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). Since the 2010–11 season, every team in the league has an affiliation agreement with one NHL team. 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, and its current president is Scott Howson.
The Stockton Thunder were a minor league professional ice hockey team that was based in Stockton, California, and a member of the ECHL. The Stockton Arena was their home ice, with a capacity of 9,737. The team was an affiliate team of the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League in their final two seasons. The team was purchased by the Calgary Flames and relocated to Glens Falls, New York, as the Flames relocated their American Hockey League team to Stockton to become the Stockton Heat.
The Peoria Rivermen were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Peoria, Illinois, at the Carver Arena. After the 2012–13 AHL season, the team relocated to Utica, New York, and became the Utica Comets.
The Saint John Flames were a Canadian ice hockey team in the American Hockey League from 1993 to 2003 in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. The Calgary Flames bought and relocated the Utica Devils, to be their AHL affiliate.
The Abbotsford Centre, formerly Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre, is a 7,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Abbotsford, British Columbia. The arena was expected to cost $64.7-million. Construction began on September 24, 2007. As of 2021, it is the home of the Abbotsford Canucks of the American Hockey League (AHL) after previously hosting AHL's Abbotsford Heat from 2009 to 2014.
The Quad City Flames were an American professional ice hockey team that played in the American Hockey League from 2007 to 2009. They were owned by QC Sports Ventures Inc., an ownership group based out of the Quad Cities. The Flames played at the iWireless Center in Moline, Illinois, serving as the top minor league affiliate of the National Hockey League's Calgary Flames. The move to the Quad Cities was confirmed on May 24, 2007. As a result, the arena's previous hockey tenant, the Quad City Mallards of the United Hockey League ceased operations.
The 2009–10 AHL season was the 74th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-nine teams played 80 regular-season games each from October 2 to April 11. This season featured the addition of one new team, the relocation of two others, and the involuntary suspension of another.
Micheal Ferland is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger who is currently under contract for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Along with the Canucks, he has previously played for the Calgary Flames and Carolina Hurricanes. Ferland was drafted by the Flames in the fifth round, 133rd overall, at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.
Joni Ortio is a Finnish professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently playing for HV71 of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). He has previously played for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was a sixth round selection of the Flames, 171st overall, at the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. Prior to the NHL he played for TPS and HIFK Helsinki in the Sm-liiga. Internationally, Ortio has represented Finland on four occasions. He was a member of the bronze medal-winning team at the 2009 IIHF World U18 Championships and played in the 2013 World Championship
Carter Bancks is a former Canadian former professional ice hockey player. An undrafted player, Bancks played four seasons of junior in the Western Hockey League (WHL) and four more in the American Hockey League (AHL) before making his NHL debut in 2013 with the Calgary Flames. He later played the majority of his professional career with and served as captain of the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League (AHL). Bancks was born in Calgary, Alberta, but grew up in Kimberley, British Columbia.
The 2014–15 AHL season was the 79th season of the American Hockey League. The regular season began in October 2014 and ended in April 2015. The 2015 Calder Cup playoffs followed the conclusion of the regular season.
The Utica Comets are a professional ice hockey team based in Utica, New York, with home games at the Adirondack Bank Center. They are members of the North Division in the Eastern Conference of the American Hockey League (AHL) and affiliated with the National Hockey League's (NHL) New Jersey Devils. The team was established when the Vancouver Canucks relocated the AHL franchise to Utica for the 2013–14 season and remained until the 2020–21 season. The Devils then agreed to lease their franchise to the Comets after the Canucks moved their AHL franchise to Abbotsford.
Kellan Lain is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who most recently played for the Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL.
The 2013–14 Abbotsford Heat season was the American Hockey League franchise's fifth and final season in the city of Abbotsford, British Columbia.
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 the National Hockey League (NHL), and made their debut in the 2014–15 AHL season after relocating from Abbotsford, British Columbia, where the team was known as the Heat. Former Portland Pirates managing owner and CEO Brian Petrovek served as the team's president. For the 2015–16 season, the Adirondack Flames moved to Stockton, California, and became the Stockton Heat.
The 2015–16 AHL season was the 80th season of the American Hockey League. The regular season began on October 9, 2015, and ended on April 17, 2016. The 2016 Calder Cup playoffs follow the conclusion of the regular season. An attendance record was set with a league average of 5,982 spectators per game, surpassing the record set in 2004–05.
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 Heat played its home games at Stockton Arena. It was a relocation of the Adirondack Flames, joining four other relocated AHL franchises in California that formed the basis for a Pacific Division following the 2014–15 season.
The Adirondack Thunder are a professional ice hockey team in the ECHL that began play in the 2015–16 season. The team is based in Glens Falls, New York, and affiliated with the NHL's New Jersey Devils. The Thunder play their home games at the Cool Insuring Arena.
The Abbotsford Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Abbotsford, British Columbia, and members of the American Hockey League (AHL). The team began play in the 2021–22 season with home games at Abbotsford Centre as the AHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks. The team is a relocation of the franchise owned by the Canucks and known as the Utica Comets from 2013 to 2021. This is the second AHL team to play in Abbotsford after the Calgary Flames affiliate Abbotsford Heat from 2009 until 2014.
The 2021–22 AHL season was the 86th season of the American Hockey League. The regular season began on October 15, 2021, and ended on April 30, 2022. The regular season was followed by the Calder Cup playoffs, which had not been held since 2019 due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The playoffs began on May 2, 2022, and ended on June 25, 2022, with the Chicago Wolves winning their third Calder Cup.
