In the sport of hockey, the Elite League is pretty unique. There isn’t a major focus on homegrown talent, with most of the league’s players sourced from overseas and ‘imported’ into a culture entirely different from their previous experiences.
Whenever I interview the Elite League’s newest arrivals, surprise always sneaks into their tone when the relative importance of the playoffs, regular-season, and Challenge Cup enters the discussion.
Usually, the postseason is king and the regular-season is a means to an end.
But the Elite League bucks convention. Its 54-game regular-season is the main event, with the playoffs a secondary focus. The Challenge Cup? It starts to matter when only two teams remain.
That’s a long way of saying that — unlike on the continent or in North America — players, teams, and coaches are measured against a regular-season yardstick.
It just matters more in the Elite League.
And that’s why now, before the postseason begins in earnest, is the perfect time to name our Team of the Season.
I’ll start with a simple acknowledgement — my selections are largely stats- and vibes-based.
Drydn Dow was the Elite League’s top-scoring defenceman, dragging the Dundee Stars into the playoffs.
But he doesn’t make my Team of the Season, even though fans in Dundee will understandably argue that this list is diminished as a result.
Anyway — let’s recap the season, one that saw the Belfast Giants win the title in dramatic circumstances, and name our All-Stars.
Elite League: 2025 Team of the Season
Goaltender — Jason Grande, Nottingham
It took weeks to arrange, but I finally managed to snag an interview with Jason Grande in late March.
Grande, chatting with me on a recovery day, spoke candidly about his decision to join the Nottingham Panthers in January.
“There weren’t many opportunities at the time,” he explained
The American also arrived in the East Midlands with no assurances about his ice time from Danny Stewart.
Grande was joining the Panthers after a bumpy ride in Slovakia (albeit a spell that has aged well, considering Nove Zamky’s relegation and downward trend after his exit) and behind Ryan Bednard on the depth chart.
Team of the Season: Jason Grande, Nottingham Panthers (Image: Panthers Images)
But when an injury to Bednard quickly opened the door, Grande gloved the opportunity and skated with it.
The West Chester-native hasn’t missed a beat during his time in Nottingham — and quickly shot to the top of the save percentage and goals-against average charts.
In January, you could argue that Grande’s numbers were incomparable to fellow golden glove front-runner Matthew Greenfield. Sample size matters.
However, February and March put paid to those ideas, with Grande exceptional down the stretch and finishing the season tied with Greenfield for the league lead in shutouts despite playing half as many games.
Grande also wins the vibes or eye-test side of the debate.
Greenfield crumbled on decision day, losing his goalie duel with Mat Robson (a league-average shot-stopper) and allowed a soft, unscreened goal with three minutes left in a tied game.
Grande mainly avoided high-profile errors and popped up with a save when his team needed him the most.
Greenfield is great — but Grande owns the net.
Defenceman — Gabe Bast, Belfast Giants
Despite taking a backward step offensively, Gabe Bast remains an indispensable part of Adam Keefe’s blueline.
The Canadian finished the season second on his team amongst defenceman in points (35), but led the way in average ice time (22:04) and total blocks (45).
Bast was excellent down the stretch, with eight points in his last five appearances, and enters the postseason in full flow.
If you want to build a title-winning machine, you need at least one top-end defenceman who can do it all.
Bast is that guy for Belfast, hence his Team of the Season inclusion.
Defenceman — Dominic Cormier, Sheffield
Dominic Cormier is a classy, smooth-skating offensive defenceman.
He tallied 36 points (six goals, 30 assist) in 54 games from the blueline in Sheffield and looks every part an Elite League All-Star.
Cormier’s game-breaking ability is a massive part of his appeal: when he’s hot, he’s hot — and his team usually win as a result.
Team of the Season: Dominic Cormier, Sheffield Steelers (Image: Hayley Roberts)
Useful in all situations, the Canadian is a better defender than he is given credit for, hence Aaron Fox’s commitment to deploying him as a minute eater against first-line opposition.
Cormier is also an expert at staying out of the penalty box, taking only three minor penalties this season (and just 14 PIMs since joining the Steelers in 2023-24).
Forward — Alexis D’Aoust, Manchester Storm
It’s unconventional — but I’ll say it anyway.
The Manchester Storm’s failed playoff push actually strengthens Alexis D’Aoust’s case for a place in the Team of the Season.
Let’s start with the numbers.
The Canadian led the Elite League in points and goals (tied with Chase Gresock).
Team of the Season: Alexis D’Aoust, Manchester Storm (Image: William Cherry)
He finished the season 17 goals, 5 assists, and 22 points clear of his nearest teammate in those categories — proof that he placed the Storm on his back and dragged them to within two points of the playoffs.
There are more reasons why D’Aoust passes the vibe check.
The Elite League’s point-scoring race is often dominated by the arena teams, with players from Belfast and Sheffield locking out top spot since the pandemic.
It’s a testament to D’Auost’s individual skill and perseverance that he topped the charts while on a non-playoff squad.
Forward — Chase Gresock, Coventry Blaze
Chase Gresock is included for many of the same reasons as D’Auost — with whom he shares the Elite League’s scoring crown.
Gresock finished the campaign with 62 points (32 goals, 30 assists) in 54 appearances and quickly consolidated himself as an essential part of Kevin Moore’s new-look Blaze.
Team of the Season: Chase Gresock, Coventry Blaze (Image: Scott Wiggins)
Nick Seitz and Michael Regush also have valid Team of the Season claims (Seitz as a top-three point-producer and Regush as the league’s paramount assist-maker), but I’ll stick with the goal-scorer on this occasion.
The Blaze ride into the playoffs after back-to-back wins over Sheffield and the Cardiff Devils, extending their winning streak to five games.
I wouldn’t take Coventry lightly in the playoffs.
Forward — Scott Conway, Belfast Giants
Scott Conway takes the final spot in the Team of the Season — mainly due to his consistency and leadership role on a title-winning team.
Scott Conway, Belfast Giants (Image: William Cherry)
Conway finished the season with the team lead in points (57), goals (28), and assists (29), averaging less than twenty minutes per game.
The Team Great Britain forward was also reliable in the face-off circle (winning 55 percent of his draws) and came in clutch with a pair of crucial goals against the Panthers on the final weekend of the season.
READ MORE:
