ECHL: Cade Borchardt Named Player of the Week (Dec. 2-9)

The Kansas City Mavericks, last season’s Mountain Division and Western Conference and regular-season champions, are having another great season. Named ECHL Player of the Week, Cade Borchardt is part of that great team. He is one of the stellar players who returned and is already on par to surpass his goal statistics with back-to-back hat tricks that boosted those numbers.

The 26-year-old, right-handed forward is a Minnesota native. Growing up in the State of Hockey as Minnesota is known, Cade started playing at the PeeWee level and moved up through the local leagues. At times, playing along with his brother and then played for the USHL’s Madison Capitals and the Sioux Falls Stampede, where he helped lead the Stampede to a Clark Cup in 2019 before starting his collegiate career. Playing four years at Minnesota State University, Mankato, also coincidentally named the Maverick, serving as team Captain his senior year, playing 121 games with 29 goals and 56 assists.  He joined the Mavericks late in the 22-23 season and has played 124 games within the ECHL with 52 goals and 74 assists.  

Borchardt was ranked seventh last season with 24 goals and was named to the 2024 All-Rookie team. He now leads the Mavericks with 19 goals in 22 games and the league. Seven of those came from last week’s series against the Utah Grizzlies. Named alternative captain this season, before this season, showing great strength on the ice.

The Kansas City Mavericks are currently fifth in the league with a 14-6-1 record, behind the number one-ranked South Carolina Stingrays, the second-ranked Florida Everblades, the third-ranked Wheeling Nailers, and the fourth-ranked Toledo Walleye. This places them second in the Western Conference behind the Walleye, whom they eliminated in the third round of the 2024 Kelly Cup Playoff to win the Western Conference title.