2022 Calder Cup playoffs
The 2022 Calder Cup playoffs is the postseason tournament of the American Hockey League (AHL) to determine the winner of the Calder Cup, which is awarded to the AHL Champions. 2022 marks the return of postseason play for the AHL after two seasons of no playoffs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2022 playoffs begin on May 2, 2022, with a new 23-team playoff format. All but the bottom two teams of each division qualify for the playoffs; and each division has a best-of-three series in the first round to determine the top  16 teams for the division semifinals, with various teams receiving byes. The 16 teams that remain - four from each division - play a best-of-five series in the division semifinals, with the playoffs continuing with another best-of-five series for the division finals and a best-of-seven series for the conference finals and Calder Cup finals. Playoff seeds. After the 2021–22 AHL regular season, 23 teams qualified for the playoffs. All but the bottom two teams in each division ranked by points percentage qualify for the 2022 Calder Cup playoffs. The Stockton Heat were the first team to  clinch a playoff spot on March 19, while the Chicago Wolves won the regular season title on the final day of the regular season.