The Belleville Senators clinched a berth in the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs on Friday night thanks to a last-second 3-2 win over the Laval Rocket at CAA Arena. The Senators will participate in the AHL postseason for the second time in franchise history; they lost a first-round series to Rochester in 2022. Belleville joins Syracuse, Cleveland, Rochester and Toronto in the five-team playoff field out of the North Division; the top three finishers will get byes into the division semifinals, while the fourth- and fifth-place teams square off in a best-of-three first-round series. The AHL’s 2023-24 re ..read more

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms clinched a berth in the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs on Friday evening with a 3-0 road victory over the Bridgeport Islanders. The Phantoms are making their second consecutive postseason appearance and their 14th playoff trip overall, including a pair of Calder Cup championships in 1998 and 2005 while based in Philadelphia. Lehigh Valley joins Hershey, Providence, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Charlotte and Hartford in the six-team playoff field in the Atlantic Division; the top two finishers will get byes into the division semifinals, while the third- through sixth-place teams ..read more

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that Spencer Knight of the Charlotte Checkers is the 2023-24 winner of the Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award as the AHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of sportsmanship, determination and dedication to hockey. The award is voted on by coaches, players and members of the media in each of the league’s 32 member cities. Knight returned to action in the fall after having entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program last February to receive help with managing obsessive-compulsive disorder. He has made 44 appearances with the Che ..read more

by Anthony Fusco | AHL On The Beat The Manitoba Moose never counted themselves out of playoff contention. Even in the midst of an 11-game losing streak from Dec. 29 to Jan. 24. The team knew if they continued working to improve, the results would eventually turn, with success to follow. Mired in the slump, the Moose struck out on the road for nine consecutive games split by the AHL All-Star Classic. It was a stretch that could end any hopes of a playoff berth, but Manitoba used the run to save its season. The team broke skid in the first game of the trip with a 5-3 win in Rockford on Jan. 27 ..read more

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today the 2023-24 AHL First and Second All-Star Teams, as voted by AHL coaches, players and media in each of the league’s 32 member cities. 2023-24 AHL First All-Star TeamGoaltender ― Hunter Shepard, Hershey Bears (33 GP, 27-3-3, 1.75 GAA, .929 SV%, 5 SO) Defenseman ― Kyle Capobianco, Manitoba Moose (68 GP, 12-40-52, +29, 6 PPG, 1 SHG) Defenseman ― Brad Hunt, Colorado Eagles (70 GP, 16-33-49, +3, 5 PPG) Forward ― Mavrik Bourque, Texas Stars (69 GP, 26-49-75, 4 PPG, 1 SHG, 2 GWG) Forward ― Adam Gaudette, Springfield Thunderbirds (65 GP ..read more

Bakersfield Condors captain Brad Malone has announced that he will retire from professional hockey following the conclusion of the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs. Malone, who has been with Bakersfield since 2017, is the longest-serving captain in Condors history. “It has been a 20-year journey since I left home, and this is the only place I’ve called home since leaving,” Malone said. “I’m most proud of the relationships we’ve made here with close friends and the culture we’ve created on and off the ice. I’m thankful for my family, staff, teammates and everyone I was able to learn from that came befo ..read more

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League has announced the 2023-24 AHL All-Rookie Team, as voted by coaches, players and media in each of the league’s 32 member cities. 2023-24 AHL All-Rookie Team Goaltender ― Joel Blomqvist, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (44 GP, 25-11-6, 2.14 GAA, .921 SV%, 1 SO) Defenseman ― Brandt Clarke, Ontario Reign (47 GP, 9-33-42, 2 PPG) Defenseman ― Logan Mailloux, Laval Rocket (70 GP, 14-33-47, 2 PPG, 2 GWG) Forward ― Josh Doan, Tucson Roadrunners (62 GP, 26-20-46, 10 PPG, 1 SHG, 8 GWG) Forward ― Brad Lambert, Manitoba Moose (62 GP, 20-32-52, 7 PPG, 1 GWG) Fo ..read more

Patrick Williams, TheAHL.com Features Writer This is where the Detroit Red Wings had hoped Sebastian Cossa would be. The 15th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft is taking on a steady workload with the Grand Rapids Griffins. Battling for positioning in the standings in an AHL playoff race. And getting ready for what both Detroit and Grand Rapids hope can be a fruitful and long-running engagement in the Calder Cup postseason. The Griffins already have locked up a match-up with Rockford as the second- and third-place teams in the Central Division semifinals. What is left to be determined is home ..read more

by Grace Kut | AHL On The Beat With the clock ticking down only minutes before the NHL trade deadline last month, Magnus Hellberg was notified that he had been traded. Florida exchanged Ludovic Waeber to Pittsburgh to receive Hellberg and a conditional 2025 seventh-round pick. “I didn’t really see it coming to be honest with you, but I got the call 30 minutes before the trade deadline and I was getting ready to play a game that same night,” said Hellberg. “I was really excited when I got here, I think that it is a great opportunity for me to showcase who I am as a goalie and who I am as a per ..read more

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League’s Player Safety Committee today announced that Charlotte Checkers forward Patrick Khodorenko has been suspended for one (1) game as a consequence of a cross-checking incident in a game at Hartford on Apr. 14. Khodorenko will miss Charlotte’s game Wednesday (Apr. 17) at Hershey ..read more