Back-to-back MVP Brandon Hawkins returns to Walleye for 2025-26

TOLEDO, OH – Forward Brandon Hawkins will suit up for the Walleye for a fifth consecutive season, agreeing to terms for the 2025-2026 season.

Hawkins became just the second player to ever repeat as the league MVP last season, joining Allen’s Chad Costello (2015-16, 2016-17) as the only members of the exclusive club in 37 years of ECHL hockey.

Named to the All-ECHL First Team for the third consecutive season, Hawkins led the ECHL in scoring for the second consecutive year with 89 points while finishing second with 37 goals and tied for second with 53 assists. He also topped the league with 336 shots on goal, was tied for second with 12 power-play goals, and tied for sixth with seven game-winning goals.

Hawkins recorded at least one point in 48 of his 71 games last season, including 28 multiple-point games. He was honored as ECHL Player of the Month for January and was named to the ECHL Midseason All-Star Team.

The Macomb, Michigan native added another ECHL MVP award to his trophy case, and he has continued to topple records and milestones throughout the season. Hawkins claimed the Walleye records for goals and power play goals, while crossing the 400 professional point milestone and 300 ECHL games played.

Hawkins has totaled 399 points (190g-209a) in 342 career ECHL games with Toledo, Fort Wayne, and Wheeling while adding seven points (3g-4a) in 28 career American Hockey League games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Rochester, Cleveland, and Chicago. Just with Toledo, Hawkins has totaled 327 points (151g, 176a), 175 PIMS, and a +74 in 259 games.

In addition to his counting stats, Hawkins is a Kelly Cup Champion (2021, Fort Wayne), a three-time ECHL All-Star selection, as well as being named captain of the 2023-24 ECHL Team, and the reigning Most Valuable Player after a season that saw him post 40 goals and 93 total points, both the top of the league. Hawkins also has sliced through the Toledo record books since joining the team for the 2021-22 season. “The Mayor” as he is known in T-Town, holds the franchise records for goals (151), power play goals (52), game-winning goals (26), unassisted goals (11), first goals (24), and shots (1,274). He also holds the franchise playoff records for goals (31) and power play goals (9).

Prior to turning pro, Hawkins tallied 108 points (46g-62a) in 141 career collegiate games with Bowling Green State University and Northeastern University. Hawkins highlighted his amateur career with a Hockey East Championship and being named to the Hockey East All-Tournament Team with Northeastern during the 2018-19 season. Hawkins also made the WCHA All-Rookie Team with Bowling Green State University during the 2014-15 season. Hawkins also won the NAHL Rookie of the Year and made the NAHL All-Rookie First Team with Texas during the 2012-13 season after leading the NAHL in goals with 35.

ECHL accolades in 2024-25:

• Second-ever back-to-back MVP in ECHL history
• Third consecutive All-ECHL First Team selection

Walleye records broken in 2024-25:

• Most career goals in franchise history (151)
• Most career game-winning goals in franchise history (26)
• Most career power play goals in franchise history (52)
• Most career first goals in franchise history (24)
• First player to exceed 1,000 career shots in franchise history (1,267)
• Tied for most career overtime goals in franchise history (3)
• Most career playoff points in franchise history (90)
• Most career playoff assists in franchise history (54)
• Most career power play goals in franchise history (11)
• Tied for more most assists in a single playoff (18)

Hawkins’ franchise standings heading into 2025-26:

• 3rd-most games played (259)
• Most points (327)
• Most goals (151)
• 2nd-most assists (176)
• 10th-most penalty minutes (175)
• Most power play goals (52)
• Most game-winning goals (26)
• Most unassisted goals (11)
• T-1st overtime goals (3)
• Most first goals (24)
• Most shots (1,267)
• 2nd-best +/- (+74)
• 2nd-most shootout goals (8)
• 2nd-most shootout game-winning goals (4)
• Most playoff points (90)
• Most playoff goals (36)
• Most playoff assists (54)
• Most playoff power play goals (11)
• Most playoff shots (340)
• Best playoff +/- (+27)