May 12, 2020 - Sports

AHL cancels season amid coronavirus pandemic

Kendall Baker

The Charlotte Checkers after winning the 2019 Calder Cup. Photo: Patrick Gorski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The American Hockey League, the NHL's top minor league affiliate, has canceled the remainder of its season due to the coronavirus pandemic, marking the first time since the AHL was formed in 1936 that the Calder Cup will not be awarded.

The state of play: Playing games without fans was never going to be an option for AHL teams, which rely heavily on gate revenue, so this announcement was inevitable.

History will record the Milwaukee Admirals as the AHL's top team (.714 points percentage), the Iowa Wild's Sam Anas as its top producer (70 points) and the Providence Bruins' Dan Vladar as its best goalie (.936 save percentage).

Final standings:

Atlantic Division: Providence Bruins (82 pts), Hershey Bears (81), Charlotte Checkers (73), Hartford Wolf Pack (73), Springfield Thunderbirds (65), Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (66), Lehigh Valley Phantoms (58), Bridgeport Sound Tigers (53)
North Division: Belleville Senators (81 pts), Rochester Americans (75), Utica Comets (73), Binghamton Devils (72), Syracuse Crunch (69), Laval Rocket (68), Toronto Marlies (63), Cleveland Monsters (55)
Central Division: Milwaukee Admirals (90 pts), Iowa Wild (82), Grand Rapids Griffins (65), Chicago Wolves (62), Rockford IceHogs (62), Texas Stars (61), San Antonio Rampage (60), Manitoba Moose (55)

Pacific Division: Tucson Roadrunners (75 pts), Colorado Eagles (72), Stockton Heat (68), San Diego Gulls (68), Ontario Reign (64), Bakersfield Condors (50), San Jose Barracuda (49)

What's next: The prevailing thought among NHL executives is that the AHL won't start back up with all of its teams next season, which could force some shared affiliation agreements until normalcy returns, per Sportsnet.

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AHL cancels season amid coronavirus pandemic

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