It’s best to watch the AHL. Right here’s why.

The 2025-2026 AHL season is quickly approaching, with opening day slated for Friday, Oct 10, the thrill is ramping up within the FloSports workplace. 

With uncertainty round NHL rosters forward of coaching camp, most of those are topic to alter, however listed here are some issues to look out for within the offseason. In case your favourite prospect doesn’t make their NHL workforce this season, don’t fear, the AHL is the perfect place to look at the subsequent era of NHL Stars earlier than they hit the large leagues.

We requested FloHockey content material creator and AHL skilled Lizz Baby to present her opinion on why folks ought to watch the AHL in 2025. Right here’s what she needed to say. 

Lizz’s AHL Groups To Watch In 2025-26

Of the 32 groups within the AHL, listed here are those that Lizz says to look at for and why.

Bridgeport Islanders

The Islanders are going into their twenty fifth season as a franchise, they usually’re bringing again a classic look. After lacking the playoffs within the final three seasons, the Islanders made some teaching adjustments, hiring assistant coaches David Cunniff and Chad Kolarik to again up new head coach Rocky Thomspon. 

Not solely will the Islanders have some new faces on the bench, however they’ve additionally signed a number of gamers to one-year, two-way offers with the New York Islanders. Matthew Highmore, Ethan Bear and Cole McWard have all been signed, becoming a member of the AHL roster gamers of Chris Terry, Max Dorrington, Cam Berg, Ross Mitton Hunter Drew and Luke Rowe.

All gamers are on one yr offers.

The Islanders will likely be a largely new-look workforce, and might these adjustments be sufficient to get them again to the Calder Cup playoffs?

Abbotsford Canucks

Contemporary off successful their first Calder Cup trophy, the Abbotsford Canucks may have a tall process in the event that they need to repeat. Within the offseason, the Canucks group traded Calder Cup Finals MVP goaltender Arturs Silovs to the Pittsburgh Penguins group.  

With out Silovs, how good will the Canucks be, and might they make one other run to the Calder Cup Finals?

Hershey Bears

After successful the Calder Cup in back-to-back seasons, 2023 and 2024, the Bears misplaced within the second spherical of the playoffs to the Charlotte Checkers. Within the offseason, the Bears employed Derek King as their new head coach after Todd Nelson left to take an assistant teaching function with the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

With the storied historical past of the Bears’ group, the expectations of King are clear, get the workforce again to the Calder Cup finals and win. 

The Bears have signed Andrew Cristall from the WHL, and the as soon as second spherical decide who has led the WHL in scoring for the previous three seasons, hoping to spice up their offense. 

With these new elements, the Bears are a workforce to look at this season.

Grand Rapids Griffins

After a majorly profitable NHL draft by the Detroit Crimson Wings, the Griffins may have a number of high prospects accessible to play for them this season. The Griffins misplaced within the first spherical of the Calder Cup Playoffs to the Texas Stars, however with their possible stacked roster, may this yr be their yr?

Texas Stars

The Texas Stars are a workforce that has fallen simply wanting taking part in for the Calder Cup, dropping to Abbotsford in six video games in 2025. Now, they’ve a brand new head coach in Toby Petersen, who was a part of the Stars’ solely Calder Cup successful workforce in 2014. 

With Peterson on the helm and several other stars set to return, can the Stars return to the Calder Cup finals and win? 

Ontario Reign

The Ontario Reign have a primary yr head coach in Andrew Lord, and regardless of it being his first yr teaching within the AHL, he has intensive expertise at different ranges. He was named the ECHL Coach of the Yr and within the ECHL led the Greenville Swamp Rabbits to a 155-94-39 general file.

With Lord’s successful expertise, the Reign want to make it previous the prelims after dropping in 2025. 

The Out of doors Sport Is Again

The AHL Out of doors Traditional is again after lacking the 2024-2025 season. It can function the Iowa Wild and the Milwaukee Admirals as a part of Hockey Day Minnesota, reside from the United Heroes League Complicated in Hastings.

The twentieth yr of the occasion, this yr’s recreation is anticipated to have 80,000 followers and will likely be a brilliant in style occasion for everybody concerned, and is one in all Lizz’s favourite occasions of the yr.

Teddy Bear Tosses

Everybody’s favourite recreation of the yr, particularly Lizz’s, each workforce has their very own teddy bear toss. Who doesn’t love seeing teddy bears tossed onto the ice for a superb trigger, with the entire bears donated to charities for kids after the sport.

The Hershey Bears often set new information with their teddy bear tosses yearly and in 2025, they set a world file for many teddy bears ever donated from a teddy bear toss with 10,514. Whereas Flo has not but been in a position to attend one in all Hershey’s teddy bear tosses, it is on Lizz’s bucket checklist of hockey video games.

CBA Age Rule Change

If the CBA Rule Change for gamers beneath 19, permitting them to play within the AHL, it may very well be a recreation changer for improvement. It might enable high prospect and predicted No. 1 general NHL Draft decide Sam Dickinson to play within the AHL, gaining expertise in opposition to NHL gamers.

Gamers Who Might Make NHL Rosters This Season

Among the high prospects that Lizz has lined over time within the AHL may make the total NHL rosters this yr. This is who.

Jonathan Lekkerimaki – Vancouver Canucks 

Lekkerimaki was picked fifteenth general by the Vancouver Canucks in 2022, however has not but performed a full season for Vancouver. 

