American Hockey League facts for kids
American Hockey League logo
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| Sport | Ice hockey |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1936 (IHL/C-AHL Interlocking schedules); 1938 (IHL/C-AHL formally merged) |
| President | Scott Howson |
| No. of teams | 32 |
| Countries | United States (26 teams) Canada (6 teams) |
| Headquarters | Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Most recent champion(s) |
Hershey Bears (12th title) |
| Most titles | Hershey Bears (12) |
| TV partner(s) | Canada (English): Sportsnet/Sportsnet One Canada (French): Réseau des sports Europe: Premier Sports United States (English): NHL Network United States (Spanish): ESPN Deportes United States (English): AHL.TV (Internet app) |
| Official website | theahl.com |
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in the United States and Canada. It's like a training ground for the National Hockey League (NHL), which is the top hockey league. Most AHL teams are connected to an NHL team. This means players can move between the AHL and NHL as they develop their skills.
Currently, 26 AHL teams are in the United States and 6 are in Canada. The main office for the league is in Springfield, Massachusetts. The current president is Scott Howson.
To play in the AHL, a player must be at least 18 years old. The league also has rules about how many experienced players each team can have in a game. This helps make sure younger players get a chance to play and grow.
The team that wins the yearly playoffs gets the Calder Cup. This trophy is named after Frank Calder, who was the first president of the NHL. The Hershey Bears won the Calder Cup in 2023, which was their 12th time winning it!
Contents
History of the AHL: How it Started
The AHL began when two older hockey leagues, the Canadian-American Hockey League (Can-Am) and the International Hockey League (IHL), joined forces. Both leagues had only a few teams left. So, in 1936, they decided to play games together. They called themselves the International-American Hockey League.
Forming the International-American Hockey League
In November 1936, the eight teams from both leagues started playing games as one big group. The Can-Am teams became the East Division, and the IHL teams became the West Division. The IHL also brought its championship trophy, the F.G. "Teddy" Oke Trophy, to the new league. This trophy is still used today for the AHL's North Division winners.
Not long after they started, one team, the Buffalo Bisons, had to stop playing. They had money problems and no good arena. So, the new league played with only seven teams for a while.
At the end of the first season (1936–37), they created a new playoff system. They also introduced a new championship trophy: the Calder Cup. The Syracuse Stars won the very first Calder Cup. This trophy is still the AHL's top award today.
Becoming the American Hockey League
After two seasons of playing together, the seven teams officially joined up on June 28, 1938. They elected Maurice Podoloff as their first president. They also added a new team, the Hershey Bears. The Hershey Bears are the only team from that original group that has played in the league every year since then.
After the 1939–40 season, the International-American Hockey League changed its name to the American Hockey League.
Growth and Challenges in the AHL
For its first 30 years, the AHL was quite successful. But in the late 1960s and early 1970s, things got tougher. The NHL expanded, and a new league, the World Hockey Association (WHA), started. This meant more teams were competing for players. Player salaries went up a lot, which made it harder for AHL teams to afford players.
Because of these challenges, many AHL teams had to close down between 1974 and 1977. The league was in trouble. In 1977, the Rhode Island Reds, one of the oldest teams, stopped playing. It looked like the AHL might disappear.
But two things helped save the league in 1977. First, the Philadelphia Flyers (an NHL team) decided to own an AHL team again. This new team, the Maine Mariners, was very successful. Second, another league, the North American Hockey League, suddenly closed down. This left some strong teams without a league. These teams, like the Philadelphia Firebirds and the Broome Dusters, joined the AHL. This helped the AHL grow again.
The league continued to get stronger after the WHA closed in 1979. By the 2000–01 season, the AHL had grown to 20 teams.
Adding Teams from the IHL
In 2001–02, the AHL grew even more by adding six teams from another league called the International Hockey League (IHL). The IHL had been a major minor league, but it had financial problems and closed down. Teams like the Milwaukee Admirals and Chicago Wolves joined the AHL.
Many of these former IHL teams have been very successful in the AHL. The Chicago Wolves, Houston Aeros, Milwaukee Admirals, and Grand Rapids Griffins have all won the Calder Cup since joining the AHL.
