Assessing the biggest improvements in the AHL post-All-Star Classic.
With the All-Star Classic firmly in the rearview, we can begin to assess the biggest success stories of the first half of the 2023-24 AHL season.
The Hockey News compared current standings with the stats at the end of the 2023-24 season and deduced which teams have made strong turnarounds.
Cleveland Monsters
Sitting atop the North Division with 54 points and a .643 win percentage, the Cleveland Monsters are much improved when compared to how the club finished in the 2022-23 season.
At season's end, the Monsters sat outside the playoff picture with a 33-32-5-2 record with just 73 points. The 23-24 Monsters already have 26 wins through 42 games.
Similarly in both years, the bulk of Cleveland's losses come in regulation.
Tucson Roadrunners
Squeaking into the Calder Cup playoffs despite finishing 27th in the AHL with a sub-500 record of 30-33-8-1 (69 points, .479 win percentage), the Tucson Roadrunners are a shade of their former selves.
Through 43 games the Roadrunners sit atop the Pacific Division with a 28-13-1-1 record (58 points, .674 win percentage). The club has a healthy 16-6-1 road record, though penalty minutes continue to be a problem.
Last season the club clocked in first in the entire AHL with 1271 penalty minutes. They currently sit third in the league for most penalty minutes with a combined total of 713.
Grand Rapids Griffins
The long-standing relationship between the Detroit Red Wings and Grand Rapids Griffins has been fruitful for both clubs, with the Wings and Griffins seeing vast on-ice improvement this season compared to the 2022-23 campaign.
Last season the Griffins finished in a dismal 30th, with a 28-36-4-4 record and just 64 points. The club has already rebounded this year, sitting second in the Central Division with a 20-15-4-1 record for 45 points through 40 games.
The Griffins are currently riding a six-game win streak and are 7-3 in their past 10 games.