2016-17 AHL season

This is the 2016-17 American Hockey League season.  This is the league's 81st season.  Each of the league's 5 California based teams and the Tucson Roadrunners will play a 68 game schedule while the remaining 24 members will play a 76 game schedule.
==Membership Changes==
*The Springfield Falcons franchise was purchased by the Arizona Coyotes organization and moved to Tucson, Arizona and were renamed the Tucson Roadrunners.  The team will be based out of the Tucson Convention Center.
*Shortly after the sale and relocation of the Falcons was announced the Portland Pirates were sold to a group based in Springfield, Massachusetts who relocated the team to the city to replace the Falcons.  The team was announced as being named the Springfield Thunderbirds.
*On July 11, 2016, the league's Board of Governors unanimously approved the relocation of the Montreal Canadiens owned St. John's IceCaps to the Place Bell in Laval, Quebec for the 2017-18 season.  The team will then become known as the Laval Rocket.  Efforts are being made to try to land a new team for St. John's in either the AHL or another league
*On August 9, 2016, the defending Calder Cup champion Lake Erie Monsters announced they were changing there name to the Cleveland Monsters.
*The St. Louis Blues of the NHL player development agreement with the Chicago Wolves ends at the 2016-17 season. The Blues have reportedly been working on landing an AHL franchise to be based out of the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri. This franchise would probably mean the end of the Missouri Mavericks of the ECHL.  Later published reports indicated that the Vegas Golden Knights may end up affiliating with the Wolves despite previously planning on splitting an affiliation with another team for the 2017-18 season.  Reports in late January indicated that neither of these moves would be occuring.  At the league All-Star Classic which coincided with the Board of Governors meeting AHL President/CEO Dave Andrews stated that the AHL might expand for 2017-18 but there have been no applications as of yet and that there was a better than 50/50 chance that there will be 31 teams for 2017-18 and that it is probably certain that the league would have a 31st team by the 2018-19 season.
*On September 26, 2016 the Ottawa Senators announced they had purchased their AHL affiliate, the Binghamton Senators and would relocate the team to Yardmen Arena in Belleville, Ontario where they will become the Belleville Senators for the 2017-18 season.  The team does still have a lease for a team to be based out of the arena for the next three seasons and the previous ownership has stated that  "Their decicsion to relocate has no impact on the AHL's presence in the Southern Tier" and "at the appropriate time we will be happy to share more details with the entire community."   The most likely candidate to replace the team in Binghamton is the Albany Devils.   On January 29th; the AHL Board of Governors was scheduled to vote on the relocation of the franchise to Binghamton for the 2017-18 season.  Albany had been averaging less than 3,000 fans per game (worst in the league for 2016-17) and had been in competition with the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Union College hockey teams for support in the area.
==Outdoor Game==
The Bakersfield Condors will host the Ontario Reign on January 7, 2017 at Bakersfield College's Memorial Stadium.  The event is being called the Condorstown Outdoor Classic.
==Rule Changes==
*Home teams will wear light jerseys at home until the Christmas break and then wear dark jerseys at home after the break.
*Rule 82 ("Icing")  In addition to not being permitted to make player substitutions, the offending team on an icing violation also may not use its team time-out.
*Rule 1.10 ("Ice Cleaning") The ice cleaning procedures used during promotional timeouts will also be used prior to overtime during the regular season, replacing the “dry scrape.”
*Rule 46 ("Fighting")/Rule 23 ("Game Misconducts") Players who enter into a fight prior to, at, or immediately following the drop of the puck for a faceoff will be assessed an automatic game misconduct in addition to other penalties assessed. During the regular season, any player who incurs his 10th fighting major shall be suspended automatically for one (1) game. For each subsequent fighting major up to 13, the player shall also be suspended automatically for one (1) game. During the regular season, any player who incurs his 14th fighting major shall be suspended automatically for two (2) games. For each subsequent fighting major, the player shall also be suspended automatically for two (2) games. In any instance where the opposing player was assessed an instigator penalty, the fighting major shall not count towards the player’s total for this rule.
==Calder Cup Playoffs Format==
The Calder Cup playoffs format was changed to the top four teams in each division qualifying for the playoffs (a change from the fifth place team being able to qualify if they had a better record than the fourth place team in the other division in their conference).  The standings will be ranked by points percentage as was the case in 2015-16 with six of the teams playing 8 fewer games than the other 24.
