The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). When NHL teams do not have an AHL affiliate, players are assigned to AHL teams affiliated with other NHL teams. Twenty-six AHL teams are located in the United States and the remaining six are in Canada. The league offices are located in

Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield is a city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States, and the seat of Hampden County. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, the ...

, and its current president is Scott Howson. A player must be at least 18 years of age to play in the AHL or not currently be beholden to a

junior ice hockey Junior hockey is a level of competitive ice hockey generally for players between 16 and 21 years of age. Junior hockey leagues in the United States and Canada are considered amateur (with some exceptions) and operate within regions of each cou ...

team. The league limits the number of experienced professional players on a team's active roster during any given game; only five skaters can have accumulated four full seasons of play or more at the professional level (goaltenders are exempt from this rule and can stay in the AHL indefinitely without being subject to this cap). The AHL allows for

practice squad In sports, the practice squad, also called the taxi squad or practice roster, is a group of players signed by a team but not part of their main roster. Frequently used in gridiron football, they serve as extra players during the team's practices, ...

contracts. The annual playoff champion is awarded the Calder Cup, named for Frank Calder, the first President (1917–1943) of the NHL. The defending champions following the 2022-23 season are the Hershey Bears, winning their 12th Calder Cup.

History

Predecessor leagues

The AHL traces its origins directly to two predecessor professional leagues: the Canadian-American Hockey League (the "Can-Am" League), founded in 1926, and the first International Hockey League, established in 1929. Although the Can-Am League never operated with more than six teams, the departure of the Boston Bruin Cubs after the 1935–36 season reduced it down to just four member clubs: the Springfield Indians, Philadelphia Ramblers, Providence Reds, and New Haven Eagles for the first time in its history. At the same time, the then-rival IHL lost half of its eight members after the 1935–36 season, leaving it with just four member teams: the Buffalo Bisons, Syracuse Stars,

Pittsburgh Hornets The Pittsburgh Hornets were a minor-league professional men's ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Contrary to popular belief, the Pittsburgh Hornets did not evolve from the International Hockey League's Pittsburgh Shamrocks. The ...

, and Cleveland Falcons.

1936–1938

With both leagues down to the bare minimum number of teams to be viable, the governors of both leagues recognized the need for action to assure their member clubs' long-term survival. Their solution was to play an interlocking schedule. While the Can-Am was based in the

Northeast The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sepa ...

and the IHL in the Great Lakes, their footprints were close enough for this to be a viable option. The two leagues' eight surviving clubs began joint play in November 1936 as a new two-division "circuit of mutual convenience" known as the International-American Hockey League. The four Can-Am teams became the I-AHL East Division, with the IHL quartet playing as the West Division. The IHL also contributed its former championship trophy, the F. G. "Teddy" Oke Trophy, which would go to the regular-season winners of the merged league's West Division until 1952. The Oke Trophy is now awarded to the regular-season winners of the AHL's Northeast Division. A little more than a month into that first season, the balance and symmetry of the new combined circuit suffered a setback when its membership unexpectedly fell to seven teams. The West's Buffalo Bisons were forced to cease operations on December 6, 1936, after playing just 11 games, because of what proved to be insurmountable financial problems and lack of access to a suitable arena; the Bisons' original arena, Peace Bridge Arena, had collapsed the previous season (a new Buffalo Bisons team would return to the league in 1940 after a new arena was constructed for them). The makeshift new I-AHL played out the rest of its first season (as well as all of the next) with just seven teams. At the end of the 1936–37 season, a modified three-round playoff format was devised and a new championship trophy, the Calder Cup, was established. The Syracuse Stars defeated the Philadelphia Ramblers in the final, three-games-to-one, to win the first-ever Calder Cup championship. The Calder Cup continues on today as the AHL's playoff championship trophy.

Formal consolidation of the I-AHL

After two seasons of interlocking play, the governors of the two leagues' seven active teams met in New York City on June 28, 1938, and agreed that it was time to formally consolidate. Maurice Podoloff of New Haven, the former head of the Can-Am League, was elected the I-AHL's first president. The former IHL president, John Chick of Windsor, Ontario, became vice-president in charge of officials. The new I-AHL also added an eighth franchise at the 1938 meeting to fill the void in its membership left by the loss of Buffalo two years earlier with the admission of the then two-time defending

Eastern Amateur Hockey League The Eastern Hockey League was a minor professional United States ice hockey league. Eastern Amateur Hockey League (1933–1953) The league was founded in 1933 as the Eastern Amateur Hockey League (EAHL). The league was founded by Tommy Lockhart, ...

(EAHL) champion Hershey Bears. The Bears remain the only one of these eight original I-AHL/AHL franchises to have been represented in the league without interruption since the 1938–39 season. The newly merged circuit also increased its regular-season schedule for each team by six games from 48 to 54.

Contraction, resurrection, and expansion

After the 1939–40 season the I-AHL renamed itself the American Hockey League. It generally enjoyed both consistent success on the ice and relative financial stability over its first three decades of operation. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, however, the cost of doing business in professional ice hockey began to rise sharply with NHL expansion and relocation (the NHL placed teams in Pittsburgh and Buffalo, forcing two long-time AHL clubs, the Pittsburgh Hornets and Buffalo Bisons, to fold) and especially the 1972 formation of the World Hockey Association (WHA), which forced the relocation and subsequent folding of the Cleveland Barons,

Baltimore Clippers The Baltimore Clippers were a minor league professional ice hockey team from in Baltimore, Maryland, playing in the Baltimore Civic Center. The Clippers were members of the American Hockey League from 1962 to 1976, and then played one season in ...

, and

Quebec Aces The Quebec Aces, also known in French as Les As de Québec, were an amateur and later a professional men's ice hockey team from Quebec City, Quebec. History The Aces were founded in 1928 by Anglo-Canadian Pulp and Paper Mills, the name Aces stan ...

. The number of major-league teams competing for players rose from six to thirty in just seven years. Player salaries at all levels shot up dramatically with the increased demand and competition for their services. This did not seem to affect the AHL at first, as it expanded to 12 teams by 1970. However, to help compensate for the rise in player salaries, many NHL clubs cut back on the number of players they kept under contract for development, and players under AHL contracts could now also demand much higher paychecks to remain with their clubs. As a result, half of the AHL's teams folded from 1974 to 1977. The league bottomed out in the summer of 1977, with news that the Rhode Island (formerly Providence) Reds – the last remaining uninterrupted franchise from the 1936–37 season, and the oldest continuously operating minor league franchise in North America – had decided to cease operations after 51 years in Rhode Island. The AHL appeared in serious danger of folding altogether if this downward trend was not reversed. However, two events in the fall of 1977 helped reverse the trend. The first of these was the decision of the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers to return to the league as a team owner, and the second was the unexpected collapse of the

North American Hockey League The North American Hockey League (NAHL) is one of the top junior hockey leagues in the United States and is in its 48th season of operation in 2022–23. It is the only Tier II junior league sanctioned by USA Hockey, and acts as an alternati ...

just weeks before the start of the 1977–78 season. The Flyers' new AHL franchise became the immediately successful

Maine Mariners Maine Mariners may refer to: * Maine Mariners (AHL), an ice hockey team in Portland, Maine, which operated from 1977 to 1992 * Maine Mariners (ECHL) The Maine Mariners are a professional ice hockey team in the ECHL that began play in the 2018 ...

