SPRINGFIELD, Mass.—The American Hockey League Board of Governors recently announced that it has approved the qualification rules and format for the 2022 Calder Cup Playoffs. A total of 23 teams will qualify for postseason play when the 2021-22 regular season ends on April 24, 2002, with five rounds of playoffs leading to the crowning of a
#AHL Calder Cup champion.In each of the AHL’s four divisions, all but two teams will qualify for postseason play in 2022, creating a playoff field of six teams in the Atlantic Division, five in the North Division, five in the Central Division and seven in the Pacific Division. Teams will be ranked by points percentage in the regular-season standings.
First-Round match-ups will be best-of-three affairs. The top two teams in the Atlantic Division, the top three teams in each of the North and Central Divisions, and the first-place team in the Pacific Division will receive byes into the best-of-five Division Semifinals, with the First-Round winners re-seeded in each division. The Division Finals will also be best-of-five series, followed by best-of-seven Conference Finals and a best-of-seven Calder Cup Finals series. he 2022 Calder Cup Playoffs are expected to conclude by June 23.
“Our clubs and their National Hockey League partners recognize the importance of playoff races and postseason experience on overall player development,” said AHL President and Chief Executive Officer Scott Howson. “Expanding the Calder Cup Playoff field will allow some 150 additional players to play more meaningful games in pursuit of a championship.”
The American Hockey League was officially born in 1936 when the Canadian-American Hockey League and the International Hockey League merged to form the International-American Hockey League (the “International” would be dropped from the league’s name in 1940). The AHL continues to serve as the top development league for all 32 National Hockey League teams; nearly 90 percent of today’s NHL players are American Hockey League graduates, and more than 100 honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame spent time in the AHL in their careers.
The American Hockey League is represented in Connecticut by the newly re-branded Bridgeport Islanders (the New York Islanders top minor league affiliate formerly known as the Sound Tigers) and the Hartford Wolf Pack (New York Rangers), who play in the AHL’s Atlantic Division. The nearby Springfield Thunderbirds (St. Louis Blues) and Providence Bruins (Boston Bruins) are also members of the Atlantic Division along with the Charlotte Checkers (Florida Panthers), Hershey Bears (Washington Capitals), Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Philadelphia Flyers and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh Penguins). Both Sprigfiend and Charlotte optend out of playing in the abbreviated 2020-21 campaign.
For the past two seasons, AHL COVID-19 protocols put a stranglehold on the postseason; the league has not held Calder Cup playoffs since the 2019-2020 season when the Charlotte Checkers won the playoff tournament and remain (technically) defending champs. Let’s hope COVID is reigned in enough to play a normal season and postseason in 2021-22.
Connecticut's two teams will square off to open the 2022-23 season when Bridgeport travels to Hartford on Friday, Oct. 15. First puck drops at the XL Center at 7 p.m. For a complete Bridgeport Islanders schedule, click
HERE. For a complete Hartford Wolf Pack schedule, click
HERE.
No word on seating capacity rules at the various affiliated arenas (the XL Center and Webster Bank Arena in Connecticut). Stay tuned for more information.
Loose Pucks
*The 2021-22 regular season begins with six games on Oct. 15, and a total of 29 games over opening weekend.
*The Abbotsford Canucks, the AHL’s newest club, begin their inaugural season on Oct. 16 with a road game against the Bakersfield Condors. The Canucks’ home opener is set for Oct. 22, when the Henderson Silver Knights visit the Abbotsford Centre.
*After sitting out the abbreviated 2020-21 season, the Springfield Thunderbirds, Charlotte Checkers and Milwaukee Admirals all return to action on Oct. 16. The Thunderbirds host the Hartford Wolf Pack in their first game as the top affiliate of the St. Louis Blues; the Checkers visit the Hershey Bears for their first contest affiliated with the Florida Panthers and Seattle Kraken; and the Admirals play host to the Grand Rapids Griffins.
*The Utica Comets begin their affiliation with the New Jersey Devils when they start the season at home on Oct. 17 vs. Rochester, 34 years to the day after the first AHL game ever played at the Aud. The Devils’ AHL affiliate was previously based in Utica from 1987 to 1993.
*The Rochester Americans, members of the AHL since 1956, will skate in their 5,000th regular-season game on Feb. 25 when they visit the Syracuse Crunch, top affiliate of the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning.
*The Laval Rocket host the 2022 AHL All-Star Classic, scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 6 and Monday, Feb. 7 at Place Bell in Laval, Que.
*There are seven days this season on which 30 of the league’s 31 teams are in action: Sat., Nov. 6; Sat., Jan. 15; Sat., Jan. 22; Sat., Jan. 29; Fri., Feb. 11; Sat., Mar. 5; and Sat., Mar. 19.
Games scheduled by day of the week: Monday (20), Tuesday (40), Wednesday (199), Thursday (23), Friday (306), Saturday (360), Sunday (170).
SPRINGFIELD, Mass.—The American Hockey League Board of Governors recently announced that it has approved the qualification rules and format for the 2022 Calder Cup Playoffs. A total of 23 teams will qualify for postseason play when the 2021-22 regular season ends on April 24, 2002, with five rounds of playoffs leading to the crowning of a #AHL Calder Cup champion.In each of the AHL’s four divisions, all but two teams will qualify for postseason play in 2022, creating a playoff field of six teams in the Atlantic Division, five in the North Division, five in the Central Division and seven in the Pacific Division. Teams will be ranked by points percentage in the regular-season standings.
First-Round match-ups will be best-of-three affairs. The top two teams in the Atlantic Division, the top three teams in each of the North and Central Divisions, and the first-place team in the Pacific Division will receive byes into the best-of-five Division Semifinals, with the First-Round winners re-seeded in each division. The Division Finals will also be best-of-five series, followed by best-of-seven Conference Finals and a best-of-seven Calder Cup Finals series. he 2022 Calder Cup Playoffs are expected to conclude by June 23.
