# 2009–10 AHL season

The 2009–10 AHL season was the 74th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-nine teams played 80 regular-season games each from October 2 to April 11. This season featured the addition of one new team, the relocation of two others, and the involuntary suspension of another.

## League business
### European pre-season openers

On June 11, 2009, both the Hamilton Bulldogs and the Toronto Marlies were invited to participate in a four-team preseason tournament in Edinburgh, Scotland, to celebrate Scotland's contribution to the game of ice hockey.
The Edinburgh Capitals, Scotland's only Elite Ice Hockey team, hosted the tournament from September 24–27. The Bulldogs and Marlies played the Capitals and the Belfast Giants in order to win the Gardiner Cup. Hamilton defeated Toronto in the final.

### Playoff format

The top four teams from each division played for the Calder Cup. The league's rules included one exception: if the fifth-place team in the Atlantic Division finishes better than the fourth-place team in the East Division, they assume the fourth playoff spot in the East Division. The Atlantic Division's Bridgeport Sound Tigers qualified for the playoffs under this provision.

## Team and NHL affiliation changes
### Team changes

On April 28, 2009, it was announced that two teams would be relocated for the 2009–10 season and one expansion team would join:
* Quad City Flames would move to Abbotsford, BC due to poor ticket sales. They became the Abbotsford Heat.
* Philadelphia Phantoms would relocate to Glens Falls, NY due to the Wachovia Spectrum being demolished fall of 2009. They became the Adirondack Phantoms.
* Texas Stars joined the league with a limited membership and will be operated by the Dallas Stars. The limited membership is conditioned on the completed purchase of an existing AHL franchise within one year.
* Iowa Chops involuntarily suspended operations on July 7, 2009, by the AHL Board of Governors for the 2009-10 season for being "unable to remedy certain violations of the provisions of the league's Constitution and By-Laws" .

### Affiliation changes

| AHL team | new affiliate | old affiliate |
| Texas Stars | DAL | None |

## 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

| Atlantic Division | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | Pts | GF | GA |
| y–Worcester Sharks (SJS) | 80 | 49 | 25 | 3 | 3 | 104 | 275 | 239 |
| x–Portland Pirates (BUF) | 80 | 45 | 24 | 7 | 4 | 101 | 244 | 214 |
| x–Manchester Monarchs (LAK) | 80 | 43 | 28 | 3 | 6 | 95 | 213 | 200 |
| x–Lowell Devils (NJD) | 80 | 39 | 31 | 4 | 6 | 88 | 239 | 232 |
| x–Bridgeport Sound Tigers (NYI) | 80 | 38 | 32 | 4 | 6 | 86 | 201 | 220 |
| e–Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR) | 80 | 36 | 33 | 6 | 5 | 83 | 231 | 251 |
| e–Providence Bruins (BOS) | 80 | 36 | 38 | 5 | 1 | 78 | 207 | 226 |
| e–Springfield Falcons (EDM) | 80 | 25 | 39 | 12 | 4 | 66 | 207 | 296 |
| East Division | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | Pts | GF | GA |
| y–Hershey Bears (WSH) | 80 | 60 | 17 | 0 | 3 | 123 | 342 | 198 |
| x–Albany River Rats (CAR) | 80 | 43 | 29 | 3 | 5 | 94 | 244 | 231 |
| x–Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (PIT) | 80 | 41 | 34 | 2 | 3 | 87 | 239 | 229 |
| e–Norfolk Admirals (TBL) | 80 | 39 | 35 | 3 | 3 | 84 | 208 | 214 |
| e–Binghamton Senators (OTT) | 80 | 36 | 35 | 6 | 3 | 81 | 251 | 260 |
| e–Syracuse Crunch (CBJ) | 80 | 34 | 39 | 4 | 3 | 75 | 227 | 272 |
| e–Adirondack Phantoms (PHI) | 80 | 32 | 41 | 3 | 4 | 71 | 199 | 251 |