, which brought the new AHL city of Portland, Maine both the regular-season and Calder Cup playoff titles in each of that club's first two seasons of operation. The folding of the NAHL, meanwhile, suddenly left two of its stronger teams, the Philadelphia Firebirds and

Binghamton, New York Binghamton () is a city in the U.S. state of New York, and serves as the county seat of Broome County. Surrounded by rolling hills, it lies in the state's Southern Tier region near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the conflue ...

-based Broome Dusters, without a league to play in. The owners of the Dusters solved their problem by buying the Reds franchise and moving it to Binghamton as the Binghamton Dusters, while the Firebirds crossed over to the AHL from the NAHL. The Dusters and Firebirds, together with the Hampton Gulls (who had joined the league from the Southern Hockey League), boosted the AHL to nine member clubs as the 1977–78 season opened. Hampton folded on February 10, 1978, but was replaced the next year by the New Brunswick Hawks. With franchise stability improving after the demise of the WHA in 1979, the league continued to grow steadily over the years, reaching 20 clubs by the 2000–01 season.

Absorption of the IHL

In 2001–02, the AHL's membership jumped dramatically to 27 teams, mostly by the absorption of six teams— Milwaukee, Chicago, Houston, Utah, Manitoba, and

Grand Rapids Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the second most-populated city in the state after Detroit. Grand Rapids is the ...

—from the International Hockey League. The IHL had established itself as the second top-level minor league circuit in North America, but folded in 2001 due to financial problems. One oddity caused by the AHL's 2001 expansion was that the league had two teams with the same nickname: the Milwaukee Admirals and the Norfolk Admirals. The latter team transferred to the league from the mid-level ECHL in 2000. This situation lasted until the end of the 2014–15 season when the Norfolk team moved to San Diego and was replaced by another ECHL team with the same name. The Utah Grizzlies suspended operations after the 2004–05 season (the franchise was sold in 2006 and returned to the ice in Cleveland in

2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...

as the Lake Erie Monsters, now known as the Cleveland Monsters). The Chicago Wolves (

2002 File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...

2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...

), Houston Aeros (

2003 File:2003 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The crew of STS-107 perished when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during reentry into Earth's atmosphere; SARS became an epidemic in China, and was a precursor to SARS-CoV-2; A des ...

), Milwaukee Admirals (

2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 6 ...

), and Grand Rapids Griffins (

2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...

2017 File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...

) have all won Calder Cup titles since joining the AHL from the IHL. Chicago and Milwaukee have also made multiple trips to the Calder Cup Finals, and Houston made their second Finals appearance in 2011. The Manitoba Moose moved to

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador St. John's is the capital and largest city of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. The city spans and is the easternmost city in North America ...

in 2011 and were renamed the

St. John's IceCaps The St. John's IceCaps were a professional ice hockey team based in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. They were members of the North Division of the Eastern Conference of the American Hockey League (AHL). The team was originally aff ...

after the NHL's

Atlanta Thrashers The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League (NHL) on June 25, 1997, and became the League's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 seaso ...

moved to Winnipeg as the second incarnation of the Winnipeg Jets. In 2013, Houston moved to Des Moines, Iowa to become the Iowa Wild. This left Chicago, Grand Rapids and Milwaukee as the only ex-IHL teams still in their original cities until the 2015 relocations when the IceCaps moved back to Winnipeg as the Manitoba Moose.

Relocations and western shift

Beginning with the 2015–16 season, twelve franchises have since relocated due to NHL parent clubs' influence on their development teams and players. Of the twelve relocated franchises, nine were relocated because they were directly owned by NHL teams and the NHL parent club wished to make call-ups from the AHL more practical by having closer affiliates. In January 2015, the AHL announced the relocation of five existing AHL franchises— Adirondack, Manchester, Norfolk, Oklahoma City, and Worcester—to California as the basis for a new "Pacific Division" becoming

Stockton Stockton may refer to: Places Australia * Stockton, New South Wales * Stockton, Queensland, a locality in the Cassowary Coast Region New Zealand *Stockton, New Zealand United Kingdom *Stockton, Cheshire *Stockton, Norfolk *Stockton, Chirbu ...

, Ontario, San Diego,

Bakersfield Bakersfield is a city in Kern County, California, United States. It is the county seat and largest city of Kern County. The city covers about near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley and the Central Valley region. Bakersfield's populat ...

, and San Jose respectively. The relocated teams were all affiliated and owned or purchased by teams in the NHL's Pacific Division. The franchise movements continued with two more relocations involving Canadian teams with the

going back to Winnipeg as the Manitoba Moose and the Hamilton Bulldogs becoming another iteration of the IceCaps to fulfill the arena contract in St. John's. In the following seasons, more NHL organizations influenced league membership. In 2016, the

Springfield Falcons The Springfield Falcons were a former ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) and played in Springfield, Massachusetts, at the MassMutual Center. In 2016, the Falcons' franchise was purchased by the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Ar ...

franchise was purchased by the Arizona Coyotes and relocated to become the Tucson Roadrunners and join the one-year-old Pacific Division. The Falcons were subsequently replaced by the Springfield Thunderbirds, the relocated

Portland Pirates The Portland Pirates were a minor league professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL). Their home arena was the Cross Insurance Arena in downtown Portland, Maine. The franchise was previously known as the Baltimore Skipjacks fr ...

franchise under a new ownership group. The Montreal Canadiens-owned IceCaps relocated to the Montreal suburb of Laval, Quebec, and became the Laval Rocket in 2017. The

Binghamton Senators The Binghamton Senators were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) that played from 2002 to 2017. Nicknamed the B-Sens, they played in Binghamton, New York, at the Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena. The B-Sens w ...

were also purchased by the Ottawa Senators and were relocated to Belleville, Ontario, to become the

Belleville Senators The Belleville Senators are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) that began play in the 2017–18 season as the top minor league affiliate of the National Hockey League team, the Ottawa Senators. Based in Bellevill ...

while the

New Jersey Devils The New Jersey Devils are a professional sports, professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...

' owned Albany Devils were relocated to become the Binghamton Devils. For the 2018–19 season, a 31st team joined the league with the Colorado Eagles as the NHL's Colorado Avalanche affiliate. With the NHL planning to expand to 32 teams in 2021 with the Seattle Kraken, the Seattle ownership group was approved for a 2021 AHL expansion team, later announced to be the Coachella Valley Firebirds based in

Palm Springs, California Palm Springs (Cahuilla: ''Séc-he'') is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States, within the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley. The city covers approximately , making it the largest city in Riverside County by land a ...

, following the construction of a new arena. The original plans for the new arena was eventually cancelled and the team postponed their launch by year while new arena plans were developed. In February 2020, the San Antonio Rampage franchise was bought and relocated by the NHL's Vegas Golden Knights for the 2020–21 season as the Henderson Silver Knights and was moved to the Pacific Division. For the 2021–22 season, the Vancouver Canucks relocated their franchise from Utica to Abbotsford while the Utica Comets agreed to relocate and operate the franchise that was operating as the Binghamton Devils. On May 23, 2022, it was announced that the Stockton Heat would be relocating to

Calgary Calgary ( ) is the largest city in the western Canadian province of Alberta and the largest metro area of the three Prairie Provinces. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806, makin ...

, Alberta, starting the 2022–23 season. For the 2023–24 season, the Chicago Wolves would be the league's only independent team, making them the first team to be independent in an AHL season since the 1994–95 Worcester IceCats. Consequently, the Carolina Hurricanes became the only NHL team currently without an AHL affiliate.

Teams

;Notes

Timeline

DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy ImageSize = width:1000 height:auto barincrement:20 Period = from:01/01/1936 till:07/01/2025 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal PlotArea = right:40 left:0 bottom:50 top:5 Colors = id:barcolor value:rgb(1,0.6,0.5) id:line value:black id:bg value:white id:Former value:rgb(0.742,0.727,0.852) # Use this color to denote a team that is a former league member id:Current value:rgb(0.4,0.80,0.67) # Use this color to denote a team that is a current league member PlotData= width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s bar:1 color:former from:08/01/1936 till:12/06/1936 text: Buffalo Bisons (1936) bar:2 color:former from:08/01/1936 till:05/01/1973 text: Cleveland Falcons/Barons (1936–73) bar:2 color:former from:08/01/1973 till:05/01/1974 shift:-80 text: Jacksonville (73–74) bar:2 color:former from:08/01/1974 till:05/01/1975 text:

Syracuse Eagles The Syracuse Eagles were a professional ice hockey team based in Syracuse, New York. The team relocated from Jacksonville, Florida that summer who were known as the Jacksonville Barons and previously the Cleveland Barons who were one of the most h ...

(1974–75) bar:3 color:former from:08/01/1936 till:05/01/1943 text: New Haven Eagles/Ramblers (1936–43, 1945–51) bar:3 color:former from:08/01/1945 till:05/01/1951 bar:4 color:former from:08/01/1936 till:05/01/1942 text: Philadelphia Ramblers/Rockets (1936–42) bar:5 color:former from:08/01/1936 till:05/01/1956 text:

(1936–56, 1961–67) bar:5 color:former from:08/01/1961 till:05/01/1967 bar:6 color:former from:08/01/1936 till:05/01/1977 text: Providence/Rhode Island Reds (1936–77) bar:6 color:former from:08/01/1977 till:05/01/1997 shift:-10 text: Binghamton Dusters/Whalers/Rangers (1977–97) bar:6 color:current from:08/01/1997 till:end text: Hartford Wolf Pack/Connecticut Whale (1997–) bar:7 color:former from:08/01/1936 till:05/01/1942 text: Springfield Indians (36–42, 46–51) bar:7 color:former from:08/01/1946 till:05/01/1951 bar:7 color:former from:08/01/1951 till:05/01/1954 text:

Syracuse Syracuse may refer to: Places Italy *Syracuse, Sicily, or spelled as ''Siracusa'' *Province of Syracuse United States *Syracuse, New York **East Syracuse, New York **North Syracuse, New York *Syracuse, Indiana * Syracuse, Kansas *Syracuse, Miss ...

(51–54) bar:7 color:former from:08/01/1954 till:05/01/1994 shift:55 text: Springfield Indians/Kings (1954–94) bar:7 color:former from:08/01/1994 till:05/01/2005 text: Worcester IceCats(94-05) bar:7 color:former from:08/01/2005 till:05/01/2013 text: Peoria(05-13) bar:7 color:former from:08/01/2013 till:05/01/2021 text: Utica (13–21) bar:7 color:current from:08/01/2021 till:end text: Abbotsford Canucks (2021–) bar:8 color:former from:08/01/1936 till:05/01/1940 text:

(36–40) bar:8 color:former from:08/01/1940 till:05/01/1970 shift:45 text: Buffalo Bisons (1940–70) bar:9 color:current from:08/01/1938 till:end text: Hershey Bears (1938–) bar:10 color:former from:08/01/1939 till:05/01/1952 text: Indianapolis Capitals (1939–52) bar:11 color:former from:08/01/1941 till:05/01/1943 shift:-30 text: Wash. Lions (41–43, 47–49) bar:11 color:former from:08/01/1947 till:05/01/1949 bar:11 color:former from:08/01/1949 till:05/01/1952 shift:15 text:

Cincinnati Mohawks The Cincinnati Mohawks was the name of two professional ice hockey teams in Cincinnati, Ohio who played their home games at the Cincinnati Gardens. The first Mohawks' club were members of the American Hockey League (AHL) between 1949 and 1952 ...

(1949–52) bar:12 color:former from:08/01/1944 till:05/01/1953 text:

St. Louis Flyers The St. Louis Flyers were a minor league ice hockey team, based in St. Louis, Missouri, playing home games at the St. Louis Arena in the Cheltenham, St. Louis neighborhood, across from Forest Park. The Flyers played fourteen seasons in the Am ...

(1944–53) bar:13 color:former from:08/01/1946 till:05/01/1949 text: Philadelphia Rockets (1946–49) bar:14 color:current from:08/01/1956 till:end text: Rochester Americans (1956–) bar:15 color:former from:08/01/1959 till:05/01/1971 text:

(1959–71) bar:15 color:former from:08/01/1971 till:05/01/1976 text: Richmond Robins (1971–76) bar:16 color:former from:08/01/1962 till:05/01/1976 text:

(1962–76) bar:17 color:former from:08/01/1969 till:05/01/1971 shift:-55 text: Montreal(69–71) bar:17 color:former from:08/01/1971 till:05/01/1984 shift:0 text: Nova Scotia(71–84) bar:17 color:former from:08/01/1984 till:05/01/1990 shift:-45 text: Sherbrooke(84–90) bar:17 color:former from:08/01/1990 till:05/01/1999 shift:-15 text:

Fredericton Fredericton (; ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of New Brunswick. The city is situated in the west-central portion of the province along the Saint John River, which flows west to east as it bisects the city. The river is the do ...

(90–99) bar:17 color:former from:08/01/1999 till:05/01/2002 shift:-20 text: Quebec(99-02) bar:17 color:former from:08/01/2002 till:05/01/2015 shift:20 text: Hamilton (2002–15) bar:17 color:former from:08/01/2015 till:05/01/2017 shift:-25 text: St. John's bar:17 color:current from:08/01/2017 till:end text: Laval Rocket (2017–) bar:18 color:former from:08/01/1971 till:05/01/1974 text:

Boston Braves The Atlanta Braves, a current Major League Baseball franchise, originated in Boston, Massachusetts. This article details the history of the Boston Braves, from 1871 to 1952, after which they moved to Milwaukee, and then to Atlanta. During it ...

(1971–74) bar:18 color:former from:08/01/1987 till:05/01/1994 text: Moncton Hawks (1987–94) bar:19 color:former from:08/01/1971 till:05/01/1974 text:

Cincinnati Swords The Cincinnati Swords were an American Hockey League team that played at the Cincinnati Gardens in Cincinnati, Ohio from 1971 to 1974. They were owned by and the affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League. History The S ...

