American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). For the 2023–24 season, 31 of the 32 NHL teams have official affiliations with an AHL team, with only the Carolina Hurricanes having no such affiliation. When NHL teams do not have an AHL affiliate, players are assigned to AHL teams affiliated with other NHL franchises. Twenty-six AHL teams are located across the United States whereas the remaining six are situated in Canada. The league offices are located in Springfield, Massachusetts, and its current president is Scott Howson.
| Current season, competition or edition: 2023–24 AHL season | |
American Hockey League logo | |
| Sport | Ice hockey |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1936 (IHL/C-AHL Interlocking schedules); 1938 (IHL/C-AHL formally merged) |
| President | Scott Howson |
| No. of teams | 32 |
| Countries | United States (26 teams) Canada (6 teams) |
| Headquarters | Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Most recent champion(s) | Hershey Bears (12th title) |
| Most titles | Hershey Bears (12) |
| TV partner(s) | Canada (English): Sportsnet/Sportsnet One Canada (French): Réseau des sports Europe: Premier Sports United States (English): NHL Network United States (Spanish): ESPN Deportes United States (English): AHL.TV (Internet app) |
| Official website | theahl.com |
A player must be at least 18 years of age to play in the AHL or not currently be beholden to a junior ice hockey team. The league limits the number of experienced professional players in a team's lineup during any given game; only five skaters can have accumulated more than 260 games played at the professional level (goaltenders are exempt from this rule).
The annual playoff champion is awarded the Calder Cup, named for Frank Calder, the first President (1917–1943) of the NHL. The defending champions following the 2022–23 season are the Hershey Bears, winning their 12th Calder Cup.