Teams Moving Around the League
Since the 2015–16 season, many AHL teams have moved to new cities. This often happens because their NHL parent clubs want their minor league teams to be closer. This makes it easier to call up players to the NHL.
For example, in 2015, five AHL teams moved to California to form a new "Pacific Division." These teams were connected to NHL teams in the NHL's Pacific Division. Other teams also moved, like the St. John's IceCaps returning to Winnipeg to become the Manitoba Moose.
More moves happened in the following years. The Springfield Falcons moved to become the Tucson Roadrunners. The Montreal Canadiens moved their AHL team to Laval, Quebec, and it became the Laval Rocket. The Ottawa Senators moved their AHL team to Belleville, Ontario, to become the Belleville Senators.
In 2018–19, the league added its 31st team, the Colorado Eagles. The NHL also planned to add a 32nd team, the Seattle Kraken, which led to a new AHL team, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, starting in 2022.
In 2020, the San Antonio Rampage moved to Henderson, Nevada, and became the Henderson Silver Knights. In 2021, the Vancouver Canucks moved their AHL team to Abbotsford. In 2022, the Stockton Heat moved to Calgary, Alberta, and became the Calgary Wranglers.
For the 2023–24 season, the Chicago Wolves were the only team without a direct NHL partner. However, they still had players from the Carolina Hurricanes playing for them.
Teams of the AHL
Current AHL Teams (2023–24 Season)
| Conference | Division | Team Name | City | Arena | Founded | Joined | Current city since | Head coach | NHL affiliate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern | Atlantic | Bridgeport Islanders | Bridgeport, Connecticut | Total Mortgage Arena | 2001 | Rick Kowalsky | New York Islanders | ||
| Charlotte Checkers | Charlotte, North Carolina | Bojangles Coliseum | 1990 | 2010 | Geordie Kinnear | Florida Panthers | |||
| Hartford Wolf Pack | Hartford, Connecticut | XL Center | 1926 | 1936 | 1997 | Steve Smith | New York Rangers | ||
| Hershey Bears | Hershey, Pennsylvania | Giant Center | 1938 | Todd Nelson | Washington Capitals | ||||
| Lehigh Valley Phantoms | Allentown, Pennsylvania | PPL Center | 1996 | 2014 | Ian Laperrière | Philadelphia Flyers | |||
| Providence Bruins | Providence, Rhode Island | Amica Mutual Pavilion | 1987 | 1992 | Ryan Mougenel | Boston Bruins | |||
| Springfield Thunderbirds | Springfield, Massachusetts | MassMutual Center | 1975 | 1981 | 2016 | Daniel Tkaczuk | St. Louis Blues | ||
| Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins | Wilkes-Barre Township, Pennsylvania | Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza | 1981 | 1999 | J. D. Forrest | Pittsburgh Penguins | |||
| North | Belleville Senators | Belleville, Ontario | CAA Arena | 1972 | 2017 | David Bell | Ottawa Senators | ||
| Cleveland Monsters | Cleveland, Ohio | Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse | 1994 | 2001 | 2007 | Trent Vogelhuber | Columbus Blue Jackets | ||
| Laval Rocket | Laval, Quebec | Place Bell | 1969 | 2017 | Jean-François Houle | Montreal Canadiens | |||
| Rochester Americans | Rochester, New York | Blue Cross Arena | 1956 | Michael Leone | Buffalo Sabres | ||||
| Syracuse Crunch | Syracuse, New York | Upstate Medical University Arena | 1992 | 1994 | Joel Bouchard | Tampa Bay Lightning | |||