(1971–74) bar:20 color:former from:08/01/1971 till:05/01/1975 shift:-55 text: Tidewater/Virginia Wings(71–75) bar:20 color:former from:08/01/1979 till:05/01/1999 shift: 10 text: Adirondack Red Wings (1979–99) bar:20 color:former from:08/01/2002 till:05/01/2020 text: San Antonio Rampage (2002–2020) bar:20 color:current from:08/01/2020 till:end shift:-20 text: Henderson Silver Knights (2020–) bar:21 color:former from:08/01/1972 till:05/01/1993 text: New Haven Nighthawks/Senators (1972–93) bar:21 color:former from:08/01/1993 till:05/01/1996 text: PEI Senators(93–96) bar:21 color:former from:08/01/2002 till:05/01/2017 shift:10 text: Binghamton (2002–17) bar:21 color:current from:08/01/2017 till:end shift:-20 text:

(2017–) bar:23 color:former from:08/01/1977 till:02/10/1978 text: Hampton Gulls (1977–78) bar:24 color:former from:08/01/1977 till:05/01/1987 shift:-45 text:

(1977–87) bar:24 color:former from:08/01/1987 till:05/01/1993 shift:-25 text: Utica Devils(87–93) bar:24 color:former from:08/01/1993 till:05/01/2003 text: Saint John (1993–03) bar:24 color:former from:08/01/2005 till:05/01/2007 shift:-5 text: OMA bar:24 color:former from:08/01/2007 till:05/01/2009 shift:0 text: QC bar:24 color:former from:08/01/2009 till:05/01/2014 shift:0 text: ABB bar:24 color:former from:08/01/2014 till:05/01/2015 shift:-10 text: ADK bar:24 color:former from:08/01/2015 till:05/01/2022 shift:5 text:

Stockton Heat The Stockton Heat were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) that played from 2015 to 2022. The team was based in Stockton, California, and was affiliated with the National Hockey League (NHL) Calgary Flames. The Hea ...

bar:24 color:current from:08/01/2022 till:end shift:5 text: Calgary Wranglers(2022–) bar:25 color:former from:08/01/1977 till:05/01/1979 shift:-70 text: Philadelphia(77–79) bar:25 color:former from:08/01/1979 till:05/01/1980 text:

Syracuse Firebirds The Philadelphia Firebirds were a minor league professional ice hockey team that played in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from 1974 to 1979, and later the franchise moved to Syracuse, New York, and played one final season as the Syracuse Firebird ...

(1979–80) bar:26 color:former from:08/01/1978 till:05/01/1982 shift:-141 text: New Brunswick Hawks (78–82) bar:26 color:former from:08/01/1982 till:05/01/1986 shift:-40 text:

St. Catharines St. Catharines is the largest city in Canada's Niagara Region and the sixth largest urban area in the province of Ontario. As of 2016, it has an area of , 136,803 residents, and a metropolitan population of 406,074. It lies in Southern Ontario ...

(82–86) bar:26 color:former from:08/01/1986 till:05/01/1991 shift:25 text: Newmarket (86–91) bar:26 color:former from:08/01/1991 till:05/01/2005 shift:65 text: St. John's (1991–2005) bar:26 color:current from:08/01/2005 till:end shift:20 text: Toronto Marlies (2005–) bar:27 color:former from:08/01/1981 till:05/01/1982 shift:-80 text: Erie Blades (81–82) bar:27 color:former from:08/01/1982 till:05/01/1993 shift:5 text: Baltimore Skipjacks (82–93) bar:27 color:former from:08/01/1993 till:05/01/2016 shift:20 text:

(1993–2016) bar:27 color:current from:08/01/2016 till:07/01/2020 shift:-35 text: Springfield Thunderbirds (2016–) bar:27 color:current from:07/01/2021 till:end bar:28 color:former from:08/01/1981 till:05/01/1988 shift:-85 text:

Fredericton Express The Fredericton Express were a professional ice hockey team based in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. They played in the American Hockey League between 1981 and 1988. The Express were affiliated with the Quebec Nordiques and Vancouver Canucks o ...

(81–88) bar:28 color:former from:08/01/1988 till:05/01/1993 shift:-25 text: Halifax (88–93) bar:28 color:former from:08/01/1993 till:05/01/1996 shift:-5 text: Cornwall (93–96) bar:28 color:current from:08/01/1999 till:end shift:15 text: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (1999–) bar:29 color:former from:08/01/1982 till:05/01/1984 text:

Sherbrooke Jets The Sherbrooke Jets were a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL), based in Sherbrooke, Quebec. They were a farm team of the National Hockey League's Winnipeg Jets. The team was coached by Rick Bowness in the 1982– ...

(1982–84) bar:30 color:former from:08/01/1982 till:05/01/1987 text: Moncton Alpines/Golden Flames (1982–87) bar:31 color:former from:08/01/1984 till:05/01/1988 shift:-60 text: Nova Scotia (84–88) bar:31 color:former from:08/01/1988 till:05/01/1996 shift:-5 text: Cape Breton (88–96) bar:31 color:former from:08/01/1996 till:05/01/2003 text: HAM (96–03) bar:31 color:former from:08/01/2003 till:05/01/2004 shift:-10 text: TOR bar:31 color:former from:08/01/2004 till:05/01/2005 text:

EDM EDM or E-DM may refer to: Music * Electronic dance music * Early Day Miners, American band Science and technology * Electric dipole moment * Electrical discharge machining * Electronic distance measurement *Entry, Descent, and landing demonstra ...

bar:31 color:former from:08/01/2010 till:05/01/2015 shift:-25 text: OKC (2010–15) bar:31 color:current from:08/01/2015 till:end shift:-1 text: Bakersfield Condors(2015–) bar:32 color:former from:08/01/1987 till:05/01/1992 shift:-50 text:

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Providence Bruins The Providence Bruins are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL), and are the primary development team for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). They play at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, Rh ...

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Albany River Rats The Albany River Rats were a minor league professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Albany, New York at the Times Union Center. History Before the formation of the franchise Without a viable indoor arena with a ...

(93–10) bar:33 color:current from:08/01/2010 till:07/01/2020 text: Charlotte Checkers (2010–) bar:33 color:current from:07/01/2021 till:end bar:34 color:former from:08/01/1992 till:05/01/1994 shift:-65 text: Hamilton Canucks(92–94) bar:34 color:current from:08/01/1994 till:end shift:35 text:

Syracuse Crunch The Syracuse Crunch are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL). They play in Syracuse, New York, at the Upstate Medical University Arena. They are the primary development affiliate of the National Hockey League's Tampa ...

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(1994–2016) bar:35 color:current from:08/01/2016 till:end shift:-20 text: Tucson Roadrunners (2016–) bar:36 color:former from:08/01/1995 till:05/01/1997 shift:-60 text:

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 30th most populous city in the United States with a population of 585,708 in 2020. Baltimore was d ...

