With nearly 90 years of history, the American Hockey League is a proving ground for emerging stars and grizzled veterans alike. The Hockey News proudly takes fans inside the storied institution of professional sports.
It is a proving ground, a litmus test, and a welcomed final curtain all in one. The American Hockey League, with nearly a century of history, is one of professional hockey's most storied institutions.
The league's foremost prize, the Calder Cup - for those who chase it - represents the pinnacle of a year's worth of blood, sweat, and tears. It is a symbol of excellence, of perseverance in one of the sport's most grueling playoff formats, and a symbol of arrival in a game that demands evolution.
Home of the stars of tomorrow and the veterans living out their twilight alike, the AHL has ushered thousands of players towards the big dance of the NHL, serving as a catalyst for growth, while also entertaining fans across North America for decades.
Yes, the American Hockey League is an affiliate of the National Hockey League, but it is so much more.
It is the sum of the talents of groups of young men clinging to a dream of sports excellence. It is the embodiment of fandom, of jersey buying, chant-cheering diehards who rise and fall at the success and failures of their team of choice. It is the spirit of tradition, of the heroes who paved the way and the icons enshrined in the Hall of Fame.
The American Hockey League, rightly, holds a special place in the upper echelon of the sport.
The Hockey News is proud to begin a new chapter in our coverage of the game, diving into the past, present, and future of the league, dissecting the players, and miracle moments, that define it.