List of AHL seasons
Seasons
Franchises in their current form are in boldface, i.e. Hershey Bears.

List of AHL seasons

Section Title: Seasons
Table Section Text: Franchises in their current form are in boldface, i.e. Hershey Bears.

Seasons	Teams

Regular season	Calder Cup playoffs (1970)	Number of teams	Changes

1936–37	East Division: 4 West Division: 4	The Buffalo Bisons ceased operations after 11 games.

1937–38	East Division: 4 West Division: 3	The Cleveland Falcons became the Cleveland Barons.

1938–39	East Division: 4 West Division: 4	The Hershey Bears transferred from the Eastern Amateur Hockey League.

1939–40	East Division: 4 West Division: 5	The Indianapolis Capitals joined as an expansion team.

1940–41	East Division: 4 West Division: 5	The Syracuse Stars became the Buffalo Bisons.

1941–42	East Division: 5 West Division: 5	The Philadelphia Ramblers became the Philadelphia Rockets. The Washington Lions joined as an expansion team.

1942–43	East Division: 4 West Division: 4	The Philadelphia Rockets ceased operations. The Springfield Indians ceased operations. The New Haven Eagles ceased operations after 32 games.

1943–44	East Division: 3 West Division: 3	The Washington Lions ceased operations.

1944–45	East Division: 3 West Division: 4	The St. Louis Flyers transferred from the American Hockey Association.

1945–46	East Division: 4 West Division: 4	The New Haven Eagles resumed operations.

1946–47	East Division: 5 West Division: 5	The New Haven Eagles became the New Haven Ramblers. The Springfield Indians resumed operations.

1947–48	East Division: 6 West Division: 5	The Washington Lions resumed operations.

1948–49	East Division: 6 West Division: 5

1949–50	East Division: 5 West Division: 5	The Philadelphia Rockets ceased operations. The Washington Lions became the Cincinnati Mohawks.

1950–51	East Division: 5 West Division: 5	The New Haven Ramblers became the New Haven Eagles and ceased operations after 28 games.

1951–52	East Division: 4 West Division: 5	The Springfield Indians became the Syracuse Warriors.

1952–53	7 (no divisions)	The Indianapolis Capitals ceased operations. The Cincinnati Mohawks transferred to the International Hockey League.

1953–54	6 (no divisions)	The St. Louis Flyers ceased operations.

1954–55	6 (no divisions)	The Syracuse Warriors became the Springfield Indians.

1955–56	6 (no divisions)

1956–57	6 (no divisions)	The Pittsburgh Hornets ceased operations. The Rochester Americans joined as an expansion team.

1957–58	6 (no divisions)

1958–59	6 (no divisions)

1959–60	7 (no divisions)	The Quebec Aces transferred from the Quebec Hockey League

1960–61	7 (no divisions)

1961–62	East Division: 4 West Division: 4	The Pittsburgh Hornets resumed operations.

1962–63	East Division: 5 West Division: 4	The Baltimore Clippers joined as an expansion team.

1963–64	East Division: 5 West Division: 4

1964–65	East Division: 5 West Division: 4

1965–66	East Division: 5 West Division: 4

1966–67	East Division: 5 West Division: 4

1967–68	East Division: 4 West Division: 4	The Pittsburgh Hornets ceased operations. The Springfield Indians became the Springfield Kings.

1968–69	East Division: 4 West Division: 4

1969–70	1970	East Division: 4 West Division: 5	The Montreal Voyageurs joined as an expansion team.

1970–71	1971	East Division: 4 West Division: 4	The Buffalo Bisons ceased operations.

1971–72	1972	East Division: 5 West Division: 6	The Quebec Aces became the Richmond Robins. The Montreal Voyageurs became the Nova Scotia Voyageurs.

1972–73	1973	East Division: 6 West Division: 6	The New Haven Nighthawks joined as an expansion team. The Cleveland Barons became the Jacksonville Barons midseason.

1973–74	1974	North Division: 6 South Division: 6

1974–75	1975	North Division: 5 South Division: 5	The Boston Braves ceased operations. The Jacksonville Barons ceased operations.

1975–76	1976	North Division: 4 South Division: 4	The Syracuse Eagles ceased operations. The Virginia Wings ceased operations.