| Toronto Marlies | Toronto, Ontario | Coca-Cola Coliseum | 1978 | 2005 | John Gruden | Toronto Maple Leafs | |||
| Utica Comets | Utica, New York | Adirondack Bank Center | 1998 | 2013 | Kevin Dineen | New Jersey Devils | |||
| Western | Central | Chicago Wolves | Rosemont, Illinois | Allstate Arena | 1994 | 2001 | Bob Nardella | Carolina Hurricanes | |
| Grand Rapids Griffins | Grand Rapids, Michigan | Van Andel Arena | 1996 | 2001 | Dan Watson | Detroit Red Wings | |||
| Iowa Wild | Des Moines, Iowa | Wells Fargo Arena | 1994 | 2001 | 2013 | Brett McLean | Minnesota Wild | ||
| Manitoba Moose | Winnipeg, Manitoba | Canada Life Centre | 1994 | 2001 | Mark Morrison | Winnipeg Jets | |||
| Milwaukee Admirals | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | UW–Milwaukee Panther Arena | 1970 | 2001 | Karl Taylor | Nashville Predators | |||
| Rockford IceHogs | Rockford, Illinois | BMO Center | 1995 | 2007 | Anders Sorensen | Chicago Blackhawks | |||
| Texas Stars | Cedar Park, Texas | H-E-B Center at Cedar Park | 1999 | 2009 | Neil Graham | Dallas Stars | |||
| Pacific | Abbotsford Canucks | Abbotsford, British Columbia | Abbotsford Centre | 1932 | 1936 | 2021 | Jeremy Colliton | Vancouver Canucks | |
| Bakersfield Condors | Bakersfield, California | Mechanics Bank Arena | 1984 | 2015 | Colin Chaulk | Edmonton Oilers | |||
| Calgary Wranglers | Calgary, Alberta | Scotiabank Saddledome | 1977 | 2022 | Trent Cull | Calgary Flames | |||
| Coachella Valley Firebirds | Thousand Palms, California | Acrisure Arena | 2022 | Dan Bylsma | Seattle Kraken | ||||
| Colorado Eagles | Loveland, Colorado | Blue Arena | 2018 | Aaron Schneekloth | Colorado Avalanche | ||||
| Henderson Silver Knights | Henderson, Nevada | Lee's Family Forum | 1971 | 2020 | Ryan Craig | Vegas Golden Knights | |||
| Ontario Reign | Ontario, California | Toyota Arena | 2001 | 2015 | Marco Sturm | Los Angeles Kings | |||
| San Diego Gulls | San Diego, California | Pechanga Arena | 2000 | 2015 | Matt McIlvane | Anaheim Ducks | |||
| San Jose Barracuda | San Jose, California | Tech CU Arena | 1996 | 2015 | John McCarthy | San Jose Sharks | |||
| Tucson Roadrunners | Tucson, Arizona | Tucson Convention Center | 1994 | 2016 | Steve Potvin | Arizona Coyotes | |||
Notes
AHL All-Star Game: A Star-Studded Event
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The AHL has an All-Star Game where the best players show off their skills. The very first All-Star Game was in 1942. It was a fundraiser to help the Red Cross during World War II. Players from the East Division played against players from the West Division.
The game wasn't played again until 1954. For a few years, a team of AHL All-Stars played against the team that won the Calder Cup.
The modern AHL All-Star Game started again in 1995. They added a skills competition in 1996. For a while, players from Canada played against players from the United States. Later, Canadian-born players played against players born outside Canada (called "PlanetUSA").
In 2011, the format changed to East Conference vs. West Conference. In 2014, the AHL All-Stars even played against a team from Sweden!
Since 2016, the All-Star Game has been a special three-on-three tournament. Teams from the league's four divisions play against each other. The top two teams then play in a final game to decide the champions.
The All-Star Classic was put on hold in 2021 and 2022 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Laval Rocket hosted the event in 2023.
