Patrick Williams, TheAHL.com Options Author
AHL rosters proceed to take form, and opening weekend is within the books.
Eight groups throughout the league have new head coaches, and each staff has a new-look roster to at least one diploma or one other. The primary a number of weeks of the AHL season are for constructing familiarity amongst new personnel, getting techniques work down pat, and establishing a basis that may carry a staff within the season’s second half and into the Calder Cup Playoffs.
Let’s look team-by-team on the Jap Convention. A breakdown of the Western Convention will comply with later.
BELLEVILLE
Beneath head coach David Bell, the Senators are a troublesome out. They cut up opening weekend, profitable at Rochester and falling in a shootout at Syracuse. The Crunch will grow to be a well-recognized early on for the B-Sens, who will face Syracuse 5 instances earlier than U.S. Thanksgiving. Ottawa has assigned sniper Adam Gaudette to Belleville after he had a league-leading 44 targets final season with Springfield.
BRIDGEPORT
Full with an all-new brand that pays homage to the dad or mum New York Islanders’ mid-Nineteen Nineties look, Bridgeport performs eight video games out of 11 on the highway between Oct. 25 and Nov. 22, an early take a look at for Rick Kowalsky’s membership because the Islanders try to rebound from lacking the Calder Cup Playoffs every of the final two seasons. Chris Terry, Liam Foudy and Pierre Engvall are among the many new faces.
CHARLOTTE
The Checkers at all times are in competition and haven’t missed the postseason reduce since 2016. With the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers as their dad or mum staff, the 2 sides have constructed a powerful roster in Charlotte. Veteran blueliner Trevor Carrick returns to the staff the place he gained a Calder Cup in 2019, and the Checkers even have introduced expertise on the place in Jaycob Megna and Tobias Bjornfot. Chris Driedger, who took Coachella Valley to the Calder Cup Finals final season, helms the staff in internet whereas established forwards Kyle Criscuolo and Matt Luff are new as nicely. New acquisition Aidan McDonough’s 4 targets in two wins on opening weekend gained him the Howies Hockey Tape/AHL Participant of the Week honor.
CLEVELAND
The Monsters, who fell one purpose in need of the Calder Cup Finals final June, are backed by goaltender Jet Greaves following a powerful season of improvement. First-round decide Denton Mateychuk, the Western Hockey League’s defenseman of the 12 months final season, is a full-timer now with the Monsters after a stout postseason efficiency final spring. Rocco Grimaldi, whose 36 targets ranked third within the AHL final season for Chicago, was a last-minute addition to the roster who might have a serious impression. Opening with 5 straight highway video games is a problem, however the Monsters already gained a cut up in a two-game opening sequence at Hershey.
HARTFORD
First-round decide Brennan Othmann and 25-goal scorer Brett Berard are again with the Wolf Pack to proceed their improvement after robust rookie seasons. Dylan Garand returns with that rather more expertise in internet to staff with veteran Louis Domingue as soon as once more. Hartford has reached the division finals every of the final two seasons, and maybe this 12 months they’ll take one other step underneath rookie head coach Grant Potulny.
HERSHEY
Three-peat. That’s the purpose in Hershey, the place the Bears are attempting to grow to be the primary staff in 63 years to win the Calder Cup three consecutive instances. They introduced in forwards Luke Philp and Spencer Smallman together with defenseman Brad Hunt, an AHL First All-Star Staff decide final season with Colorado. Ivan Miroshnichenko and Vincent Iorio headline the returning younger core, and Hunter Shepard and Clay Stevenson are again in internet.
LAVAL
Laval has one of the crucial thrilling teams of prospects within the AHL, and there’s no scarcity of native pleasure and a spotlight from Montreal Canadiens followers. Owen Beck, Sean Farrell, Riley Kidney, Filip Mešár, Joshua Roy and Luke Tuch are among the many high younger forwards. AHL All-Rookie Staff choice Logan Mailloux can anchor the blue line, and Jakub Dobeš was a workhorse in internet as a rookie final season. Pascal Vincent takes over the Laval bench after main the Columbus Blue Jackets final season, and Monday’s addition of ahead Alex Barré-Boulet provides Laval an elite offensive menace, too.