(95–97) bar:36 color:former from:08/01/1997 till:05/01/2005 text: Cincinnati (97-05) bar:36 color:current from:08/01/2007 till:end text: Rockford IceHogs (2007–) bar:37 color:former from:08/01/1995 till:05/01/1997 shift:-60 text:

Carolina Carolina may refer to: Geography * The Carolinas, the U.S. states of North and South Carolina ** North Carolina, a U.S. state ** South Carolina, a U.S. state * Province of Carolina, a British province until 1712 * Carolina, Alabama, a town in ...

(1995–97) bar:37 color:former from:08/01/1997 till:05/01/1999 text:

Beast of New Haven The Beast of New Haven were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League in the 1997–98 and 1998–99 seasons. The team was based in New Haven, Connecticut, and played at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum, which was demolished in 2007. The Be ...

(1997–99) bar:38 color:former from:08/01/1996 till:05/01/2009 text: Philadelphia(96–09) bar:38 color:former from:08/01/2009 till:05/01/2014 shift:-45 text: Adirondack(09–14) bar:38 color:current from:08/01/2014 till:end shift:-10 text: Lehigh Valley Phantoms (2014–) bar:39 color:former from:08/01/1996 till:05/01/2001 shift:-55 text: Kentucky(96–01) bar:39 color:former from:08/01/2001 till:05/01/2006 shift:-30 text: Cleveland(01–06) bar:39 color:former from:08/01/2006 till:05/01/2015 shift:0 text: Worcester(2006–15) bar:39 color:current from:08/01/2015 till:end shift:-2 text:

San Jose Barracuda The San Jose Barracuda are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) that began play in the 2015–16 season. The team will play at Tech CU Arena beginning in the 2022-23 season. The Barracuda is a relocation of the ...

(2015–) bar:40 color:former from:08/01/1998 till:05/01/2010 text: Lowell (1998–2010) bar:40 color:former from:08/01/2010 till:05/01/2017 shift:-30 text: Albany (2010–17) bar:40 color:former from:08/01/2017 till:05/01/2021 shift:-20 text: Bing. (17–21) bar:40 color:current from:08/01/2021 till:end shift:0 text: Utica Comets (2021) bar:41 color:former from:08/01/1999 till:05/01/2001 shift:-60 text: Louisville Panthers(99-01) bar:41 color:former from:08/01/2005 till:05/01/2009 shift:-5 text: Iowa(05-09) bar:41 color:current from:08/01/2009 till:end shift:10 text: Texas Stars (2009–) bar:42 color:former from:08/01/2000 till:05/01/2015 text: Norfolk Admirals (2000–15) bar:42 color:current from:08/01/2015 till:end text: San Diego Gulls(2015–) bar:43 color:current from:08/01/2001 till:end text: Bridgeport Sound Tigers/Islanders (2001–) bar:44 color:current from:08/01/2001 till:end text: Chicago Wolves (2001–) bar:45 color:current from:08/01/2001 till:end text: Grand Rapids Griffins (2001–) bar:46 color:former from:08/01/2001 till:05/01/2013 text: Houston Aeros (2001–13) bar:46 color:current from:08/01/2013 till:end text: Iowa Wild (2013–) bar:47 color:former from:08/01/2001 till:05/01/2015 text:

Manchester Monarchs Manchester Monarchs may refer to: *Manchester Monarchs (AHL) (2001–2015) *Manchester Monarchs (ECHL) The Manchester Monarchs were a professional ice hockey team in the ECHL which began play in the 2015–16 season. Based in Manchester, New ...

(2001–15) bar:47 color:current from:08/01/2015 till:end text: Ontario Reign(2015–) bar:48 color:current from:08/01/2001 till:07/01/2020 text: Milwaukee Admirals (2001–) bar:48 color:current from:07/01/2021 till:end bar:49 color:former from:08/01/2001 till:05/01/2011 shift:-75 text: Manitoba Moose (2001–11) bar:49 color:former from:08/01/2011 till:05/01/2015 shift:-50 text:

(2011–15) bar:49 color:current from:08/01/2015 till:end shift:45 text: Manitoba (2015–) bar:50 color:former from:08/01/2001 till:05/01/2005 shift:-50 text: Utah Grizzlies (2001–05) bar:50 color:current from:08/01/2007 till:end text: Lake Erie/Cleveland Monsters (2007–) bar:51 color:current from:08/01/2018 till:end shift:-20 text: Colorado Eagles (2018–) bar:52 color:current from:08/01/2022 till:end shift:-50 text:

Coachella Valley , map_image = Wpdms shdrlfi020l coachella valley.jpg , map_caption = Coachella Valley , location = California, United States , coordinates = , width = , boundaries = Salton Sea (southeast), Santa Rosa Mountains (southwest), San Jacint ...

(2022–) ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:10 start:01/01/1940

All-time team list

Bold teams means they are still active * Buffalo Bisons (1) (1936; folded) * Cleveland Falcons (1936–37; renamed the Cleveland Barons) * New Haven Eagles (1936–43; folded during World War II resurrected 1945) * Philadelphia Ramblers (1936–41, renamed Philadelphia Rockets) *

(1936–56; went on hiatus to wait for new arena, returned 1961) * Providence Reds (1936–76; renamed Rhode Island Reds) * Springfield Indians (1936–42; suspended during World War II; returned 1946) * Syracuse Stars (1936–40; became Buffalo Bisons) * Cleveland Barons (1937–1973; became Jacksonville Barons) * Hershey Bears (1938–present) * Indianapolis Capitals (1939–52; folded) * Buffalo Bisons (2) (1940–70; folded) * Philadelphia Rockets (1941–42; folded) *

Washington Lions The Washington Lions were a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They were founded as a member of the American Hockey League in the 1941–42 season. The Lions played for two seasons and then disbanded during World War II. ...

(1941–43; folded) *

(1944–53; folded) * New Haven Eagles (1945–46, renamed New Haven Ramblers) * Springfield Indians (1946–51; became Syracuse Warriors) * Philadelphia Rockets (1946–49; folded) *

New Haven Ramblers New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator ...

(1946–50, renamed New Haven Eagles) *

(1947–49; became Cincinnati Mohawks) *

(1949–52; transferred to IHL) * New Haven Eagles (1950–51, folded) *

Syracuse Warriors The Springfield Indians were a minor professional ice hockey franchise, originally based in West Springfield, Massachusetts and later Springfield, Massachusetts. The Indians were founding members of the American Hockey League. They were in existen ...

(1951–54; became Springfield Indians) * Springfield Indians (1954–67; renamed Springfield Kings) * Rochester Americans (1956–present) *

(1959–71; became Richmond Robins) *

(1961–67; folded) *

(1962–76; folded) * Springfield Kings (1967–74; renamed Springfield Indians) * Montreal Voyageurs (1969–71; became Nova Scotia Voyageurs) * Nova Scotia Voyageurs (1971–84; became Sherbrooke Canadiens) *

(1971–74; suspended, became Moncton Hawks) *

(1971–74; folded) * Richmond Robins (1971–76; folded) * Tidewater Wings (1971–72; played in Norfolk; renamed Virginia Wings) * Virginia Wings (1972–75; played in Norfolk; became Adirondack Red Wings) *

Jacksonville Barons Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the seat of Duval County, with which the ...