| Date | Arena | City | Winner | Score | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 3, 1942 | Cleveland Arena | Cleveland, Ohio | East All-Stars | 5–4 | West All-Stars |
| October 27, 1954 | Hershey Sports Arena | Hershey, Pennsylvania | AHL All-Stars | 7–3 | Cleveland Barons |
| January 10, 1956 | Duquesne Gardens | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | AHL All-Stars | 4–4 | Pittsburgh Hornets |
| October 23, 1956 | Rhode Island Auditorium | Providence, Rhode Island | Providence Reds | 4–0 | AHL All-Stars |
| October 6, 1957 | Rochester Community War Memorial | Rochester, New York | AHL All-Stars | 5–2 | Cleveland Barons |
| January 15, 1959 | Hershey Sports Arena | Hershey, Pennsylvania | Hershey Bears | 5–2 | AHL All-Stars |
| December 10, 1959 | Eastern States Coliseum | West Springfield, Massachusetts | Springfield Indians | 8–3 | AHL All-Stars |
| January 17, 1995 | Providence Civic Center | Providence, Rhode Island | Canada | 6–4 | USA |
| January 16, 1996 | Hersheypark Arena | Hershey, Pennsylvania | USA | 6–5 | Canada |
| January 16, 1997 | Harbour Station | Saint John, New Brunswick | World | 3–2 (SO) | Canada |
| February 11, 1998 | Onondaga County War Memorial Arena | Syracuse, New York | Canada | 11–10 | PlanetUSA |
| January 25, 1999 | First Union Center | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | PlanetUSA | 5–4 (SO) | Canada |
| January 17, 2000 | Blue Cross Arena | Rochester, New York | Canada | 8–3 | PlanetUSA |
| January 15, 2001 | First Union Arena at Casey Plaza | Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania | Canada | 11–10 | PlanetUSA |
| February 14, 2002 | Mile One Stadium | St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador | Canada | 13–11 | PlanetUSA |
| February 3, 2003 | Cumberland County Civic Center | Portland, Maine | Canada | 10–7 | PlanetUSA |
| February 9, 2004 | Van Andel Arena | Grand Rapids, Michigan | Canada | 9–5 | PlanetUSA |
| February 14, 2005 | Verizon Wireless Arena | Manchester, New Hampshire | PlanetUSA | 5–4 | Canada |
| February 1, 2006 | MTS Centre | Winnipeg, Manitoba | Canada | 9–4 | PlanetUSA |
| January 29, 2007 | Ricoh Coliseum | Toronto, Ontario | PlanetUSA | 7–6 | Canada |
| January 28, 2008 | Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena | Binghamton, New York | Canada | 9–8 (SO) | PlanetUSA |
| January 26, 2009 | DCU Center | Worcester, Massachusetts | PlanetUSA | 14–11 | Canada |
| January 19, 2010 | Cumberland County Civic Center | Portland, Maine | Canada | 10–9 (SO) | PlanetUSA |
| January 31, 2011 | Giant Center | Hershey, Pennsylvania | East All-Stars | 11–8 | West All-Stars |
| January 30, 2012 | Boardwalk Hall | Atlantic City, New Jersey | West All-Stars | 8–7 (SO) | East All-Stars |
| January 28, 2013 | Dunkin' Donuts Center | Providence, Rhode Island | West All-Stars | 7–6 | East All-Stars |
| February 12, 2014 | Mile One Centre | St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador | AHL All-Stars | 7–2 | Färjestad BK |
| January 26, 2015 | Utica Memorial Auditorium | Utica, New York | West All-Stars | 14–12 | East All-Stars |
| February 1, 2016 | Oncenter War Memorial Arena | Syracuse, New York | Round robin results: Pacific 0–1 North Central 2–1 Atlantic (SO) Central 4–2 North Pacific 1–2 Atlantic Central 4–6 Pacific Atlantic 4–1 North |
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| Central Division | 4–0 | Atlantic Division | |||
| January 30, 2017 | PPL Center | Allentown, Pennsylvania | Round robin results: Central 1–2 Atlantic Pacific 3–6 North Central 2–1 North (SO) Pacific 1–6 Atlantic Pacific 3–5 Central North 0–2 Atlantic |
||
| Central Division | 1–0 (SO) | Atlantic Division | |||
| January 29, 2018 | Utica Memorial Auditorium | Utica, New York | Round robin results: Pacific 5–3 North Central 2–5 Atlantic Central 2–4 North Pacific 4–3 Atlantic Central 3–4 Pacific Atlantic 3–4 North |
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| North Division | 1–0 | Pacific Division | |||
| January 28, 2019 | MassMutual Center | Springfield, Massachusetts | Round robin results: Central 1–3 Atlantic Pacific 4–2 North Central 2–4 North Pacific 2–5 Atlantic Central 5–3 Pacific North 4–1 Atlantic |
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| North Division | 1–0 (SO) | Atlantic Division | |||
| January 27, 2020 | Toyota Arena | Ontario, California | Round robin results: North 5–6 Pacific (SO) Atlantic 1–3 Central North 5–6 Central Atlantic 3–2 Pacific Atlantic 5–2 North Central 4–5 Pacific (SO) |
||
| Atlantic Division | 3–1 | Central Division | |||
| February 6, 2023 | Place Bell | Laval, Quebec | Round robin results: North 2–2 Pacific (SO) Atlantic 4–3 Central (SO) North 2–2 Central (SO) Atlantic 2–6 Pacific Atlantic 3–2 North (SO) Central 2–5 Pacific |
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| Pacific Division | 1–0 | Atlantic Division | |||
| February 5, 2024 | Tech CU Arena | San Jose, California | Round robin results: North 1–1 Pacific (SO) Central 4–1 Atlantic North 3–2 Central (SO) Atlantic 2–2 Pacific (SO) Atlantic 6–1 North Pacific 4–3 Central (SO) |
||
| Pacific Division | 3–2 | Atlantic Division | |||
Outdoor Hockey Games in the AHL
Since 2009, the AHL has hosted at least one outdoor hockey game each year. These games are played in big stadiums, often drawing huge crowds.