### Western Conference

| North Division | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | Pts | GF | GA |
| y–Hamilton Bulldogs (MTL) | 80 | 52 | 17 | 3 | 8 | 115 | 271 | 182 |
| x–Rochester Americans (FLA) | 80 | 44 | 33 | 2 | 1 | 91 | 253 | 247 |
| x–Abbotsford Heat (CGY) | 80 | 39 | 29 | 5 | 7 | 90 | 217 | 231 |
| x–Manitoba Moose (VAN) | 80 | 40 | 33 | 5 | 2 | 87 | 204 | 232 |
| e–Toronto Marlies (TOR) | 80 | 33 | 35 | 6 | 6 | 78 | 193 | 261 |
| e–Lake Erie Monsters (COL) | 80 | 34 | 37 | 1 | 8 | 77 | 234 | 257 |
| e–Grand Rapids Griffins (DET) | 80 | 34 | 39 | 3 | 4 | 75 | 244 | 265 |
| West Division | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | Pts | GF | GA |
| y–Chicago Wolves (ATL) | 80 | 49 | 24 | 1 | 6 | 105 | 264 | 214 |
| x–Texas Stars (DAL) | 80 | 46 | 27 | 3 | 4 | 99 | 238 | 198 |
| x–Rockford IceHogs (CHI) | 80 | 44 | 30 | 3 | 3 | 94 | 226 | 226 |
| x–Milwaukee Admirals (NSH) | 80 | 41 | 30 | 2 | 7 | 91 | 237 | 220 |
| e–Peoria Rivermen (STL) | 80 | 38 | 33 | 2 | 7 | 85 | 233 | 248 |
| e–San Antonio Rampage (PHX) | 80 | 36 | 32 | 5 | 7 | 84 | 235 | 244 |
| e–Houston Aeros (MIN) | 80 | 34 | 34 | 7 | 5 | 80 | 206 | 224 |

## Statistical leaders
### Leading skaters

The following players led the league in points at the conclusion of the regular season.
GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/– = P Plus–minus; PIM = Penalty minutes
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | +/– | PIM |
| Keith Aucoin | Hershey Bears | 72 | 35 | 71 | 106 | +27 | 49 |
| Alexandre Giroux | Hershey Bears | 69 | 50 | 53 | 103 | +32 | 34 |
| Corey Locke | Hartford Wolf Pack | 76 | 31 | 54 | 85 | -5 | 44 |
| Jerome Samson | Albany River Rats | 74 | 37 | 41 | 78 | +8 | 66 |
| David Desharnais | Hamilton Bulldogs | 60 | 27 | 51 | 78 | +30 | 34 |
| Brock Trotter | Hamilton Bulldogs | 75 | 36 | 41 | 77 | +33 | 56 |
| Jason Krog | Chicago Wolves | 78 | 14 | 61 | 75 | +17 | 34 |
| Mark Mancari | Portland Pirates | 74 | 28 | 46 | 74 | +16 | 55 |
| Charles Linglet | Springfield Falcons | 75 | 19 | 55 | 74 | 0 | 36 |
| Martin St. Pierre | Binghamton Senators | 77 | 24 | 48 | 72 | -24 | 50 |
^† = No longer with listed team

### Leading goaltenders

The following goaltenders with a minimum 1560 minutes played led the league in goals against average at the end of the regular season.
GP = Games played; TOI = Time on ice (in minutes); SA = Shots against; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average; SV% = Save percentage; W = Wins; L = Losses; OT = Overtime/shootout loss
| Player | Team | GP | TOI | SA | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | W | L | OT |
| Cedrick Desjardins | Hamilton Bulldogs | 47 | 2576 | 1067 | 86 | 6 | 2.00 | 0.919 | 29 | 9 | 4 |
| Jonathan Bernier | Manchester Monarchs | 58 | 3424 | 1823 | 116 | 9 | 2.03 | 0.936 | 30 | 21 | 6 |
| Curtis Sanford | Hamilton Bulldogs | 41 | 2230 | 935 | 79 | 4 | 2.13 | 0.916 | 23 | 11 | 3 |
| Braden Holtby | Hershey Bears | 37 | 2146 | 1000 | 83 | 2 | 2.32 | 0.917 | 25 | 8 | 2 |
| Mark Dekanich | Milwaukee Admirals | 49 | 2804 | 1266 | 109 | 4 | 2.33 | 0.914 | 27 | 16 | 4 |

