1970–71 AHL season

The 1970–71 AHL season was the 35th season of the American Hockey League. Eight teams played 72 games each in the schedule. The Baltimore Clippers finished first overall in the regular season. The Springfield Kings won their first Calder Cup championship, since being renamed from the Indians.
==Team changes==
* The Buffalo Bisons cease operations, when the Buffalo Sabres join the National Hockey League as an expansion team.
==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
Providence Reds 	72	28	31	13	69 	257	270
Montreal Voyageurs	72	27	31	14	68 	215	239
Springfield Kings†	72	29	35	8 	66 	244	281
Quebec Aces † 	72	25	31	16	66 	211	240
West 	GP	W 	L 	T 	Pts	GF 	GA
Baltimore Clippers 	72	40	23	9 	89 	263	224
Cleveland Barons 	72	39	26	7 	85 	272	208
Hershey Bears 	72	31	31	10	72 	238	212
Rochester Americans	72	25	36	11	61 	222	248
†The Springfield Kings defeated the Quebec Aces by a score of 4-3 in overtime in a one game playoff to determine the last playoff spot in the East Division.
==Scoring leaders==
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
Player 	Team 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
Fred Speck 	Baltimore Clippers 	72	31	61	92 	40
Marc Dufour 	Baltimore Clippers 	69	31	51	82 	15
Norm Beaudin 	Cleveland Barons 	59	27	48	75 	39
Wayne Rivers 	Baltimore Clippers 	65	38	37	75 	66
Joey Johnston	Cleveland Barons 	72	27	47	74 	142
Joe Szura 	Providence Reds 	70	21	53	74 	39
Bob Leiter 	Hershey Bears 	72	33	36	69 	26
Don Blackburn	Rochester Americans	62	25	44	69 	22
Doug Volmar 	Springfield Kings 	69	42	26	68 	52
* complete list
==Calder Cup playoffs==
;Tiebreaker
*Springfield Kings defeated Quebec Aces 4-3 in overtime.
;First round
*Providence Reds defeated Baltimore Clippers 4 games to 2.
*Springfield Kings defeated Montreal Voyageurs 3 games to 0.
*Cleveland Barons defeated Hershey Bears 3 games to 1.
;Second round
*Providence Reds earned second round bye.
*Springfield Kings defeated Cleveland Barons 3 games to 1.
;Finals
*Springfield Kings defeated Providence Reds 4 games to 0, to win the Calder Cup. 
* list of scores
==Trophy and award winners==
;Team awards
Calder CupPlayoff champions: 	Springfield Kings
F. G. "Teddy" Oke TrophyRegular Season champions, East Division:	Providence Reds
John D. Chick TrophyRegular Season champions, West Division: 	Baltimore Clippers
;Individual awards
Les Cunningham AwardMost valuable player: 	Fred Speck - Baltimore Clippers
John B. Sollenberger TrophyTop point scorer: 	Fred Speck - Baltimore Clippers
Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial AwardRookie of the year: 	Fred Speck - Baltimore Clippers
Eddie Shore AwardDefenceman of the year: 	Marshall Johnston - Cleveland Barons
Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial AwardLowest goals against average:	Gary Kurt - Cleveland Barons
Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial AwardCoach of the year: 	Terry Reardon - Baltimore Clippers
;Other awards
James C. Hendy Memorial AwardMost outstanding executive: 	Jack A. Butterfield
James H. Ellery Memorial Award Outstanding media coverage:	W.W. "Tiny" Parry, Hershey
==Team Photos==
70-71BalCli.jpg|Baltimore Clippers
70-71CleBar.jpg|Cleveland Barons
70-71HerBea.jpg|Hershey Bears
70-71RocAme.jpg|Rochester Americans
70-71SprInd.jpg|Champion Springfield Kings
70-71ProRed.jpg|Providence Reds
==Game Ads==
70-71AHLQuebecGameAd.jpg|Quebec City
70-71NHLExhMonCanQuebecGameAd.jpg|Pre-season @ Quebec City
==See also==
*List of AHL seasons
==References==
*AHL official site
*AHL Hall of Fame
*HockeyDB
Category:American Hockey League seasons
Category:1971 in hockey