# 2000–01 AHL season

The 2000–01 AHL season was the 65th season of the American Hockey League. The league realigned its divisions again. The Atlantic division was renamed as the Canadian division. The Empire State division was replaced by the South division, with many teams shifting from the Mid-Atlantic division.
Twenty teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Worcester IceCats finished first overall in the regular season. The Saint John Flames won their first Calder Cup championship.

## Team changes

* The Norfolk Admirals joined the AHL as an expansion team, based in Norfolk, Virginia, playing in the South division.
* The Lowell Lock Monsters switched divisions from Atlantic to New England.
* The Hamilton Bulldogs switched divisions from Empire State to Canadian.
* The Albany River Rats, Rochester Americans, Syracuse Crunch and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins switched from the Empire State division to the Mid-Atlantic division.
* The Cincinnati Mighty Ducks, Kentucky Thoroughblades and Louisville Panthers switched from the Mid-Atlantic division to the South division.

## Final standings

* y– indicates team clinched division and a playoff spot
* x– indicates team clinched a playoff spot
* e– indicates team was eliminated from playoff contention

### Eastern Conference

| Canadian Division | GP | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | GF | GA |
| y–Saint John Flames (CGY) | 80 | 44 | 24 | 7 | 5 | 100 | 269 | 210 |
| x–Quebec Citadelles (MTL) | 80 | 41 | 32 | 3 | 4 | 89 | 264 | 252 |
| x–St. John's Maple Leafs (TOR) | 80 | 35 | 35 | 8 | 2 | 80 | 247 | 244 |
| e–Hamilton Bulldogs (EDM) | 80 | 28 | 41 | 6 | 5 | 67 | 227 | 281 |
| New England Division | GP | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | GF | GA |
| y–Worcester IceCats (STL) | 80 | 48 | 20 | 9 | 3 | 108 | 264 | 205 |
| x–Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR) | 80 | 40 | 26 | 8 | 6 | 94 | 263 | 247 |
| x–Providence Bruins (BOS) | 80 | 35 | 31 | 10 | 4 | 84 | 245 | 242 |
| x–Lowell Lock Monsters (LAK/NYI) | 80 | 35 | 35 | 5 | 5 | 80 | 225 | 244 |
| x–Portland Pirates (WSH) | 80 | 34 | 40 | 4 | 2 | 74 | 250 | 280 |
| e–Springfield Falcons (NYI/PHX) | 80 | 29 | 37 | 8 | 6 | 72 | 253 | 280 |

### Western Conference

| Mid-Atlantic Division | GP | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | GF | GA |
| y–Rochester Americans (BUF) | 80 | 46 | 22 | 9 | 3 | 104 | 224 | 192 |
| x–Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (PIT) | 80 | 36 | 33 | 9 | 2 | 83 | 252 | 248 |
| x–Syracuse Crunch (CBJ) | 80 | 33 | 30 | 12 | 5 | 83 | 235 | 254 |
| x–Philadelphia Phantoms (PHI) | 80 | 36 | 34 | 5 | 5 | 82 | 246 | 244 |
| x–Hershey Bears (COL) | 80 | 34 | 39 | 4 | 3 | 75 | 216 | 234 |
| e–Albany River Rats (NJD) | 80 | 30 | 40 | 6 | 4 | 70 | 216 | 262 |
| South Division | GP | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | GF | GA |
| y–Kentucky Thoroughblades (SJS) | 80 | 42 | 25 | 12 | 1 | 97 | 273 | 212 |
| x–Cincinnati Mighty Ducks (ANA/DET) | 80 | 41 | 26 | 9 | 4 | 95 | 254 | 240 |
| x–Norfolk Admirals (CHI) | 80 | 36 | 26 | 13 | 5 | 90 | 241 | 208 |
| e–Louisville Panthers (FLA) | 80 | 21 | 51 | 5 | 3 | 50 | 200 | 285 |

## Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Derek Armstrong | Hartford Wolf Pack | 75 | 32 | 69 | 101 | 73 |
| Jean-Guy Trudel | Springfield Falcons | 80 | 34 | 65 | 99 | 89 |
| Ryan Kraft | Kentucky Thoroughblades | 77 | 38 | 50 | 88 | 36 |
| Mark Greig | Philadelphia Phantoms | 74 | 31 | 57 | 88 | 98 |
| Brad Smyth | Hartford Wolf Pack | 77 | 50 | 29 | 79 | 110 |
| Bill Bowler | Syracuse Crunch | 72 | 21 | 58 | 79 | 50 |
| Mikael Samuelsson | Kentucky Thoroughblades | 66 | 32 | 46 | 78 | 58 |
| Marty Murray | Saint John Flames | 56 | 24 | 52 | 76 | 36 |
| Jim Montgomery | Kentucky Thoroughblades | 55 | 22 | 52 | 74 | 44 |
| Steve Bancroft | Kentucky Thoroughblades | 80 | 23 | 50 | 73 | 162 |
* complete list

