There are four original American Hockey League teams, so if the league branded an “Original Six” like the NHL, which teams have the long-standing history to make the list?
The NHL loves to brand its Original Six teams. A Chicago Blackhawks against Detroit Red Wings matchup is branded as “Original Six” even though both teams weren’t in the league when it was officially established in 1917 (the only team that checks that box is the Montreal Canadiens but that’s a different story).
The American Hockey League just completed its 90th season, and through the ups and downs and twists and turns, it also boasts a great history. It doesn’t have an official Original Six but there are a handful of teams that can claim to be original franchises, a handful of AHL teams that have been staples of the league since the early years.
The Original Four
When the AHL was founded in 1936, there were only eight teams, with one team, the Buffalo Bisons, folding 11 games into the season. The one city that had a team in the league that season that has had a team since is Springfield.
Springfield has gone through multiple nicknames, including Indians, Falcons, Kings, and their current name, the Thunderbirds. Plus, they've had multiple NHL affiliations since their founding, with the St. Louis Blues only being an affiliate since 2021. Yet, they are the original of the four founding teams.
Then came along the Hershey Bears in 1938. The Bears are the AHL’s most decorated franchise with the most success and a proud, long-standing history in the AHL. They weren’t officially there from day one but they are one of the most historic teams in the league.
The other noteworthy original team is in Providence. Originally, the Reds, they were around from the beginning. However, the catch is that there was a hiatus from 1977 until 1992, until the Bruins returned and have been there since.
Then there’s the Rochester Americans, who were founded in 1956. That’s 20 years after the AHL’s founding. However, they’ve become an original and historic team, with six Calder Cup titles and plenty of iconic moments.
That’s the original four, and there’s a charm to an “original four” matchup. When the Amerks and Bears played on the final day of the 2025-26 season, it felt like history was playing out in real time. The Providence Bruins and Springfield Thunderbirds play each other all the time, yet their playoff matchup in the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs was special, especially since it featured one of the great upsets in AHL history.
These games are a throwback. In a league focused on the future, it’s a reminder of the past. It’s a flashback to what the league once was and also a glimpse into what the AHL could become.
It’s hard to add two teams to this original group. That said, there are a few to choose from, specifically two hockey markets that stand out.
The Case For Cleveland
The Cleveland Monsters are a new franchise, and their branding reflects that. They came with the expansion to 30 teams in both the AHL and NHL with new-look colors, jerseys, and the like. However, hockey in Cleveland is as much of the fabric of the AHL as the league itself.
It all started with the Cleveland Barons, who had been in the AHL since 1937. From 1937 until 1972, they won nine Calder Cup titles. The only franchise with more championships in the AHL is the Hershey Bears, who have 13.
Then the Barons relocated to Jacksonville, leaving Cleveland without an AHL team for 28 years. Fortunately, the Columbus Blue Jackets joining the NHL brought hockey back to Ohio and an AHL team to Northeast Ohio as a result.
The Barons returned in 2002 and became the Monsters in 2007. The Monsters are one of the few AHL teams run like an NHL team, selling out their arena in downtown Cleveland, leading the league in attendance, making deep playoff runs, and winning the Calder Cup in 2016. Every year, Cleveland makes a strong argument for NHL expansion with the way the city has embraced its AHL team.
The Argument For Syracuse
A staple of the AHL is a team, if not two or three, in Upstate New York. Whether it’s the Adirondacks, Albany, Binghamton, Syracuse, Troy, or Utica, it’s only fitting that hockey is played here, especially in the winter months.
Syracuse doesn’t have a long-standing and consistent history with the AHL, until recently, that is. However, the Syracuse Stars were one of the founding teams in 1936 and winners of the first Calder Cup championship. Plus, the city had brief stints in the AHL throughout multiple eras, including the 1950s and the 70s.
The Syracuse Crunch have been in the AHL since the 1990s and, fittingly, play in the Oncenter War Memorial (now called the Upstate Medical Arena). Like many old barns, the arena is a reminder of hockey’s history in Syracuse, and in some ways, it shows the history of the league. It’s outdated, has narrow hallways, and is cramped or crowded, yet it’s nostalgic, and with the fans on top of the players, the place shakes, which makes it perfect for an original team.
Honorable Mentions
Bridgeport and New Haven can count if the two markets are grouped into one. The New Haven Eagles were one of the AHL’s founding teams, while the most prominent team in the city was the New Haven Nighthawks. Now, with the Bridgeport Islanders relocating to Hamilton, there’s an AHL void in the Southern region of Connecticut.
Chicago feels like an original, and it is in the NHL. It’s not in the AHL. The Chicago Wolves, while being a proud independent team, only joined the league at the turn of the century, albeit while being one of the most successful teams in the league.
What do you think the AHL’s Original Six looks like? Should the league market the founding four matchups more than they do currently? Feel free to comment below!
