The final week of the ECHL regular season is upon us, and so is the FloHockey playoff primer, with one last look at the key races still left to unfold across the league.

The Kelly Cup Playoffs get underway April 19, and while most teams already have clinched their spots, here’s a division-by-division look at not only those last races to get in, but the late battles for seeding in the first round and beyond.

All information is accurate as of the start of play on Tuesday.

NORTH

Clinched: Newfoundland Growlers, 98 points, Reading Royals (84), Maine Mariners (83)
Likely In: None
Bubble: Worcester Railers (72), Adirondack Thunder (71)
Eliminated: Trois-Rivieres Lions (57), Norfolk Admirals (45)

Analysis/Key Games This Week: One of the most intriguing races in the league that most never thought would materialize goes down to the last week, with the Worcester Railers holding a one-point advantage over the Adirondack Thunder heading into the final week of the season.

Worcester, an early-season superpower many thought could represent the Eastern Conference in the Kelly Cup Finals, largely hasn’t been the same since a highly anticipated series against Idaho didn’t go their way.

The Railers still are clinging to the last playoff spot in the North after a huge 6-2 win over Adirondack on April 8.

The Thunder have a game in hand over Worcester, a critical factor, considering only one point separates the two heading into this home stretch.

Games to watch? That’s easy. All of them involving those two teams.

Easier yet? 

The Railers last two games both are in Adirondack. The opener is set for Saturday at 7 p.m. (on FloHockey), while the finale is scheduled for the next day at 3 p.m.

SOUTH

Clinched: South Carolina Stingrays (91), Jacksonville Icemen (86), Greenville Swamp Rabbits (85), Florida Everblades (83)
Likely In: None
Bubble: None
Eliminated: Atlanta Gladiators (75), Orlando Solar Bears (68), Savannah Ghost Pirates (62)

Analysis/Key Games This Week: The Gladiators officially were eliminated this past week, which sets the field in the South for the postseason. Seeding, however, remains up in the air.

South Carolina has three games left, Jacksonville has four, Greenville has two and Florida has three. Respectively, maximum point totals for each team would be 97, 94, 89 and 89.

Thus, Greenville and Florida both are out as a potential No. 1 seed but could earn home ice as a second seed, if Jacksonville sputters across the finish line, though the Icemen would need only four points in those last four games to clinch home ice.

However, with their glut of games, Jacksonville isn’t out on the race for the division title and home ice in the first two rounds, if the Icemen are able to catch South Carolina.

With every seed still subject to change, games with any of the four teams are ones to keep an eye on this week.

Jacksonville takes on Florida on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., South Carolina meets Greenville on Friday at 7:05 p.m. and Jacksonville faces South Carolina on Saturday at 6:05 p.m.

OH MY, CLAY STEVENSON 🤯 @ECHL @ESPNAssignDesk pic.twitter.com/0Oy8dHs17P

— X - SC Stingrays (@SCStingrays) April 8, 2023

CENTRAL

Clinched: Cincinnati Cyclones (103), Toledo Walleye (95), Indy Fuel (85), Fort Wayne Komets (73)
Likely In:
Bubble: None
Eliminated: Wheeling Nailers (61), Kalamazoo Wings (59), Iowa Heartlanders (54)

Analysis/Key Games This Week: You’re still here? It’s over. Go home.  

In all seriousness, everything that can be set in the Central Division is, with both the teams that are getting in (and are left out), as well as seeding for the first round.

Cincinnati will have home ice against Fort Wayne in their first-round series, while Toledo has earned that right against Indy in the other opening-round series in the Central.

All Kelly Cup Playoff games can be seen, as always, exclusively on FloHockey.

MOUNTAIN

Clinched: Idaho Steelheads (115)
Likely In: Allen Americans (75)
Bubble: Kansas City Mavericks (70), Wichita Thunder (70), Utah Grizzlies (68), Rapid City Rush (68)
Eliminated: Tulsa Oilers (53)

Analysis/Key Games This Week: The Allen Americans were able to separate themselves from the pack just enough to clinch a spot this past week, leaving four teams left to compete for the final two entries into the Kelly Cup Playoffs.

With 75 points, Allen also nearly has secured home ice in the first round, with a five-point advantage over Kansas City, which has three games left to play and a maximum point total of 76.

Wichita, with only two contests left on the slate, could only reach 74.

In all likelihood, the real battle will be to get in, with both the Mavericks and Thunder in the driver’s seat over Utah and Rapid City, with the latter having made a late “rush,” if you will, to make things interesting at the very least.

The Rush have secured at least one point in each of their last five games and might be the team to watch over this last week. However, they have a daunting task in hosting Brabham Cup and Mountain Division-winner Idaho for a three-game slate to try to get there.

Utah would have an easier road to gain ground, at least in theory, with three games at home against cellar-dwelling Tulsa starting on Wednesday night.