(1973–74; folded, franchise purchased and became Syracuse Eagles) * New Haven Nighthawks (1972–92; became New Haven Senators) * Springfield Indians (1974–94; became Worcester IceCats) *

(1974–75; folded) * Rhode Island Reds (1976–77; became Binghamton Dusters) * Hampton Gulls (1977–78; folded midseason) * Binghamton Dusters (1977–80; renamed Binghamton Whalers) *

(1977–92; original franchise became Utica Devils; expansion franchise became Providence Bruins) * Philadelphia Firebirds (1977–79; became Syracuse Firebirds) * New Brunswick Hawks (1978–82; became St. Catharines Saints) * Adirondack Red Wings (1979–99; became San Antonio Rampage) *

(1979–80; folded) * Binghamton Whalers (1980–90; renamed Binghamton Rangers) * Erie Blades (1981–82; merged into Baltimore Skipjacks) *

(1981–88; became Halifax Citadels) * Baltimore Skipjacks (1982–93; became Portland Pirates) * Moncton Alpines (1982–84; renamed Moncton Golden Flames) *

(1982–84; folded) *

St. Catharines Saints The St. Catharines Saints was a minor league ice hockey team in St. Catharines, Ontario. It played in the American Hockey League from 1982 to 1986 as the farm team of the Toronto Maple Leafs. History The Moncton-based New Brunswick Hawks had bee ...

(1982–86; became Newmarket Saints) * Nova Scotia Oilers (1984–88; became Cape Breton Oilers) * Sherbrooke Canadiens (1984–90; became Fredericton Canadiens) * Moncton Golden Flames (1984–87; folded) * Newmarket Saints (1986–91; became St. John's Maple Leafs) * Moncton Hawks (1987–94; folded) * Utica Devils (1987–93; became Saint John Flames) * Cape Breton Oilers (1988–96; became Hamilton Bulldogs) * Halifax Citadels (1988–93; became Cornwall Aces) * Binghamton Rangers (1990–97; became Hartford Wolf Pack) * Capital District Islanders (1990–93; became Albany River Rats) * Fredericton Canadiens (1990–99; became Quebec Citadelles) * St. John's Maple Leafs (1991–2005; became Toronto Marlies) *

(1992–present) * Hamilton Canucks (1992–94; became Syracuse Crunch) * New Haven Senators (1992–93; became Prince Edward Island Senators) *

(1993–2010; became Charlotte Checkers) *

(1993–2016, became Springfield Thunderbirds) * Prince Edward Island Senators (1993–96; became Binghamton Senators) * Saint John Flames (1993–2003; became Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights) * Cornwall Aces (1993–96; dormant until 1999 and became Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins) *

(1994–2016; became Tucson Roadrunners) *

(1994–present) * Worcester IceCats (1994–2005; became Peoria Rivermen) * Baltimore Bandits (1995–97; became Cincinnati Mighty Ducks) * Carolina Monarchs (1995–97; became Beast of New Haven) * Philadelphia Phantoms (1996–2009; became Adirondack Phantoms) * Hamilton Bulldogs (1996–2015; became second version of the St. John's IceCaps) * Kentucky Thoroughblades (1996–2001; became Cleveland Barons) * Cincinnati Mighty Ducks (1997–2005; became Rockford IceHogs) *

(1997–99; folded) *

Hartford Wolf Pack The Hartford Wolf Pack are a professional ice hockey team based in Hartford, Connecticut. A member of the American Hockey League (AHL), they play their home games at the XL Center. The team was established in 1926 as the Providence Reds. After a ...

(1997–2010, 2013–present; became Connecticut Whale from 2010–13) * Lowell Lock Monsters (1998–2006; became Lowell Devils) * Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (1999–present) * Louisville Panthers (1999–2001; became Iowa Stars) * Quebec Citadelles (1999–2002; merged with Hamilton Bulldogs) * Norfolk Admirals (2000–15; became the San Diego Gulls) * Bridgeport Sound Tigers (2001–2021; became Bridgeport Islanders) * Chicago Wolves (2001–present) * Grand Rapids Griffins (2001–present) * Houston Aeros (2001–13; became Iowa Wild) *

(2001–15; became the Ontario Reign) * Milwaukee Admirals (2001–present) * Cleveland Barons (2001–06; became Worcester Sharks) * Manitoba Moose (2001–11, 2015–present; were the St. John's IceCaps from 2011–2015) * Utah Grizzlies (2001–05; became Lake Erie Monsters) *

(2002–17; became the Belleville Senators in 2017) * San Antonio Rampage (2002–20; became Henderson Silver Knights) * Toronto Roadrunners (2003–04; split from Hamilton Bulldogs, became Edmonton Road Runners) * Edmonton Road Runners (2004–05; dormant 2005–2010, became the Oklahoma City Barons) * Iowa Stars (2005–08; became Iowa Chops) * Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights (2005–07; became Quad City Flames) * Peoria Rivermen (2005–13; became Utica Comets) * Toronto Marlies (2005–present) *

Lowell Devils The Lowell Devils were a minor ice hockey team in the American Hockey League playing in Lowell, Massachusetts, at the Tsongas Center. As their name implied, they were the top minor league affiliate of the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey L ...

(2006–10; became Albany Devils) * Worcester Sharks (2006–15; became the San Jose Barracuda) * Lake Erie Monsters (2007–16; renamed Cleveland Monsters) * Quad City Flames (2007–09; became Abbotsford Heat) * Rockford IceHogs (2007–present) * Iowa Chops (2008–09; became Texas Stars) * Adirondack Phantoms (2009–14; became Lehigh Valley Phantoms) * Texas Stars (2009–present) * Abbotsford Heat (2009–14; became Adirondack Flames) * Albany Devils (2010–17; became the Binghamton Devils in 2017) * Charlotte Checkers (2010–present) * Oklahoma City Barons (2010–15; became the Bakersfield Condors) * Connecticut Whale (2010–13; reverted to Hartford Wolf Pack) *

(2011–17; original franchise became the Manitoba Moose in 2015, second franchise became the Laval Rocket in 2017) * Iowa Wild (2013–present) * Utica Comets (2013–present; original franchise relocated to Abbotsford in 2021) *

Adirondack Flames The Adirondack Flames were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL). The team was based in Glens Falls, New York, and played at the 4,794 seat Glens Falls Civic Center. They were the top affiliate of the Calgary Flames of ...

(2014–15; became the Stockton Heat) * Lehigh Valley Phantoms (2014–present) * Bakersfield Condors (2015–present) * Ontario Reign (2015–present) * San Diego Gulls (2015–present) *

(2015–present) *

(2015–22; became the Calgary Wranglers) * Cleveland Monsters (2016–present) * Springfield Thunderbirds (2016–present) * Tucson Roadrunners (2016–present) *

(2017–present) * Binghamton Devils (2017–21; became second version of the Utica Comets) * Laval Rocket (2017–present) * Colorado Eagles (2018–present) * Henderson Silver Knights (2020–present) * Abbotsford Canucks (2021–present) *

Bridgeport Islanders The Bridgeport Islanders (previously known as the Bridgeport Sound Tigers) are a professional ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League (AHL). They are the AHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's New York Islanders, who own the f ...

