Last season, the top five offenses in the American Hockey League were the Henderson Silver Knights, Grand Rapids Griffins, Bakersfield Condors, Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins, and San Jose Barracuda. Will they fall off this season?
In the ever-evolving American Hockey League, it’s always fascinating to see which teams maintain success. When it comes to offense, the question after 2025-26 was whether skill was trending up or down and whether goaltending was making a comeback (the numbers suggested a resurgence in the net). The top five offenses from last season will look different but they might remain near the top in production, all things considered.
It’s worth noting that the top five offenses, based on goals per game, are typically in the Western Conference, specifically, in the Pacific Division. It’s the style of play that changes from division to division, and it’s more run-and-gun out west. So, will the top five offenses from the past season maintain their success? Let’s dive in.
Henderson Silver Knights (3.65 Goals Per Game)
The league’s best offense is expected to remain one of the best this season in part because they have the same core returning. Tanner Laczynski had 64 points, the eighth-most in the league while Raphael Lavioe scored 30 goals. Both veterans lead the forward group and will continue producing at a high level.
It also helps that the prospects are coming off big seasons, specifically Ben Hemmerling and Trevor Connelly. The duo combined for 35 goals and 64 assists as rookies and are poised to take big steps forward this season.
The only thing that can prevent the Henderson Silver Knights from maintaining a great offense is a surplus of call-ups from the Vegas Golden Knights. The Golden Knights won the Western Conference yet looked like an older and slower team that needed youth in the lineup. If the team stumbles out of the gate, it wouldn’t surprise anyone if they called up the prospects from their AHL team. Otherwise, the Silver Knights should have a remarkable offense that’s tough to stop.
Grand Rapids Griffins (3.54 Goals Per Game)
The Grand Rapids Griffins should have a top 10 offense. It’s hard to see them in the top five for the second season in a row. They lost a lot of talented players in the summer, including Amadeus Lombardi and Eduards Tralmaks, who combined for 42 goals and 42 assists the past season.
Plus, the Griffins will lose more players this season to the NHL. The Detroit Red Wings might rebuild under a new-look front office, and with that comes a youth movement. It wouldn’t surprise anyone if Michael Brandsegg-Nygard is on the Red Wings and playing a key role on the team next season.
The Griffins still have plenty of talented players on the offensive end who should keep them in the top 10 in scoring. John Leonard is a borderline NHLer but a reliable veteran who always adds to the offense, and Brandsegg-Nygard will build off an impressive rookie season; if he’s on the team and not in the NHL, that is. Ultimately, expect the Griffins to take a step back but still have a great offense.
Bakersfield Condors (3.38 Goals Per Game)
The Bakersfield Condors should have another successful season on the offensive end after bursting on the scene. Why? It starts with the young duo of Quinn Hutson and Isaac Howard. Yes, both players might be on the Edmonton Oilers this season. However, there’s a better chance they remain in the AHL and build off strong rookie seasons.
The question is whether the Condors bring back Seth Griffith. He’s an elite veteran in this league who has embraced that role. He’s still a free agent, and he can change the outlook for any team heading into the new season.
Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins (3.37 Goals Per Game)
Kirk MacDonald’s system is built around offense, with a fast-paced and aggressive approach that made it a top-five group in each of his two seasons as head coach. It will keep the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins as a top-of-the-league offense. Likewise, the prospects who remain with the team, specifically Mikhail Ilyin and Bill Zonnon, will keep this offense going as it has in recent years.
The problem is that the Penguins are turning over the AHL teams. The veteran group is different, and the prospects who were staples in the past won’t be around this season. Between Rutger McGroarty, Tristan Broz, and Ville Koivunen, one will remain with the Pittsburgh Penguins while the other two will be on the rollercoaster between the two leagues with a chance to carve out a role on the NHL team.
It leaves the Wilkes-Barre offense in a maybe territory. Will they have a top-10 group? Probably. Will it be top five? Probably not but if the mainstays continue to produce, it could trend that way by the end of the season.
San Jose Barracuda (3.37 Goals Per Game)
The reason to remain optimistic about the San Jose Barracuda is the signing of Alex Barre-Boulet this offseason. His 70 points were second-most in the AHL last season, and he’s one of the best players in the league. The Barracuda can lean on him to pile up the goals and have a great offense.
The veteran group is what will make this offense click. The prospects? Not so much. There’s a close-to-zero percent chance that Ivar Stenberg is in the AHL next season, as fun as that might be to see (imagine the San Jose Sharks prospect being a step ahead of everyone else for a few weeks before he’s called up to the NHL for good).