==Teams==
Current teams
Division 	Team 	Arena 	Location 	NHL Affiliate Team(s)	ECHL Affiliate Team(s)
Eastern Conference	Eastern Conference 	Eastern Conference 	Eastern Conference 	Eastern Conference 	Eastern Conference
Atlantic 	Bridgeport Sound Tigers 	Webster Bank Arena 	Bridgeport, CT 	New York Islanders 	Missouri Mavericks
Atlantic 	Hartford Wolf Pack 	XL Center 	Hartford, CT 	New York Rangers 	Greenville Swamp Rabbits
Atlantic 	Hershey Bears 	Giant Center 	Hershey, PA 	Washington Capitals 	South Carolina Stingrays
Atlantic 	Lehigh Valley Phantoms 	PPL Center 	Allentown, PA 	Philadelphia Flyers 	Reading Royals
Atlantic 	Providence Bruins 	Dunkin' Donuts Center 	Providence, RI 	Boston Bruins 	Atlanta Gladiators
Atlantic 	
Springfield Thunderbirds 	MassMutual Center 	Springfield, MA 	Florida Panthers 	None
Atlantic 	Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins	Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza 	Wilkes-Barre, PA 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	Wheeling Nailers
North 	Albany Devils 	Times Union Center 	Albany, NY 	New Jersey Devils 	None
North 	Binghamton Senators 	Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena	Binghamton, NY 	Ottawa Senators 	None
North 	Rochester Americans 	Blue Cross Arena 	Rochester, NY 	Buffalo Sabres 	Elmira Jackals
North 	St. John's IceCaps 	Mile One Centre 	St. John's, NL 	Montreal Canadiens 	Brampton Beast
North 	Syracuse Crunch 	Oncenter War Memorial Arena 	Syracuse, NY 	Tampa Bay Lightning 	Kalamazoo Wings
North 	Toronto Marlies 	Ricoh Coliseum 	Toronto, ON 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	Orlando Solar Bears
North 	Utica Comets 	Utica Memorial Auditorium 	Utica, NY 	Vancouver Canucks 	None
Western Conference	Western Conference 	Western Conference 	Western Conference 	Western Conference 	Western Conference
Central 	Charlotte Checkers 	Bojangles Coliseum 	Charlotte, NC 	Carolina Hurricanes 	Florida Everblades
Central 	Chicago Wolves 	Allstate Arena 	Rosemont, IL 	St. Louis Blues 	None
Central 	Cleveland Monsters 	Quicken Loans Arena 	Cleveland, OH 	Columbus Blue Jackets	None
Central 	Grand Rapids Griffins 	Van Andel Arena 	Grand Rapids, MI 	Detroit Red Wings 	Toledo Walleye
Central 	Iowa Wild 	Wells Fargo Arena 	Des Moines, IA 	Minnesota Wild 	Quad City Mallards
Central 	Manitoba Moose 	MTS Centre 	Winnipeg, Manitoba 	Winnipeg Jets 	Tulsa Oilers
Central 	Milwaukee Admirals 	UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena 	Milwaukee, WI 	Nashville Predators 	Cincinnati Cyclones
Central 	Rockford IceHogs 	BMO Harris Bank Center 	Rockford, IL 	Chicago Blackhawks 	Indy Fuel
Pacific 	Bakersfield Condors 	Rabobank Arena 	Bakersfield, CA 	Edmonton Oilers 	Norfolk Admirals
Pacific 	Ontario Reign 	Citizens Business Bank Arena 	Ontario, California	Los Angeles Kings 	Manchester Monarchs
Pacific 	San Antonio Rampage 	AT&T Center 	San Antonio, TX 	Colorado Avalanche 	Fort Wayne Komets
Pacific 	San Diego Gulls 	Valley View Casino Center 	San Diego, CA 	Anaheim Ducks 	Utah Grizzlies
Pacific 	San Jose Barracuda 	SAP Center at San Jose 	San Jose, CA 	San Jose Sharks 	Allen Americans
Pacific 	Stockton Heat 	Stockton Arena 	Stockton, CA 	Calgary Flames 	Adirondack Thunder
Pacific 	Texas Stars 	H-E-B Center at Cedar Park 	Cedar Park, TX 	Dallas Stars 	Idaho Steelheads
Pacific 	Tucson Roadrunners 	Tucson Convention Center 	Tucson, Arizona 	Arizona Coyotes 	Rapid City Rush