1976–77	1977	6 (no divisions)	The Richmond Robins ceased operations. The Baltimore Clippers transferred to the Southern Hockey League.

1977–78	1978	North Division: 4 South Division: 5	The Maine Mariners joined as an expansion team. The Rhode Island Reds become the Binghamton Dusters.

1978–79	1979	North Division: 4 South Division: 5	The Hampton Gulls ceased operations. The New Brunswick Hawks joined as an expansion team.

1979–80	1980	North Division: 5 South Division: 5	The Adirondack Red Wings joined as an expansion team. The Philadelphia Firebirds became the Syracuse Firebirds.

1980–81	1981	North Division: 4 South Division: 5	The Syracuse Firebirds ceased operations. The Binghamton Dusters became the Binghamton Whalers.

1981–82	1982	North Division: 5 South Division: 6	The Fredericton Express joined as an expansion team. The Erie Blades transferred from the Eastern Hockey League.

1982–83	1983	North Division: 6 South Division: 7	The New Brunswick Hawks became the St. Catharines Saints.

1983–84	1984	North Division: 6 South Division: 7

1984–85	1985	North Division: 6 South Division: 7	The Sherbrooke Jets ceased operations. The Nova Scotia Voyageurs became the Sherbrooke Canadiens.

1985–86	1986	North Division: 6 South Division: 7

1986–87	1987	North Division: 6 South Division: 7	The St. Catharines Saints became the Newmarket Saints.

1987–88	1988	North Division: 7 South Division: 7	The original Maine Mariners become the Utica Devils. A new Maine Mariners joined as an expansion team.

1988–89	1989	North Division: 7 South Division: 7	The Nova Scotia Oilers became the Cape Breton Oilers. The Fredericton Express became the Halifax Citadels.

1989–90	1990	North Division: 7 South Division: 7

1990–91	1991	North Division: 7 South Division: 8	The Binghamton Whalers became the Binghamton Rangers. The Sherbrooke Canadiens move became the Fredericton Canadiens.

1991–92	1992	Atlantic Division: 5 North Division: 5 South Division: 5	The Newmarket Saints became the St. John's Maple Leafs.

1992–93	1993	Atlantic Division: 5 North Division: 5 South Division: 6	The New Haven Nighthawks became the New Haven Senators. The Maine Mariners became the Providence Bruins.

1993–94	1994	Atlantic Division: 6 North Division: 5 South Division: 5	The Utica Devils became the Saint John Flames. The Baltimore Skipjacks became the Portland Pirates.

1994–95	1995	Atlantic Division: 5 North Division: 6 South Division: 5	The Moncton Hawks ceased operations. The Hamilton Canucks became the Syracuse Crunch.

1995–96	1996	Northern Conference Atlantic Division: 5 North Division: 4 Southern Conference Central Division: 5 South Division: 4	The Baltimore Bandits joined as an expansion team. The Carolina Monarchs joined as an expansion team.

1996–97	1997	Northern Conference Canadian Division: 4 Empire State Division: 5 Southern Conference New England Division: 4 Mid-Atlantic Division: 5	The Prince Edward Island Senators suspended operations. The Cornwall Aces suspended operations.

1997–98	1998	Eastern Conference Atlantic Division: 4 New England Division: 5 Western Conference Empire State Division: 5 Mid-Atlantic Division: 4	The Binghamton Rangers became the Hartford Wolf Pack. The Carolina Monarchs move became the Beast of New Haven.

1998–99	1999	Eastern Conference Atlantic Division: 5 New England Division: 5 Western Conference Empire State Division: 5 Mid-Atlantic Division: 4	The Lowell Lock Monsters joined as an expansion team.

1999–00	2000	Eastern Conference Atlantic Division: 4 New England Division: 5 Western Conference Empire State Division: 5 Mid-Atlantic Division: 5	The Adirondack Red Wings ceased operations. The Beast of New Haven ceased operations.

2000–01	2001	Eastern Conference Canadian Division: 4 New England Division: 6 Western Conference Mid-Atlantic Division: 6 South Division: 4	The Norfolk Admirals joined as an expansion team.

2001–02	2002	Eastern Conference Canadian Division: 5 North Division: 5 East Division: 4 Western Conference Central Division: 4 West Division: 5 South Division: 4	The Louisville Panthers suspended operations. The Kentucky Thoroughblades became the Cleveland Barons.