(2021–present) * Calgary Wranglers (2022–present) * Coachella Valley Firebirds (2022–present)

Presidents

All-Star Game

The American Hockey League first held an All-Star Game in the 1941–42 season. The event was not played again until the 1954–55 season, and was then held annually until the 1959–60 season. In the 1994–95 season, the AHL revived the events again, and has been played every season until the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled the events in 2021 and 2022. The skills competition was first introduced for the 1995–96 season. From 1996 to 2010, the game took place between a team of players born outside of Canada and a team of players born within Canada. The All-Star Game was replaced by an all-star challenge between the league's divisions from the 2015–16 season onward. The challenge consists of six round-robin games between the league's divisions; the top two divisions in the challenge's round-robin phase advance to a six-minute championship game. The winning division of the championship game is declared the winner of the all-star challenge.

Outdoor games

2012 AHL Winter Classic CBP Philadelphia

Since the 2009–10 season, at least one team in the AHL has hosted an outdoor ice hockey game each year. The

was the first organization to put on an outdoor game in the AHL on February 20, 2010, building a rink at the New York State Fairgrounds in

Syracuse, New York Syracuse ( ) is a City (New York), city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, Onondaga County, New York, United States. It is the fifth-most populous city in the state of New York following New York City, Buffalo, New York, Buffa ...

, and packing a record 21,508 fans in for the

Mirabito Outdoor Classic The Mirabito Outdoor Classic, also known as the 2010 AHL Outdoor Classic, was an outdoor ice hockey game played on February 20, 2010 between the Syracuse Crunch and Binghamton Senators of the American Hockey League (AHL). It was the first outdo ...

against the

. The contest, which was also televised to an international audience on NHL Network, was won by the Crunch, 2–1. The Connecticut Whale hosted the

Whale Bowl Teams in the American Hockey League first hosted games outdoors in 2010. Paralleling the National Hockey League's Winter Classic and Heritage Classic, these outdoor games frequently pit two regional rivals in a game in an outdoor venue. Inasmuc ...

, the AHL's second outdoor game held on February 19, 2011 as part of a 10-day Whalers Hockey Fest at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Connecticut. Attendance for Connecticut's game against the

was announced at 21,673, the largest in AHL history to that point. Providence won, 5–4, in a shootout. On January 6, 2012, the largest crowd in AHL history saw the Adirondack Phantoms defeat the Hershey Bears, 4–3, in overtime before 45,653 fans at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, as the final event of the week-long activities associated with the

2012 NHL Winter Classic The 2012 NHL Winter Classic (known via corporate sponsorship as the Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic) was an outdoor regular season National Hockey League (NHL) game, part of the Winter Classic series, played on January 2, 2012, at Citizens Bank P ...

, which also included a game between the Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Rangers on Jan 2 and an alumni game between retired players (including eight honored members of the

Hockey Hall of Fame , logo = Hockey Hall of Fame Logo.svg , logo_upright = 0.5 , image = Hockey Hall of Fame, Toronto.jpg , caption = The Hall's present location on Yonge Street since 1992 , map_type = , former_name = , established = 1943 , location = 30 Y ...

) of those two clubs on December 31, 2011. The contest was the third outdoor game in AHL history and it more than doubled the league's previous single-game attendance mark. On January 21, 2012, the Steeltown Showdown between Ontario rivals, the Toronto Marlies and Hamilton Bulldogs, was held at Ivor Wynne Stadium in Hamilton, Ontario, with the Marlies winning 7–2 in front of 20,565 fans, the largest crowd ever for an AHL game in Canada. The AHL game was preceded the previous night by a game between Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens alumni. Two outdoor games were announced for the 2012–13 AHL season, but a meeting between the Grand Rapids Griffins and Toronto Marlies at Comerica Park in Detroit as part of the festivities surrounding the

NHL Winter Classic The NHL Winter Classic (french: La Classique hivernale de la LNH) is an annual regular season outdoor ice hockey game played in the National Hockey League (NHL) on or around New Year's Day, generally in a football or baseball stadium in an area ...

was not held because of the cancellation of the NHL Winter Classic. On January 20, 2013, the Hershey Bears and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins met outdoors at Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey, Pennsylvania with the Penguins earning a 2–1 overtime victory in front of 17,311 fans. The Rochester Americans hosted an outdoor game in 2013–14, the

Frozen Frontier Frozen Frontier (officially Greater Rochester Area Honda Dealers Frozen Frontier presented by Labatt) was a multi-day outdoor ice hockey event in December 2013 in Rochester, New York. An ice rink was erected in the infield of Frontier Field, a bas ...

, which was held at Frontier Field in Rochester, New York, on December 13, 2013. The Americans took a 5–4 decision in a shootout against the Lake Erie Monsters before a standing-room crowd of 11,015 fans. A year after their originally scheduled date, the Griffins and Marlies played at Comerica Park on December 30, 2013, and Toronto prevailed in a shootout, 4–3, becoming the first AHL team ever with two outdoor wins. Attendance in Detroit was 20,337. As part of the recent addition of the Pacific Division, the AHL played its first outdoor hockey game in California during the 2015–16 season, called the Golden State Hockey Rush. On December 18, 2015, the

hosted the Bakersfield Condors at Raley Field in West Sacramento, California. Stockton defeated Bakersfield 3–2 in front of 9,357 fans. For the second consecutive season, the AHL played an outdoor game in California. The Bakersfield Condors were named as hosts for their second outdoor game against the Ontario Reign to be held on January 7, 2017, at Bakersfield College's Memorial Stadium and was called the Condorstown Outdoor Classic. Despite sometimes heavy rain during the first period, the game went on as scheduled and the Condors defeated the Reign 3–2 in overtime. Although technically not an outdoor game, the

defeated the Utica Comets 2–1 on November 22, 2014 at the

Carrier Dome The JMA Wireless Dome, originally the Carrier Dome (1980–2022) and colloquially called "The Dome," or more recently "The JMA Dome," is a domed sports stadium in Syracuse, New York. Located on the campus of Syracuse University in the University ...

, normally a college football stadium.

International Games

Teams from the AHL have competed against non-North American teams, in both international tournaments and one-off matchups. Rochester Americans participated in the

1996 File:1996 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: A Centennial Olympic Park bombing, bomb explodes at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, set off by a radical Anti-abortion violence, anti-abortionist; The center fuel tank explodes on TWA Flight 8 ...

and

editions of the Spengler Cup, held in

Davos , neighboring_municipalities= Arosa, Bergün/Bravuogn, Klosters-Serneus, Langwies, S-chanf, Susch , twintowns = } Davos (, ; or ; rm, ; archaic it, Tavate) is an Alpine resort town and a municipality in the Prättigau/Davos R ...

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

. The Spengler Cup is an annual invitational tournament featuring teams from leagues around Europe and the world. The participation of the AHL in future Spengler Cups has been discussed by both the tournament organizers and league leadership. In February 2018, the Ontario Reign hosted and defeated the DEL’s Eisbären Berlin, 6-3, in a friendly matchup organized by Anschutz Entertainment Group, the owner of both teams.

