2020-21 AHL season

This is the 2020-21 American Hockey League season. This is the league's 85th season.
==Suspension of Play==
The league released the following statement on March 12, 2020:
With the health and safety of our players, officials, staff and fans of primary importance, the American Hockey League has announced the suspension of play until further notice, effective immediately, due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.
The AHL will continue to monitor developments and will provide updates on the 2019-20 season at the appropriate time.https://theahl.com/ahl-suspends-play
On May 11, 2020 the league officially announced that the balance of the season would be cancelled.https://theahl.com/ahl-cancels-remainder-of-season
No official word has been given as to the start date for the season as the National Hockey League delayed its' playoffs from early April to August with AHL players being used as replacement players for injured players.
The league would later announce a February 5th start date.
==Calder Cup Playoffs Cancelled==
On April 29th the league announced the cancellation of the 2021 Calder Cup Playoffs. Each team will have the chance to have their division conduct a playoff tournament.https://theahl.com/ahl-2021-playoffs-calendar
*Atlantic Division:No playoff; regular season champion awarded Emile Francis Trophy.
*Canadian Division:No playoff; regular season champion awarded Frank Mathers Trophy.
*Central Division:No playoff; regular season champion awarded Sam Pollock Trophy.
*North Division:No playoff; regular season champion awarded F. G. "Teddy" Oke Trophy.
*Pacific Division:All teams will compete in a tournament with the champion being awarded John D. Chick Trophy as playoff champion (usually awarded to regular season champion).
==Membership Changes==
*In February of 2020 the owners of the Vegas Golden Knights purchased the San Antonio Rampage and announced the team would be relocated to the Las Vegas area for 2020-21. On May 28th the team was announced as being the Henderson Silver Knights. The team will be temporarily based out of the Orleans Arena in Summerlin, Nevada for the 2020-21 season and would then relocate to the Dollar Loan Center for the 2021-22 season pending completion of the new arena.
*On January 4th the Charlotte Checkers, Milwaukee Admirals, and Springfield Thunderbirds were announced as having opted out of playing for the 2020-21 playing season due to restrictions on spectators for the season as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
*Also on January 4th the league announced four temporary relocations due to local restrictions involving the AHL team's home area or the NHL team's home arena:
:*The Providence Bruins relocate to the New England Sports Center in Marlborough, Massachusetts.
:*The Binghamton Devils relocate to the RWJ Barnabas Health Hockey House and the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
:*The Ontario Reign relocate to the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo, California.
:*The San Diego Gulls relocate to the Great Park Ice & FivePoint Arena in Irvine, California.
:*The Stockton Heat would temporarily relocate for the 2020-21 season to Calgary, Alberta playing out of the Scotiabank Saddledome to avoid quarantine restrictions with crossing the US-Canada border for call-ups and joined the Canadian Division.
:*The Laval Rocket moved their home games to the Bell Centre in Montreal for the season.
:*The Belleville Senators move their games to the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa for the season.
:*The San Jose Barracuda would start their season based out of Tucson, Arizona due to restrictions in their hometown San Jose, California.
*On May 6th, 2021 the AHL Board of Governors approved the relocation of the Utica Comets to Abbotsford, British Columbia and the Binghamton Devils to Utica, New York where they will still be called the Utica Comets for the 2021-22 season.https://theahl.com/board-of-governors-approves-franchise-relocations
*On May 11, 2021 the Bridgeport Sound Tigers announced they would be renamed the Bridgeport Islanders for the 2021-22 season.https://theahl.com/bridgeport-reboots-islanders
==Teams==
2020-21 Teams
Division 	Team 	City 	Arena
Atlantic 	Bridgeport Sound Tigers 	Bridgeport, Connecticut 	Webster Bank Arena
Atlantic 	Hartford Wolf Pack 	Hartford, Connecticut 	XL Center
Atlantic 	Providence Bruins 	Marlborough, Massachusetts 	New England Sports Center
Canadian 	 	 	
Canadian 	Belleville Senators 	Ottawa, Ontario 	Canadian Tire Centre
Canadian 	Laval Rocket 	Montreal, Quebec 	Bell Centre
Canadian 	Manitoba Moose 	Winnipeg, Manitoba 	Bell MTS Place
Canadian 	Stockton Heat 	Calgary, Alberta 	Scotiabank Saddledome
Canadian 	Toronto Marlies 	Toronto, Ontario 	Coca-Cola Coliseum
North 	 	 	
North 	Binghamton Devils 	Newark, New Jersey 	Prudential Center
North 	Hershey Bears 	Hershey, Pennsylvania 	Giant Center
North 	Lehigh Valley Phantoms 	Allentown, Pennsylvania 	PPL Center
North 	Rochester Americans 	Rochester, New York 	Blue Cross Arena
North 	Syracuse Crunch 	Syracuse, New York 	Oncenter War Memorial Arena
North 	Utica Comets 	Utica, New York 	Utica Memorial Auditorium
North 	Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins	Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania 	Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza
Central 	Chicago Wolves 	Rosemont, Illinois 	Allstate Arena
Central 	Cleveland Monsters 	Cleveland, Ohio 	Quicken Loans Arena
Central 	Grand Rapids Griffins 	Grand Rapids, Michigan 	Van Andel Arena
Central 	Iowa Wild 	Des Moines, Iowa 	Wells Fargo Arena
Central 	Rockford IceHogs 	Rockford, Illinois 	BMO Harris Bank Center
Central 	Texas Stars 	Cedar Park, Texas 	H-E-B Center at Cedar Park
Pacific 	Bakersfield Condors 	Bakersfield, California 	Rabobank Arena
Pacific 	Colorado Eagles 	Loveland, Colorado 	Budweiser Events Center
Pacific 	Henderson Silver Knights 	Summerlin, Nevada 	Orleans Arena
Pacific 	Ontario Reign 	El Segundo, California 	Toyota Sports Center
Pacific 	San Diego Gulls 	Irvine, California 	Great Park Ice & FivePoint Arena
Pacific 	San Jose Barracuda 	Tucson, Arizona/San Jose, California	Tucson Convention Center/SAP Center at San Jose
Pacific 	Tucson Roadrunners 	Tucson, Arizona 	Tucson Convention Center
On Hiatus	 	 	
On Hiatus	Charlotte Checkers 	Charlotte, North Carolina 	Bojangles' Coliseum
On Hiatus	Milwaukee Admirals 	Milwaukee, Wisconsin 	UW–Milwaukee Panther Arena
On Hiatus	Springfield Thunderbirds 	Springfield, Massachusetts 	MassMutual Center
On Hiatus	 	 	
On Hiatus	 	 	
== Standings ==
 indicates team has clinched regular season division title
As of games May 20, 2021
Atlantic Division 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
y–Providence Bruins (BOS) 	25	15	6 	2	2	32	.680	78	60
Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR) 	24	14	9 	1	0	29	.604	82	74
Bridgeport Sound Tigers (NYI)	24	8 	14	2	0	18	.375	59	81
Canadian Division 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
y–Laval Rocket (MTL) 	36	23	9 	3	1	50	.694	113	87
Manitoba Moose (WPG) 	36	18	13	3	2	41	.569	109	102
Belleville Senators (OTT)	35	18	16	1	0	37	.529	102	111
Toronto Marlies (TOR) 	35	16	17	0	2	34	.486	111	119
Stockton Heat (CGY) 	30	11	17	2	0	24	.400	79 	95
North Division 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
y–Hershey Bears (WSH) 	33	24	7 	2	0	50 	.758	110	77
Lehigh Valley Phantoms (PHI) 	32	18	7 	4	2	43*	.672	96 	92
Syracuse Crunch (TB/FLA) 	32	19	10	3	0	41 	.641	120	93
Utica Comets (VAN/STL) 	28	16	11	0	1	33 	.589	89 	88
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (PIT)	32	13	13	4	2	32 	.500	92 	107
Rochester Americans (BUF) 	29	11	15	2	1	25 	.431	89 	116
Binghamton Devils (NJ) 	35	7 	20	5	2	22*	.314	89 	127
Central Division 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
y–Chicago Wolves (CAR/NSH) 	33	21	9 	1	2	45	.682	132	94
Cleveland Monsters (CBJ) 	29	16	10	1	2	35	.603	101	86
Grand Rapids Griffins (DET)	32	16	12	3	1	36	.563	96 	97
Iowa Wild (MIN) 	34	17	13	4	0	38	.559	107	113
Texas Stars (DAL) 	38	17	18	3	0	37	.487	117	124
Rockford IceHogs (CHI) 	32	12	19	1	0	25	.391	89 	115
Pacific Division 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
y–Henderson Silver Knights (VGK)	39	25	13	0	1	51	.654	125	102
Bakersfield Condors (EDM) 	39	24	14	0	1	49	.628	129	104
San Diego Gulls (ANA) 	44	26	17	1	0	53	.602	153	142
San Jose Barracuda (SJ) 	36	15	15	4	2	36	.500	105	127
Colorado Eagles (COL) 	34	15	15	3	1	34	.500	101	104
Ontario Reign (LA) 	40	17	19	4	0	38	.475	136	149
Tucson Roadrunners (ARI) 	36	13	20	3	0	29	.403	103	126
*A game between the Phantoms and Devils was suspended while tied and not completed, resulting in a 1–1 tie and a point for each team.
==Calder Cup Playoffs==
===Original Playoff format===
The top four teams in each division ranked by points qualify for the 2020 Calder Cup playoffs.
The 2021 Calder Cup playoffs features a divisional playoff format, leading to conference finals and ultimately the Calder Cup finals. The division semifinals are best-of-five series; all subsequent rounds are best-of-seven.
==Divisional Playoffs==
===Updated Playoff Format===
The Calder Cup Playoffs league wide were cancelled and the divisions were allowed to hold their own playoffs. The Pacific Division was the only division indicated they would like to hold a playoff.https://theahl.com/ahl-2021-playoffs-calendar
===Pacific Division===
All seven teams qualify for the playoffs. The fourth place team plays the seventh place team and the fifth place team plays the sixth place team in a single game playoff. The two winners meet in another single game playoff. The winner earns the fourth seed. The first two rounds will be held at the FivePoint Arena in Irvine, California on May 18th and 19th. The first place team will host the winner of the previous 3 games and the second place team will host the third place team in a best-of-three division semifinal series. The semifinal winners will meet in a best-of-three series at the higher seeded team. The playoff winner will win the John D. Chick Trophy.
====Pacific Division Play-In First Round====
*San Jose Barracuda defeated Tucson Roadrunners 2-1
*Colorado Eagles defeated Ontario Reign 5-4 (ot)
====Pacific Division Play-In Second Round====
*San Jose Barracuda defeated Colorado Eagles 5-1
====Play-In Bracket====
Final results:
====Semifinal/Final Round====
===Pacific Division Semifinals===
(Best-of-Three, held May 21-24)
*Henderson Silver Knights defeated San Jose Barracuda 2 games to none
*Bakersfield Condors defeated San Diego Gulls 2 games to 1
===Pacific Division Final===
(Best-of-Three)
*Bakersfield Condors defeated Henderson Silver Knights 2 games to 1
==References==
Category:2021 in ice hockey
Category:American Hockey League seasons