The Syracuse Crunch hosted the first AHL outdoor game in 2010. Over 21,500 fans watched the game at the New York State Fairgrounds. The Crunch won 2–1.
The Connecticut Whale hosted the second outdoor game in 2011. It had an even bigger crowd of over 21,600 fans.
In 2012, the largest crowd in AHL history gathered to watch the Adirondack Phantoms play the Hershey Bears. More than 45,000 fans saw the Phantoms win in overtime. This game was part of the events around the NHL Winter Classic.
Another big outdoor game in 2012 was the "Steeltown Showdown" in Hamilton, Ontario. The Toronto Marlies beat the Hamilton Bulldogs 7–2 in front of over 20,500 fans. This was the biggest AHL crowd ever in Canada.
More outdoor games have been played since then. In 2015, the AHL played its first outdoor game in California. The Stockton Heat beat the Bakersfield Condors. The Condors hosted their own outdoor game in 2017, even playing through some rain!
Recent outdoor games include one at Hersheypark Stadium in 2018. In 2023, Cleveland's FirstEnergy Stadium became the first NFL stadium to host an AHL outdoor game.
AHL Hall of Fame
The AHL created its own Hall of Fame in 2005. It celebrates people who have made amazing contributions to the American Hockey League.
AHL Trophies and Awards
The AHL gives out many trophies and awards each season. These awards recognize players, coaches, and teams for their achievements.
Individual Player Awards
- Les Cunningham Award – Best player (MVP)
- John B. Sollenberger Trophy – Player with the most points (goals + assists)
- Willie Marshall Award – Player with the most goals
- Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award – Best rookie (first-year player)
- Eddie Shore Award – Best defense player
- Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award – Best goalie
- Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award – Goalie team with the fewest goals allowed
- Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award – Best coach
- Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award – For sportsmanship and never giving up
- Yanick Dupre Memorial Award – For helping the community
- Jack A. Butterfield Trophy – Best player in the playoffs (playoff MVP)
Team Awards
- Calder Cup – The trophy for the playoff champions
- Richard F. Canning Trophy – Eastern Conference playoff champions
- Robert W. Clarke Trophy – Western Conference playoff champions
- Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy – Best team in the regular season (most points in the whole league)
- Frank Mathers Trophy – Best team in the Eastern Conference regular season
- Norman R. "Bud" Poile Trophy – Best team in the Western Conference regular season
- Emile Francis Trophy – Best team in the Atlantic Division regular season
- F. G. "Teddy" Oke Trophy – Best team in the North Division regular season
- Sam Pollock Trophy – Best team in the Central Division regular season
- John D. Chick Trophy – Best team in the Pacific Division regular season
Images for kids
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A June 29, 1938 Associated Press article announcing the formation of the Hershey Bears in Hershey, Pennsylvania
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See Also
In Spanish: American Hockey League para niños
- American Hockey Association (1926–1942)
- List of AHL head coaches
- List of AHL seasons
- List of American Hockey League arenas
- List of sports attendance figures
- Minor league
- List of ice hockey leagues
- Professional Hockey Players' Association, the collective bargaining union for AHL players