LEHIGH VALLEY
Alexei Kolosov’s progress in internet will likely be one thing to observe intently. Ahead Oskar Eklind is one other intriguing addition after notching 17 targets final season within the Swedish Hockey League. Anthony Richard comes over from Windfall to lend offensive assist. Ahead Massimo Rizzo is coming off three robust seasons on the College of Denver that featured a pair of nationwide championship titles.
PROVIDENCE
Boston Bruins administration at all times places collectively a powerful veteran core in Windfall, and this 12 months isn’t any completely different. Signees Cole Koepke and Riley Tufte made the Boston roster after spending time within the AHL final season. However the P-Bruins have new forwards in Vinni Lettieri and Jeffrey Viel whereas the again finish has Jordan Oesterle and Billy Sweezey now in place. Forwards Fabian Lysell and Georgii Merkulov can take massive leaps this season, too.
ROCHESTER
A lot is new in Rochester this 12 months. Head coach Seth Appert is now in Buffalo as an assistant coach. Captain Michael Mersch retired, and different acquainted faces moved on. First-round decide Konsta Helenius is an Amerk at 18 years outdated after going 14th total within the NHL Draft this summer time; he continues an extended line of high picks in Rochester. Anton Wahlberg can also be in Rochester after a late-season spin. Mike Leone takes over as head coach.
SPRINGFIELD
Armed with a brand new seven-year extension to stay a part of the St. Louis Blues group, stability is the theme for the Thunderbirds. Steve Konowalchuk takes over in his first professional head-coaching job and he can have some high quality depth up and down his roster, together with returnees Hugh McGing, Nikita Alexandrov, Tyler Tucker and captain Matthew Peca. Ahead Zach Dean, a 2021 first-rounder, returns to Springfield for his second professional season.
SYRACUSE
At all times within the combine, the Crunch roster stocked up with a number of late-summer strikes. Forwards Logan Brown, Jujhar Khaira, Gemel Smith, Joel Teasdale and Jesse Ylonen all ought to assist fairly a bit. Defensively, Tobie Bisson, Derrick Pouliot and Steven Santini have come to Syracuse to lend veteran management. Joel Bouchard goes into his second season main the Crunch.
TORONTO
The Marlies added ahead Alex Nylander, somebody who could possibly be a sniper of their line-up. He joins a well-recognized core of Joseph Blandisi, Kyle Clifford, captain Logan Shaw and All-Star Alex Steeves. Two-time Stanley Cup champion Matt Murray has fought accidents not too long ago and is in internet as he tries to make his manner again to the NHL. Defenseman Topi Niemelä had a powerful first season with the Marlies.
UTICA
The Comets hung round in competition deep into the tip of the common season in 2023-24 earlier than falling in need of a playoff bid. They bring about again sufficient of the core from final season to contend once more and will likely be hungry to return to the Calder Cup Playoffs. First-rounder Chase Stillman will attempt to construct on a promising first season and tackle a bigger position, and Mike Hardman joins the Comets after scoring 22 targets in Rockford a 12 months in the past.
WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON
Kyle Dubas at all times paid shut consideration to the Marlies when he was common supervisor of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Now that he’s operating the Pittsburgh Penguins, that method isn’t any completely different, and the entrance workplace overhauled the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton roster. New head coach Kirk MacDonald has Sebastian Aho, Jimmy Huntington, Boko Imama, Boris Katchouk, Mac Hollowell and Dan Renouf all on board to present the AHL Pens a a lot completely different look. Rookie defenseman Owen Pickering is a first-round decide, and shut consideration will likely be paid to newcomer Sergei Murashov in internet.
On the American Hockey League beat for twenty years, TheAHL.com options author Patrick Williams additionally at present covers the league for NHL.com and FloSports and is an everyday contributor on SiriusXM NHL Community Radio. He was the recipient of the AHL’s James H. Ellery Memorial Award for his excellent protection of the league in 2016.