## Calder Cup playoffs

| Division Semifinals | Division Semifinals | Division Semifinals | | | Division Finals | Division Finals | Division Finals | Conference Finals | Conference Finals | Conference Finals | | Calder Cup Final | Calder Cup Final | Calder Cup Final |
| C1 | Saint John | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| N5 | Portland | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| N5 | Portland | 0 | | | C1 | Saint John | 4 | | | | | | | |
| Canadian Division | Canadian Division | Canadian Division | | | C1 | Saint John | 4 | | | | | | | |
| Canadian Division | Canadian Division | Canadian Division | | | C2 | Quebec | 1 | | | | | | | |
| C2 | Quebec | 3 | | | C2 | Quebec | 1 | | | | | | | |
| C3 | St. John's | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| C3 | St. John's | 1 | | | | | | C1 | Saint John | 4 | | | | |
| Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | C1 | Saint John | 4 | | | | |
| Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | N3 | Providence | 1 | | | | |
| N1 | Worcester | 3 | | | | | | | | | N3 | Providence | 1 | | | | |
| N4 | Lowell | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| N4 | Lowell | 1 | | | N1 | Worcester | 3 | | | | | | | |
| New England Division | New England Division | New England Division | | | N1 | Worcester | 3 | | | | | | | |
| New England Division | New England Division | New England Division | | | N3 | Providence | 4 | | | | | | | |
| N2 | Hartford | 2 | | | N3 | Providence | 4 | | | | | | | |
| N3 | Providence | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| N3 | Providence | 3 | | | | | | | | | | C1 | Saint John | 4 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | M2 | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton | 2 |
| M1 | Rochester | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | M2 | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton | 2 |
| M4 | Philadelphia | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| M4 | Philadelphia | 3 | | | M2 | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton | 4 | | | | | | | |
| Mid-Atlantic Division | Mid-Atlantic Division | Mid-Atlantic Division | | | M2 | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton | 4 | | | | | | | |
| Mid-Atlantic Division | Mid-Atlantic Division | Mid-Atlantic Division | | | M4 | Philadelphia | 2 | | | | | | | |
| M2 | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton | 3 | | | M4 | Philadelphia | 2 | | | | | | | |
| M3 | Syracuse | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| M3 | Syracuse | 2 | | | | | | M2 | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton | 4 | | | | |
| Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | M2 | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton | 4 | | | | |
| Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | M5 | Hershey | 0 | | | | |
| S1 | Kentucky | 0 | | | | | | | | | M5 | Hershey | 0 | | | | |
| M5 | Hershey | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| M5 | Hershey | 3 | | | S3 | Norfolk | 1 | | | | | | | |
| Southern Division | Southern Division | Southern Division | | | S3 | Norfolk | 1 | | | | | | | |
| Southern Division | Southern Division | Southern Division | | | M5 | Hershey | 4 | | | | | | | |
| S2 | Cincinnati | 1 | | | M5 | Hershey | 4 | | | | | | | |
| S3 | Norfolk | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |

## All Star Classic

The 14th AHL All-Star Game was played on January 15, 2001 at the First Union Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Team Canada defeated Team PlanetUSA 11-10. In the skills competition held the day before the All-Star Game, Team PlanetUSA won 16-8 over Team Canada.

## Trophy and award winners
### Team awards

| Calder Cup Playoff champions: | Saint John Flames |
| Richard F. Canning Trophy Eastern Conference playoff champions: | Saint John Flames |
| Robert W. Clarke Trophy Western Conference playoff champions: | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins |
| Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy Regular season champions, League: | Worcester IceCats |
| Frank Mathers Trophy Regular Season champions, Mid-Atlantic Division: | Rochester Americans |
| F. G. "Teddy" Oke Trophy Regular Season champions, New England Division: | Worcester IceCats |
| Sam Pollock Trophy Regular Season champions, Canadian Division: | Saint John Flames |
| John D. Chick Trophy Regular Season champions, South Division: | Kentucky Thoroughblades |

### Individual awards

| Les Cunningham Award Most valuable player: | Derek Armstrong - Hartford Wolf Pack |
| John B. Sollenberger Trophy Top point scorer: | Derek Armstrong - Hartford Wolf Pack |
| Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award Rookie of the year: | Ryan Kraft - Kentucky Thoroughblades |
| Eddie Shore Award Defenceman of the year: | John Slaney - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton / Philadelphia |
| Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award Best goaltender: | Dwayne Roloson - Worcester IceCats |
| Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award Lowest goals against average: | Mika Noronen & Tom Askey - Rochester Americans |
| Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award Coach of the year: | Don Granato - Worcester IceCats |
| Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award Sportsmanship / Perseverance: | Kent Hulst - Portland / Providence |
| Yanick Dupre Memorial Award Community Service Award: | Mike Minard - St. John's Maple Leafs |
| Jack A. Butterfield Trophy MVP of the playoffs: | Steve Begin - Saint John Flames |

### Other awards

| James C. Hendy Memorial Award Most outstanding executive: | Stew MacDonald, Saint John Flames |
| Thomas Ebright Memorial Award Career contributions: | Bill Torrey |
| James H. Ellery Memorial Awards Outstanding media coverage: | Tris Wykes, Norfolk, (newspaper) Bob Crawford, Hartford, (radio) Fox Sports Net, Pittsburgh, (television) |
| Ken McKenzie Award Outstanding marketing executive: | Dave Cieslinski, Rochester Americans |