first round, as well as the last team to get in, are the ones that get the spotlight.

Reading has a three-point advantage over Maine for the second seed and heads to Norfolk for two games this weekend, while the Mariners have a tougher slate ahead. The Mariners head to Worcester and Adirondack, before finishing the week at home against the Thunder.

The game to watch this weekend, however, likely is Adirondack against Worcester on Saturday at 7:05 p.m.

One of several head-to-head matchups left this season between the two teams, which are vying for the final playoff spot in the North, these all are essentially four-point games and will go a long way toward determining who gets in.

We’re officially IN! ✔️#Quest4Kelly | #KellyCupPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/U5twvIp2mn

— X - SC Stingrays (@SCStingrays) April 2, 2023

SOUTH

Clinched: South Carolina Stingrays (85)
Likely In: Jacksonville Icemen (82), Greenville Swamp Rabbits (81), Florida Everblades (80)
Bubble: Atlanta Gladiators (75)
Eliminated: Orlando Solar Bears (68), Savannah Ghost Pirates (62)

Analysis/Key Games This Week: Only the Stingrays have anything locked up, with a playoff spot having been secured. They could, however, end up anywhere from the first to the fourth seed, with the top of the division still very much in flux heading into the last two weeks.

The top four teams created some distance on fifth place Atlanta, which is five points back and only has four games left to play, giving the Gladiators a maximum of 83 total points, should they win out.

With Florida, Greenville and Jacksonville all having games in hand and sitting at 80-plus points, it’s a near-impossible ask.

With that said, the battle for the division title and home ice is very much worth watching.

South Carolina’s games this week likely will help set the tone for the races to watch over the last few days of the season. 

The Stingrays start their week Thursday in Greenville then go back home to face Florida on Friday and Saturday, with the first two games set for puck drop at 7:05 p.m. and the latter at 6:05 p.m.

CENTRAL

Clinched: Cincinnati Cyclones (99), Toledo Walleye (93), Indy Fuel (83), Fort Wayne Komets (71)
Likely In: N/A
Bubble: None
Eliminated: Kalamazoo Wings (58), Wheeling Nailers (57), Iowa Heartlanders (54)

Analysis/Key Games This Week: All four playoff spots have been determined in the Central, which is no surprise, given how top-heavy the division was all season.

Up six points and with one game in hand over Toledo, Cincinnati is well on its way to clinching the division title, as well, with the Walleye having all but secured home ice in the first round by being 10 points up on Indy, and the Fuel having just five games remaining.

As for games to watch, well, there’s still a doozy on the docket.

The Cyclones head to Toledo for a game that, at minimum, could play a role in deciding the division title, but will be viewed by most as a potential preview of a fireworks-filled second round playoff matchup to determine who comes out of the Central. 

MOUNTAIN

Clinched: Idaho Steelheads (109)
Likely In: None
Bubble: Allen Americans (68), Kansas City Mavericks (68), Utah Grizzlies (67), Wichita Thunder (66), Rapid City Rush (63)
Eliminated: Tulsa Oilers (51)

Analysis/Key Games This Week: The Steelheads have clinched everything under the sun, including the Brabham Cup this past week as the league’s regular-season champion.

Barring something unforeseen with Cincinnati winning out and Idaho losing out, Idaho will have home ice for its entire playoff run.

Behind that? It’s a five-team race for the final three spots, with everyone but Tulsa still legitimately being in it with two weeks left to play.

As you’d imagine, there are a handful of games featuring any two of those five teams coming up this week, including Rapid City visiting Wichita twice, with puck drop set for 8:05 p.m. on Thursday and Friday.

Additionally, the Rush go to Kansas City to play the Mavericks on Tuesday night, which will be the league’s only game set for that day. The puck will drop at 8:05 p.m.