==Standings==
====Atlantic Division====
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	SL	GF 	GA 	Pts	%
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins	76	51	20	3 	2 	247	170	107	.704
Lehigh Valley Phantoms 	76	48	23	5 	0 	260	219	101	.664
Hershey Bears 	76	43	22	8 	3 	252	211	97 	.638
Providence Bruins 	76	43	23	6 	4 	229	188	96 	.632
Bridgeport Sound Tigers 	76	44	28	3 	1 	220	212	92 	.605
Springfield Thunderbirds 	76	32	33	9 	2 	197	206	75 	.493
Hartford Wolfpack 	76	24	46	4 	2 	194	280	54 	.355
====North Division====
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	SL	GF 	GA 	Pts	%
Syracuse Crunch 	76	38	24	7 	7 	232	227	90 	.592
Toronto Marlies 	76	42	29	4 	1 	245	207	89 	.586
Albany Devils 	76	39	32	2 	3 	204	206	83 	.546
St. John's IceCaps 	76	36	30	8 	2 	216	220	82 	.539
Utica Comets 	76	35	32	7 	2 	195	220	79 	.520
Rochester Americans	76	32	41	0 	3 	205	240	67 	.441
Binghamton Senators	76	28	44	2 	2 	190	266	60 	.395
====Central Division====
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	SL	GF 	GA 	Pts	%
Chicago Wolves 	76	44	19	8 	5 	251	200	101	.664
Grand Rapids Griffins	76	47	23	1 	5 	251	190	100	.658
Milwaukee Admirals 	76	43	26	4 	3 	225	215	93 	.612
Charlotte Checkers 	76	39	29	7 	1 	212	208	86 	.566
Cleveland Monsters 	76	39	29	4 	4 	195	198	86 	.566
Iowa Wild 	76	36	31	7 	2 	182	196	81 	.533
Manitoba Moose 	76	29	37	5 	5 	197	242	68 	.447
Rockford IceHogs 	76	25	39	9 	3 	175	246	62 	.408
note: The Charlotte Checkers finished ahead of the Cleveland Monsters by virtue of the first tie breaker: percentage of games won (excluding shootout wins) 36 to 32.
====Pacific Division====
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	SL	GF 	GA 	Pts	%
San Jose Barracuda 	68	43	16	4 	5 	232	176	95 	.699
San Diego Gulls 	68	43	20	3 	2 	221	178	91 	.669
Ontario Reign 	68	36	21	10	1 	199	190	83 	.610
Stockton Heat 	68	34	25	7 	2 	212	192	77 	.566
Bakersfield Condors	68	33	29	5 	1 	200	188	72 	.529
Tucson Roadrunners 	68	29	31	8 	0 	187	237	66 	.485
Texas Stars 	76	34	37	1 	4 	224	265	73 	.480
San Antonio Rampage	76	27	42	5 	2 	184	240	61 	.401
==Calder Cup Playoffs==
===Atlantic Division Semifinals===
*Providence Bruins defeated Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 3 games to 2
*Hershey Bears defeated Lehigh Valley Phantoms 3 games to 2
===North Division Semifinals===
*Syracuse Crunch defeated St. John's IceCaps 3 games to 1
*Toronto Marlies defeated Albany Devils 3 games to 1
===Central Division Semifinals===
*Chicago Wolves defeated Charlotte Checkers 3 games to 2
*Grand Rapids Griffins defeated Milwaukee Admirals 3 games to none
===Pacific Division Semifinals===
*San Jose Barracuda defeated Stockton Heat 3 games to 2
*San Diego Gulls defeated Ontario Reign 3 games to 2
===Atlantic Division Final===
*Providence Bruins defeated Hershey Bears 4 games to 3
===North Division Final===
*Syracuse Crunch defeated Toronto Marlies 4 games to 3
===Central Division Final===
*Grand Rapids Griffins defeated Chicago Wolves 4 games to 1
===Pacific Division Final===
*San Jose Barracuda defeated San Diego Gulls 4 games to 1
===Eastern Conference Final===
*Syracuse Crunch defeated Providence Bruins 4 games to 1
===Western Conference Final===
*Grand Rapids Griffins defeated San Jose Barracuda 4 games to 1
===Calder Cup Final===
*Grand Rapids Griffins defeated Syracuse Crunch 4 games to 2
Category:2017 in hockey
Category:American Hockey League seasons