Bloomington Bison Seasons Ends Following Playoff Loss To Toledo

IMAGE COURTESY OF BLOOMINGTON BISON MEDIA TEAM

NORMAL, Ill. – The Bloomington Bison were eliminated from the Kelly Cup Playoffs after losing Game 6 of the first round to the Toledo Walleye. Despite being eliminated, this season can certainly be considered successful for one of the ECHL’s newest teams.

The Bison started down 0-3 against the Walleye, but bounced back by winning back-to-back games. After forcing a game six on Sunday, the Bison could not overcome the Walleye’s offensive onslaught, losing 6-2.

After joining the ECHL in 2024, the Bison managed to make the playoffs in just their second season of existence. On May 29th, they recorded the first playoff victory in franchise history, winning 5-3.

Deni Goure delivered with one of the team’s top performances in round one, totaling eight points in six games. This tied him for third in the entire league in points, and ranked second in assists with six.

Bloomington finished the regular season third in the Central Division and sixth in the Western Conference. Through 72 regular season games, the team totaled 79 points with a 37-35 record, all of which were the highest in team history.

One of the brightest spots on the team was defenseman Nikita Sedov. In April, Sedov was announced as one of two defenders named to the 2025-2026 All-ECHL Second Team.

In his first season with the Bison, Sedov led the team in points during the regular season with 59, as well as assists with 46. Across the league, Sedov finished second in points, third in goals, and tied for fourth in assists.

The Bison now set their sights on building off the success of this season as they gear up for the start of the 2026-2027 campaign.

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