Michael DiPietro – Boston Bruins

DiPietro was drafted sixty fourth general by the Vancouver Canucks however has not performed a full season with them and solely appeared in three video games. Now a part of the Boston Bruins group, he may play his first full NHL season this yr.

Gamers To Watch

Jacob Fowler – Laval Rocket

A goaltender for the Laval Rocket, Fowler performed for Boston School earlier than signing a 3 yr cope with the Montreal Canadiens earlier than being assigned to Laval. This yr, he may very well be the beginning goaltender for the Rocket in his first full skilled season.

Artyom Levshunov – Rockford Icehogs 

The second general decide within the 2024 NHL Draft, Levshunov is trying to make it to the NHL this season. He performed in 18 video games for the Chicago Blackhawks and is trying to make himself a full time roster participant for them this season. 

AHL Opening Weekend Schedule On FloHockey

Right here’s each AHL recreation that may occur in week one, with all instances listed in Jap Time. All video games might be streamed on FloHockey and the FloSports App. Subscribe right here to not miss any of the motion.

Friday, October 10

7:00 pm — Cleveland vs Utica7:05 pm — Toronto vs Rochester8:00 pm — Laval vs Manitoba8:00 pm — Grand Rapids vs Texas9:05 pm — Calgary vs Colorado10:00 pm — Tucson vs Ontario10:00 pm — Abbotsford vs Henderson10:00 pm — San Diego vs Coachella Valley

Saturday, October 11

3:00 pm — Cleveland vs Utica4:00 pm — Rochester vs Toronto6:00 pm — Bakersfield vs San Jose6:05 pm — Hartford vs Wilkes-Barre/Scranton6:05 pm — Charlotte vs Springfield7:00 pm — Windfall vs Bridgeport7:00 pm — Syracuse vs Hershey7:00 pm — Chicago vs Iowa7:05 pm — Belleville vs Lehigh Valley8:00 pm — Milwaukee vs Rockford8:00 pm — Grand Rapids vs Texas9:00 pm — Abbotsford vs Henderson9:05 pm — Calgary vs Colorado

Sunday, October 12

3:00 pm — Belleville vs Bridgeport3:00 pm — Laval vs Manitoba3:05 pm — Charlotte vs Providence3:05 pm — Wilkes-Barre/Scranton vs Lehigh Valley5:00 pm — Syracuse vs Hershey6:00 pm — Rockford vs Iowa6:00 pm — Tucson vs Ontario

Prime AHL Prospects

Whereas we’re nonetheless ready for NHL camps to complete to see the ultimate rosters, listed here are among the high AHL prospects going into the 2025-26 season.

Artyom Levshunov, RockfordIsaac Howard, BakersfieldMatt Savoie, BakersfieldJacob Fowler, LavalDalibor Dvorsky, SpringfieldAndrew Cristall, HersheyIvan Miroshinchenko, HersheyIlya Protas, HersheyAxel Sandin Pellikka, Grand RapidsNate Danielson, Grand RapidsSebastian Cossa, Grand RapidsEmil Hemming, TexasTanner Molendyk, MilwaukeeDanila Yurov, IowaLiam Ohgren, Iowa

What had been the 2024-25 AHL Standings?

View the total 2024-25 AHL common season standings under. Click on right here to view the most recent standings.

Atlantic Division

y – Hershey Bears – 96x – Charlotte Checkers – 94x – Windfall Bruins – 90x – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins – 88x – Lehigh Valley Phantoms – 80x – Springfield Thunderbirds – 74Hartford Wolf Pack – 69Bridgeport Islanders – 37

North Division

y – Laval Rocket – 101x – Rochester People – 92x – Syracuse Crunch – 86x – Toronto Marlies – 86x – Cleveland Monsters – 81Belleville Senators – 79Utica Comets – 70

Central Division

y – Milwaukee Admirals – 91x – Texas Stars – 89x – Grand Rapids Griffins – 80x – Chicago Wolves – 78x – Rockford IceHogs – 70Iowa Wild – 62Manitoba Moose – 56

Pacific Division

y – Colorado Eagles – 94x – Abbotsford Canucks – 92x – Ontario Reign – 90x – Coachella Valley Firebirds – 84x – Calgary Wranglers – 81x – San Jose Barracuda – 81x – Tucson Roadrunners – 74Bakersfield Condors – 74San Diego Gulls – 66Henderson Silver Knights – 63

x = Clinched Playoff Place

y = Clinched Division

Who Received The 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs?

The Abbotsford Canucks gained the finals of the 2025 Calder Cup playoffs in opposition to the Charlotte Checkers in six video games. It is the franchise’s first Calder Cup.

How To Watch AHL Hockey Stay This Season

Followers can watch each AHL recreation reside and on-demand on FloHockey from the preseason via to the final recreation of the Calder Cup finals.

When Do The Calder Cup Playoffs Begin?

The final recreation of the 2025-26 AHL common season is scheduled for Sunday, April 19. The Calder Cup playoffs sometimes start just a few days after the conclusion of the common season.

NHL Prospect Protection On FloHockey

The perfect, and most full, protection of the NHL minor league hockey and NHL Draft is discovered on FloHockey. Do not miss the most recent new prospect guides, rankings and extra from Chris Peters and the FloHockey workers.

Hockey Hits Tougher On Flo

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Watch the AHL, ECHL, QMJHL, USHL, And Extra On FloHockey

FloHockey is the streaming house to among the finest hockey leagues in North America, together with the ECHL and extra. Try the published schedule to look at extra hockey.

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