2002–03	2003	Eastern Conference Canadian Division: 4 North Division: 5 East Division: 4 Western Conference Central Division: 5 West Division: 5 South Division: 4	The Quebec Citadelles merge into the Hamilton Bulldogs. The Prince Edward Island Senators resumed operations as the Binghamton Senators.

2003–04	2004	Eastern Conference Atlantic Division: 7 East Division: 7 Western Conference North Division: 7 West Division: 7	The Saint John Flames suspended operations. The Toronto Roadrunners split from the Hamilton Bulldogs.

2004–05	2005	Eastern Conference Atlantic Division: 7 East Division: 7 Western Conference North Division: 7 West Division: 7	The Toronto Roadrunners became the Edmonton Road Runners.

2005–06	2006	Eastern Conference Atlantic Division: 7 East Division: 6 Western Conference North Division: 7 West Division: 7	The Cincinnati Mighty Ducks suspended operations. The Edmonton Road Runners suspended operations.

2006–07	2007	Eastern Conference Atlantic Division: 7 East Division: 7 Western Conference North Division: 6 West Division: 7	The Lowell Lock Monsters became the Lowell Devils. The Cleveland Barons became the Worcester Sharks.

2007–08	2008	Eastern Conference Atlantic Division: 7 East Division: 7 Western Conference North Division: 7 West Division: 8	The Utah Grizzlies resumed operations as the Lake Erie Monsters. The Cincinnati Mighty Ducks resumed operations as the Rockford IceHogs.

2008–09	2009	Eastern Conference Atlantic Division: 7 East Division: 7 Western Conference North Division: 7 West Division: 8	The Iowa Stars became the Iowa Chops.

2009–10	2010	Eastern Conference Atlantic Division: 8 East Division: 7 Western Conference North Division: 7 West Division: 7	The Quad City Flames became the Abbotsford Heat. The Philadelphia Phantoms became the Adirondack Phantoms.

2010–11	2011	Eastern Conference Atlantic Division: 7 East Division: 8 Western Conference North Division: 7 West Division: 8	The Albany River Rats became the Charlotte Checkers. The Lowell Devils become the Albany Devils.

2011–12	2012	Eastern Conference Atlantic Division: 5 Northeast Division: 5 East Division: 5 Western Conference North Division: 5 Midwest Division: 5 West Division: 5	The Manitoba Moose became the St. John's IceCaps.

2012–13	2013	Eastern Conference Atlantic Division: 5 Northeast Division: 5 East Division: 5 Western Conference North Division: 5 Midwest Division: 5 South Division: 5

2013–14	2014	Eastern Conference Atlantic Division: 5 Northeast Division: 5 East Division: 5 Western Conference North Division: 5 Midwest Division: 5 West Division: 5	The Connecticut Whale became the Hartford Wolf Pack. The Houston Aeros became the Iowa Wild.

2014–15	2015	Eastern Conference Atlantic Division: 5 Northeast Division: 5 East Division: 5 Western Conference North Division: 5 Midwest Division: 5 West Division: 5	The Abbotsford Heat became the Adirondack Flames. The Adirondack Phantoms became the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

2015–16	2016	Eastern Conference Atlantic Division: 8 North Division: 7 Western Conference Central Division: 8 Pacific Division: 7	The Adirondack Flames became the Stockton Heat. The Hamilton Bulldogs became the St.

2016–17	2017	Eastern Conference Atlantic Division: 7 North Division: 7 Western Conference Central Division: 8 Pacific Division: 8	The Lake Erie Monsters became the Cleveland Monsters The Portland Pirates became the Springfield Thunderbirds. The Springfield Falcons became the Tucson Roadrunners.

2017–18	2018	Eastern Conference Atlantic Division: 8 North Division: 7 Western Conference Central Division: 7 Pacific Division: 8	The Albany Devils became the Binghamton Devils The Binghamton Senators became the Belleville Senators. The St.

2018–19	2019	Eastern Conference Atlantic Division: 8 North Division: 8 Western Conference Central Division: 8 Pacific Division: 7	The Colorado Eagles joined as an expansion team.

Sentence(s)

The 1986–87 AHL season was the 51st season of the American Hockey League.

final_sentence: The 1986–87 AHL season was the 51st season of the American Hockey League.