2011–12 AHL season

The 2011–12 AHL season is the 76th season of the American Hockey League. The regular season began on October 7, 2011, and concluded on April 15, 2012. The 2012 Calder Cup playoffs follows the conclusion of the regular season.http://theahl.com/stats/schedule.php?view=month&month=2011-10
==Regular season==
The 2011–12 season will feature scheduling changes in the regular season and post season. The major change will be the elimination of four games and extending the season by a week. The reasoning behind the change is to eliminate teams having to play four games in five nights. This will bring the total number of games for each team to 76. To accomplish that, the league has decided to add an additional week to the season.http://theahl.com/ahl-announces-schedule-modification-plan-p170643
On July 5, 2011, the league's new realignment was revealed. The league moved from having four divisions of seven/eight teams to six even divisions of five teams, similar to that of the NHL. The Western Conference consists of the West, Midwest, and North divisions; the Eastern Conference consists of the Atlantic, Northeast, and East divisions. As a result of the Manitoba Moose relocating to St. John's, they have switched to the Eastern Conference, while the Charlotte Checkers have moved to the Western Conference.
The third installment of the AHL Outdoor Classic took place in Canada, with the Hamilton Bulldogs hosting the Toronto Marlies in a regional rivalry game at Ivor Wynne Stadium on January 21. The Marlies won the game 7–2 in front of a crowd of 20,565 spectators. This marks the first time the event has been played in Canada, and the event was moved up to the third weekend in January, instead of the third weekend in February as it has been in previous years. In addition to this game, another outdoor AHL game, between the Hershey Bears and the Adirondack Phantoms, took place as part of the 2012 NHL Winter Classic festivities on January 6, 2012. The Phantoms won that game 4–3 in overtime, and an AHL attendance record was set as the game drew a crowd of 45,653 fans.
==Playoff format==
The 2011–12 playoff format will change as a result of the scheduling changes. The first round of the playoffs will now be a best of five series and the following rounds will continue to be best of seven game series'.
Eight teams per conference will qualify for the playoffs. The three division winners will earn the top three seeds. Seeds four through eight will be determined by regular season points out of the remaining teams in the division. Team will be re-seeded after the first round so that the highest remaining seed plays the lowest remaining seed.
==Team and NHL affiliation changes==
===Team changes===
*The Manitoba Moose relocated to St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, due to the Atlanta Thrashers of the NHL relocating to Winnipeg, Manitoba, as the Winnipeg Jets. They became the St. John's IceCaps, affiliating as the Jets' farm club.
===Affiliation changes===
AHL team 	New affiliate 	Old affiliate
St. John's IceCaps (formerly Manitoba)	Winnipeg (formerly Atlanta)	Vancouver
Chicago Wolves 	Vancouver 	Atlanta (now Winnipeg)
Rochester Americans 	Buffalo 	Florida
San Antonio Rampage 	Florida 	Phoenix
Portland Pirates 	Phoenix 	Buffalo
== Standings ==
 indicates team has clinched division and a playoff spot
 indicates team has clinched a playoff spot
 indicates team has been eliminated from playoff contention
=== Eastern Conference ===
Atlantic Division 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
y–St. John's IceCaps (WPG)	76	43	25	5	3	94	240	216
x–Manchester Monarchs (LA)	76	39	32	2	3	83	207	208
e–Portland Pirates (PHX) 	76	36	31	4	5	81	223	254
e–Providence Bruins (BOS) 	76	35	34	3	4	77	193	214
e–Worcester Sharks (SJ) 	76	31	33	4	8	74	199	218
Northeast Division 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
y–Bridgeport Sound Tigers (NYI)	76	41	26	3	6	91	233	219
x–Connecticut Whale (NYR) 	76	36	26	7	7	86	210	208
e–Adirondack Phantoms (PHI) 	76	37	35	2	2	78	204	217
e–Springfield Falcons (CBJ) 	76	36	34	3	3	78	217	231
e–Albany Devils (NJ) 	76	31	34	6	5	73	190	226
East Division 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
y–Norfolk Admirals (TB) 	76	55	18	1	2	113	273	180
x–Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (PIT)	76	44	25	2	5	95 	235	215
x–Hershey Bears (WSH) 	76	38	26	4	8	88 	244	225
x–Syracuse Crunch (ANA) 	76	37	29	5	5	84 	238	234
e–Binghamton Senators (OTT) 	76	29	40	5	2	65 	201	243
=== Western Conference ===
North Division 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
y–Toronto Marlies (TOR) 	76	44	24	5 	3	96	217	175
x–Rochester Americans (BUF) 	76	36	26	10	4	86	224	221
e–Lake Erie Monsters (COL) 	76	37	29	3 	7	84	189	210
e–Grand Rapids Griffins (DET)	76	33	32	7 	4	77	245	249
e–Hamilton Bulldogs (MTL) 	76	34	35	2 	5	75	185	226
Midwest Division 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
y–Chicago Wolves (VAN) 	76	42	27	4	3	91	213	193
x–Milwaukee Admirals (NSH)	76	40	29	2	5	87	210	190
e–Charlotte Checkers (CAR)	76	38	29	3	6	85	209	214
e–Peoria Rivermen (STL) 	76	39	33	2	2	82	217	207
e–Rockford IceHogs (CHI) 	76	35	32	2	7	79	207	228
West Division 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
y–Oklahoma City Barons (EDM)	76	45	22	4	5 	99	213	176
x–Abbotsford Heat (CGY) 	76	42	26	3	5 	92	200	201
x–San Antonio Rampage (FLA) 	76	41	30	3	2 	87	197	204
x–Houston Aeros (MIN) 	76	35	25	5	11	86	202	206
e–Texas Stars (DAL) 	76	31	40	3	2 	67	224	251
== Statistical leaders ==
=== Leading skaters ===
The following players are sorted by points, then goals.
GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/– = Plus-minus; PIM = Penalty minutes
Player	Team 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
 	Hershey Bears 	73	27	66	93 	42
 	Norfolk Admirals 	75	39	41	80 	114
 	Syracuse Crunch 	75	32	42	74 	120
 	Peoria Rivermen 	66	21	49	70 	20
 	Hershey Bears 	43	11	59	70 	34
 	Norfolk Admirals 	75	31	37	68 	28
 	Norfolk Admirals 	64	25	42	67 	70
 	Texas Stars 	76	13	53	66 	46
 	Hershey Bears 	61	33	32	65 	32
 	Connecticut Whale	65	25	39	64 	130
=== Leading goaltenders ===
The following goaltenders with a minimum 1500 minutes played led the league in goals against average.
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
 	Toronto Marlies 	39	2292	1052	78 	4 	2.04	0.926	22	15	1
 	Oklahoma City Barons	43	2544	1165	88 	5 	2.07	0.924	26	14	2
 	Lake Erie Monsters 	32	1935	997 	68 	3 	2.11	0.932	16	11	5
 	Milwaukee Admirals 	56	3283	1525	119	5 	2.17	0.922	31	19	2
 	Norfolk Admirals 	45	2582	1109	96 	5 	2.23	0.913	32	11	0
==Calder Cup playoffs==
==AHL awards==
Calder Cup : Norfolk Admirals
Les Cunningham Award : Cory Conacher, Norfolk
John B. Sollenberger Trophy : Chris Bourque, Hershey
Willie Marshall Award : Cory Conacher, Norfolk
Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award : Cory Conacher, Norfolk
Eddie Shore Award : Mark Barberio, Norfolk
Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award : Yann Danis, Oklahoma City
Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award : Ben Scrivens, Toronto
Louis A. R. Pieri Memorial Award : Jon Cooper, Norfolk
Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award : Chris Minard, Grand Rapids
Yanick Dupre Memorial Award : Nick Petrecki, Worcester
Jack A. Butterfield Trophy :
Richard F. Canning Trophy : Norfolk Admirals
Robert W. Clarke Trophy : Toronto Marlies
Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy: Norfolk Admirals
Frank Mathers Trophy: Norfolk Admirals
Norman R. "Bud" Poile Trophy: Chicago Wolves
Emile Francis Trophy : St. John's IceCaps
F. G. "Teddy" Oke Trophy: Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Sam Pollock Trophy: Toronto Marlies
John D. Chick Trophy: Oklahoma City Barons
James C. Hendy Memorial Award:
Thomas Ebright Memorial Award:
James H. Ellery Memorial Awards:
Ken McKenzie Award:
Michael Condon Memorial Award:
==Milestones==
* On December 10, 2011, Chicago Wolves forward Darren Haydar recorded his 700th career AHL point. He became the 22nd player in league history to reach this milestone.
* On February 11, 2012, Worcester Sharks coach Roy Sommer recorded his 500th win as an AHL coach. He became the fourth coach in league history to reach this milestone.
* On March 18, 2012, the Norfolk Admirals set the single-season consecutive wins record at 18.http://www.norfolkadmirals.com/release_story1.php?id=2520 The previous record was set by the Philadelphia Phantoms in 2004–05.
* On March 25, 2012, Springfield Falcons forward Alexandre Giroux recorded his 700th career AHL point. He became the 23rd player in league history to reach this milestone.
==Team Photos==
11-12RocAme.jpg|Rochester Americans
11-12NorAdm.jpg|Norfolk Admirals
11-12AbbHea.jpg|Abbotsford Heat
==See also==
*List of AHL seasons
== References ==
==External links==
*AHL official site
2011–12 Ahl Season
Category:2012 in ice hockey
Category:2012 in hockey