AHL Hall of Fame

The formation of an American Hockey League Hall of Fame was announced by the league on December 15, 2005, created to recognize, honor and celebrate individuals for their outstanding achievements and contributions specifically in the AHL.

Trophies and awards

The following is a list of awards of the American Hockey League. The season the award was first handed out is listed in parentheses.

Individual awards

* Les Cunningham Award – Most valuable player ''( 1947–48)'' * John B. Sollenberger Trophy – Top point scorer ''( 1947–48)'' *

Willie Marshall Award The Willie Marshall Award is given to the American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hocke ...

– Top goal scorer ''( 2003–04)'' *

Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award The Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award is given each year to the player in the American Hockey League determined to be the most outstanding rookie. The award is based on voting by the media and the players. It was named after Dudley "Red" Garrett ...

– Rookie of the year ''( 1947–48)'' * Eddie Shore Award – Defenceman of the year ''( 1958–59)'' *

Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award The Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award is presented annually to the American Hockey League's best goaltender. The award winner is chosen by AHL media and players. The award is named after former AHL Pittsburgh Hornets goaltender Aldege "Baz" Bast ...

– Best Goaltender ''( 1983–84)'' *

Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award The Hap Holmes Memorial Award is an ice hockey trophy awarded annually to the goaltenders of the American Hockey League team with the lowest goals against average, and who have appeared in at least 25 regular season games. Prior to 1972 awarded to ...

– Lowest Goals against average ''( 1947–48)'' *

Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award The Louis A. R. Pieri Memorial Award is an American Hockey League (AHL) trophy awarded annually to the most outstanding coach during the season, as voted upon by members of the AHL media. The award is named for Louis Pieri, a long-time contributo ...

– Coach of the year ''( 1967–68)'' *

Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award The Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award is an American Hockey League trophy awarded annually to the player best exemplifying sportsmanship, determination, and dedication to hockey. The award is voted upon by players and members of the media around the Ameri ...

– Sportsmanship / Perseverance ''( 1977–78)'' *

Yanick Dupre Memorial Award The Yanick Dupre Memorial Award is presented annually to the American Hockey League's man of the year for service to his local community. The award winner is chosen by the league president. The award is named after former Hershey Bears player Yan ...

– Community Service Award ''( 1997–98)'' *

Jack A. Butterfield Trophy The Calder Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the playoff champion of the American Hockey League (AHL). First awarded in the 1937–38 season, it is named after Frank Calder, first president of the National Hockey League. The Calder Cup is dis ...

– MVP of the playoffs ''( 1983–84)''

Team awards

* Calder Cup – Playoffs champions ''( 1936–37)'' *

Richard F. Canning Trophy The Richard F. Canning Trophy is presented annually to the team that advances to the American Hockey League's (AHL) Calder Cup Finals as the playoff winner of the Eastern Conference. Prior to 1998, it was given to the playoffs champion of the Northe ...

– Eastern Conference playoff champions ''( 1989–90)'' *

Robert W. Clarke Trophy The Robert W. Clarke Trophy is presented annually to the AHL's champion of the Western Conference during the playoffs. Prior to 1998, it was given to the champion of the Southern Conference/Division. The award is named after former AHL Chairman o ...

– Western Conference playoff champions ''( 1989–90)'' *

Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy The Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy is presented annually to the AHL team that finishes the regular season with the most points or highest points percentage. The award is named after late former AHL board member Macgregor Kilpatrick. The award was fir ...

– Regular season champions, League ''( 1997–98)'' *

Frank Mathers Trophy The Frank Mathers Trophy is to be presented to the American Hockey League (AHL) team that finishes with the best regular season record in the Canadian Division for the 2020–21 AHL season, a division created for that season due to the COVID-19 ...

– Regular Season champions, Eastern Conference ''( 1995–96)'' * Norman R. "Bud" Poile Trophy – Regular Season champions, Western Conference ''( 2001–02)'' *

Emile Francis Trophy The Emile Francis Trophy is presented annually to the American Hockey League (AHL) team that has the best record in the Atlantic Division. The award is named after former AHL player Emile Francis, who later coached in the National Hockey League. ...

– Regular Season champions, Atlantic Division ''( 2001–02)'' * F. G. "Teddy" Oke Trophy – Regular Season champions, North Division ''( 1936–37)''^† *

Sam Pollock Trophy The Sam Pollock Trophy is presented annually to the American Hockey League team that has the best regular season record in the Central Division. The award is named after former general manager of the Montreal Canadiens Sam Pollock Samuel Patte ...

– Regular Season champions, Central Division ''( 1995–96)'' *

John D. Chick Trophy The John D. Chick Trophy is presented annually to the American Hockey League team that has the best record in the Pacific Division. The award is named after John Chick, who served as vice president and treasurer of the American Hockey League. Pre ...

– Regular Season champions, Pacific Division ''( 1961–62)'' ^† Trophy predates American Hockey League, established 1926–27 in the

Canadian Professional Hockey League The Canadian Professional Hockey League, also known as Can-Pro, was a minor professional hockey league founded in 1926. After three seasons, it became the International Hockey League (IHL) in 1929. The Can-Pro name was then given to a new league o ...

Other awards

James C. Hendy Memorial Award The James C. Hendy Memorial Award is presented annually to an executive who has made the most outstanding contribution to the American Hockey League. The award is named after Jim Hendy, a long-time contributor to the AHL and the general manager of ...

– Executive of the Year ''( 1961–62)'' * Thomas Ebright Memorial Award – Outstanding career contributions ''( 1997–98)'' *

James H. Ellery Memorial Awards The James H. Ellery Memorial Awards are presented annually to the individuals of the news media for outstanding media coverage of the American Hockey League. The awards are given in memory James Ellery, former publicity director for the AHL. The fi ...

– Outstanding media coverage ''( 1964–65)'' *

Ken McKenzie Award The Ken McKenzie Award is presented annually to an individual who accomplished the most during the season in promoting his or her American Hockey League team, by marketing and public relations. The award is named for Ken McKenzie, the co-founder an ...

– Marketing Executive of the Year ''( 1978–79)'' * Michael Condon Memorial Award – Outstanding service, On-ice official ''( 2001–02)'' *

President's Awards The President's Awards are two annual awards given out by the American Hockey League (AHL). The first award is presented to an AHL organization and recognizes "excellence in all areas off the ice." The second is given to a player as recognition o ...

– two annual awards given out by the AHL. The first award is presented to an AHL organization and recognizes "excellence in all areas off the ice." The second is given to a player as recognition of outstanding accomplishments in that year ''( 2008–09)'' Sources:
AHL Hall of Fame

hockeydb.com

References

External links

*
Historic standings and statistics
– at Internet Hockey Database {{Authority control Minor league ice hockey Articles which contain graphical timelines 1936 establishments in North America Sports leagues established in 1936 Professional ice hockey leagues in the United States Professional ice hockey leagues in Canada Multi-national professional sports leagues Second tier ice hockey leagues Multi-national ice hockey leagues in North America