## Calder Cup playoffs
### Bracket

| 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 |
| E1 | Hershey | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| A5 | Bridgeport | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| A5 | Bridgeport | 1 | | | E1 | Hershey | 4 | | | | | | | |
| East Division | East Division | East Division | | | E1 | Hershey | 4 | | | | | | | |
| East Division | East Division | East Division | | | E2 | Albany | 0 | | | | | | | |
| E2 | Albany | 4 | | | E2 | Albany | 0 | | | | | | | |
| E3 | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| E3 | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton | 0 | | | | | | E1 | Hershey | 4 | | | | |
| Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | E1 | Hershey | 4 | | | | |
| Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | A3 | Manchester | 2 | | | | |
| A1 | Worcester | 4 | | | | | | | | | A3 | Manchester | 2 | | | | |
| A4 | Lowell | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| A4 | Lowell | 1 | | | A1 | Worcester | 2 | | | | | | | |
| Atlantic Division | Atlantic Division | Atlantic Division | | | A1 | Worcester | 2 | | | | | | | |
| Atlantic Division | Atlantic Division | Atlantic Division | | | A3 | Manchester | 4 | | | | | | | |
| A2 | Portland | 0 | | | A3 | Manchester | 4 | | | | | | | |
| A3 | Manchester | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| A3 | Manchester | 4 | | | | | | | | | | E1 | Hershey | 4 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | W2 | Texas | 2 |
| N1 | Hamilton | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | W2 | Texas | 2 |
| N4 | Manitoba | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| N4 | Manitoba | 2 | | | N1 | Hamilton | 4 | | | | | | | |
| North Division | North Division | North Division | | | N1 | Hamilton | 4 | | | | | | | |
| North Division | North Division | North Division | | | N3 | Abbotsford | 2 | | | | | | | |
| N2 | Rochester | 3 | | | N3 | Abbotsford | 2 | | | | | | | |
| N3 | Abbotsford | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| N3 | Abbotsford | 4 | | | | | | N1 | Hamilton | 3 | | | | |
| Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | N1 | Hamilton | 3 | | | | |
| Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | W2 | Texas | 4 | | | | |
| W1 | Chicago | 4 | | | | | | | | | W2 | Texas | 4 | | | | |
| W4 | Milwaukee | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| W4 | Milwaukee | 3 | | | W1 | Chicago | 3 | | | | | | | |
| West Division | West Division | West Division | | | W1 | Chicago | 3 | | | | | | | |
| West Division | West Division | West Division | | | W2 | Texas | 4 | | | | | | | |
| W2 | Texas | 4 | | | W2 | Texas | 4 | | | | | | | |
| W3 | Rockford | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | |

## AHL awards

* Calder Cup : Hershey Bears
* Les Cunningham Award : Keith Aucoin, Hershey
* John B. Sollenberger Trophy : Keith Aucoin, Hershey
* Willie Marshall Award : Alexandre Giroux, Hershey
* Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award : Tyler Ennis, Portland
* Eddie Shore Award : Danny Groulx, Worcester
* Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award : Jonathan Bernier, Manchester
* Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award : Cedrick Desjardins & Curtis Sanford, Hamilton
* Louis A. R. Pieri Memorial Award : Guy Boucher, Hamilton
* Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award : Casey Borer, Albany
* Yanick Dupre Memorial Award : Josh Tordjman, San Antonio
* Jack A. Butterfield Trophy : Chris Bourque, Hershey
* Richard F. Canning Trophy : Hershey Bears
* Robert W. Clarke Trophy : Texas Stars
* Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy: Hershey Bears
* Frank Mathers Trophy: Hershey Bears
* Norman R. "Bud" Poile Trophy: Hamilton Bulldogs
* Emile Francis Trophy : Worcester Sharks
* F. G. "Teddy" Oke Trophy: Hershey Bears
* Sam Pollock Trophy: Hamilton Bulldogs
* John D. Chick Trophy: Chicago Wolves
* James C. Hendy Memorial Award: Howard Dolgon, Syracuse
* Thomas Ebright Memorial Award: Tom Mitchell, Binghamton
* James H. Ellery Memorial Awards: Pete Dougherty, Albany
* Ken McKenzie Award: Jim Sarosy, Syracuse
* Michael Condon Memorial Award: David Butova