Peoria Rivermen Clinch Top Seed in SPHL Playoffs

Rivermen to open postseason as No. 1 seed after winning Coffey Trophy

Apr. 9, 2026 at 1:19am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a Peoria Rivermen hockey game, with the players and ice rink broken down into overlapping planes of navy blue, red, and white.The Peoria Rivermen's dynamic regular season performance has them poised as the top seed heading into the SPHL playoffs.Peoria Today

The Peoria Rivermen have clinched the No. 1 seed in the 2026 SPHL playoffs after winning the Coffey Trophy as the regular-season champions. The Rivermen will open the postseason as the top-seeded team.

Why it matters

The Rivermen's strong regular-season performance and top playoff seeding positions them as a favorite to make a deep run in the SPHL postseason. As the defending champions, the team will look to repeat their success and bring another title to Peoria.

The details

The Rivermen secured the Coffey Trophy as the SPHL's regular-season champions, earning them the No. 1 seed in the upcoming playoffs. This marks the team's second consecutive regular-season title and sets them up as the favorites heading into the postseason.

  • The 2026 SPHL playoffs begin on April 11, 2026.
  • The Rivermen won the Coffey Trophy as regular-season champions on April 5, 2026.

The players

Peoria Rivermen

The Peoria Rivermen are a professional ice hockey team that plays in the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL).

Dave Eminian

A senior sports writer and columnist for the Journal Star, covering the Peoria Rivermen and Bradley Braves basketball.

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What they’re saying

“The Rivermen have been dominant all season and deserve the top seed. They'll be the team to beat in the playoffs.”

— Dave Eminian, Journal Star Senior Sports Writer

What’s next

The Rivermen will open the SPHL playoffs on April 11, 2026 as the No. 1 seed. They will face the lowest remaining seed after the first round of the postseason.

The takeaway

The Peoria Rivermen's regular-season success and top playoff seeding make them the favorites to repeat as SPHL champions and bring another title to their loyal fanbase in Peoria.