Florida Everblades head coach Brad Ralph joined exclusive company this weekend when he earned his 500th career regular-season win behind an ECHL bench. Ralph became just the fourth coach in ECHL history to hit the 500 mark in his career.

The milestone win came Saturday night with a hard-fought 3-1 victory over the Fort Wayne Komets on the road.

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Ralph, who began his head coaching career in 2010 in the SPHL before joining the Idaho Steelheads as head coach in the ECHL in 2012, entered the season fifth all-time in wins by a head coach in the ECHL. He moved past John Marks for fourth earlier this season and is now 18 wins shy of third all-time, currently held by Steve Martinson.

Jason Christie, who helmed five different ECHL teams between 2000 and 2021, holds the ECHL record for regular-season wins in a career with 667. 

By adding his 500th win, Ralph has added just one more milestone to the many accolades he’s achieved in his time as a head coach in the ECHL. 

best in the biz 🐐
congrats coach, we're lucky to have you! pic.twitter.com/Ycl9zzqUzq

— Florida Everblades (@FL_Everblades) December 2, 2024

He is currently helping the Everblades defend its unprecedented three consecutive Kelly Cup championships, each of which he was behind the bench for. Ralph is also the ECHL’s all-time leader in postseason games coached (153), postseason wins (95) and is tied for second in most-career postseason appearances as a head coach with 10. His three championships as a bench boss are tied with the legendary John Brophy, who also won three.

Despite Ralph’s lengthy tenure in the ECHL, he is still just 44 years old. 

Meanwhile, the Everblades are not resting on their laurels. They have the best record in the ECHL this season with a 14-3-1 mark after taking five of a possible six points in a three-game set with the Komets, including a win in Fort Wayne’s traditional Thanksgiving Day game.

One has to wonder if and when an NHL organization comes calling for Ralph. Winning at any level is exceedingly difficult, but doing it consistently in the ECHL is downright impossible. Not if you’re Brad Ralph apparently.

Despite the many challenges of building a roster that has continuity and familiarity, Florida has been able to hang on to its veterans and bring in new players seamlessly.

The Everblades had been with the Florida Panthers as its NHL affiliate for years, but the club made an affiliation switch to the St. Louis Blues over the summer. While it hasn’t led to sweeping roster turnover, the change in affiliation did cost the Blades some players, yet they’re still atop the league.

It’s one of the more remarkable coaching jobs anywhere in the sport and it’s flown largely under the radar, but Ralph’s is a name that NHL and AHL fans should become much more familiar with.

The Blades will be back in action Thursday as Ralph chases career win No. 501 on the road against the Jacksonville Icemen. That will be the first of three in a row against Jacksonville, culminating Saturday night with the club’s highly-anticipated Teddy Bear Toss game.

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