1971–72 AHL season

The 1971–72 AHL season was the 36th season of the American Hockey League. Major changes occurred in the off-season. The league welcomed four expansion teams, and lost both Quebec-based teams. Eleven teams played 76 games each in the schedule. The Boston Braves finished first overall in the regular season. The Nova Scotia Voyageurs won their first Calder Cup championship.
==Team changes==
* The Quebec Aces move to Richmond, Virginia becoming the Richmond Robins, playing in the West Division.
* The Montreal Voyageurs move to Halifax, Nova Scotia becoming the Nova Scotia Voyageurs.
* The Rochester Americans switch divisions from West to East.
* The Boston Braves join the AHL as an expansion team, based in Boston, Massachusetts, playing in the East Division.
* The Cincinnati Swords join the AHL as an expansion team, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, playing in the West Division.
* The Tidewater Wings join the AHL as an expansion team, based in Norfolk, Virginia, playing in the West Division.
==Final standings==
Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GF = Goals For; GA = Goals Against; PTS = Points; 
East 	GP	W 	L 	T 	Pts	GF 	GA
Boston Braves † 	76	41	21	14	96 	260	191
Nova Scotia Voyageurs	76	41	21	14	96 	274	202
Springfield Kings 	76	31	30	15	77 	273	266
Providence Reds 	76	28	37	11	67 	250	274
Rochester Americans 	76	28	38	10	66 	242	311
West 	GP	W 	L 	T 	Pts	GF 	GA
Baltimore Clippers	76	34	31	11	79 	266	253
Hershey Bears 	76	33	30	13	79 	238	212
Cincinnati Swords 	76	30	28	18	78 	252	258
Cleveland Barons 	76	32	34	10	74 	269	263
Richmond Robins 	76	29	34	13	71 	237	218
Tidewater Wings 	76	22	45	9 	53 	197	275
† First place tiebreaker determined by head-to-head competition during regular season.
==Scoring leaders==
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
Player 	Team 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
Don Blackburn 	Providence Reds 	76	34	65	99 	12
Fred Harvey 	Cleveland Barons 	73	41	54	95 	72
Terry Caffery 	Cleveland Barons 	65	29	59	88 	18
Gord Labossiere 	Cleveland Barons 	66	40	45	85 	71
Ed Hoekstra 	Springfield Kings 	74	16	69	85 	32
Pete Laframboise	Baltimore Clippers 	72	37	44	81 	95
Wayne Rivers 	Springfield Kings 	68	48	33	81 	67
Germain Gagnon 	Nova Scotia Voyageurs	70	25	56	81 	34
Joe Szura 	Baltimore Clippers 	72	38	38	76 	20
Doug Roberts 	Boston Braves 	74	35	40	75 	107
* complete list
==Calder Cup playoffs==
See 1972 Calder Cup Playoffs
==Trophy and award winners==
;Team awards
Calder CupPlayoff champions: 	Nova Scotia Voyageurs
F. G. "Teddy" Oke TrophyRegular Season champions, East Division:	Boston Braves
John D. Chick TrophyRegular Season champions, West Division: 	Baltimore Clippers
;Individual awards
Les Cunningham AwardMost valuable player: 	Garry Peters - Boston Braves
John B. Sollenberger TrophyTop point scorer: 	Don Blackburn - Providence Reds
Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial AwardRookie of the year: 	Terry Caffery - Cleveland Barons
Eddie Shore AwardDefenceman of the year: 	Noel Price - Springfield Kings / Nova Scotia Voyageurs
Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial AwardLowest goals against average:	Dan Bouchard & Ross Brooks - Boston Braves
Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial AwardCoach of the year: 	Al MacNeil - Nova Scotia Voyageurs
;Other awards
James C. Hendy Memorial AwardMost outstanding executive: 	Robert W. Clarke
James H. Ellery Memorial Award Outstanding media coverage:	Al Fischer, Baltimore
==Team Photos==
71-72BalCli.jpg|Baltimore Clippers
71-72CincSwords.jpg|Cincinnati Swords
71-72_NSVoy.jpg|Nova Scotia Voyageurs
71-72ProRed.jpg|Providence Reds
71-72CleBar.jpg|Cleveland Barons
==See also==
*List of AHL seasons
==References==
*AHL official site
*AHL Hall of Fame
*HockeyDB
Category:American Hockey League seasons
Category:1972 in hockey