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AHL 80th anniverary logo

This is the 2015-16 American Hockey League season.  This is the league's 80th season.  Each of the league's 5 California based teams will play a 68 game schedule while the remaining 25 members will play a 76 game schedule.

Rule changes[]

The league approved the following rule changes (as well as the schedule and playoff format) at the 2015 Annual Meeting of the AHL Board of Governors in early July. These changes match the rule changes that were made at the NHL Board of Governors meeting in late June.

  • The overtime period will be a five minute 3 on 3 sudden death period. There will be a dry scrape of the entire ice prior to the start of the overtime period and the teams will change ends at the start of the overtime.  If the game is still tied a winner will be determined by a three player shoot out and if still tied sudden death shoot out. (Rule 85)
  • The coaches are now able to use a "coach's challenge" to initiate an official video review but only on items that are by rule reviewable (potential offside on a goal and goaltender interference).  The challenge must be issued prior to the resumption of play.  The must have a time out available as if the review does not result in the original call being overturned the team will be charged with a time out. (Rule 79)
  • For all face-offs (excluding center ice), the defending player shall place his stick on the ice first; for face-offs at center ice, the visiting player shall place his stick on the ice first. (Rule 76.4)

Major franchise shifts for 2015-16[]

Late in January 2015 the league announced the league's Board of Governors approved the formation of a Pacific Division for the 2015-16 season with the Norfolk Admirals being relocated to San Diego, California as the San Diego Gulls; the Manchester Monarchs being relocated to Ontario, California as the Ontario Reign the Worcester Sharks being relocated to San Jose, California as the San Jose Barracuda (playing out of the same arena as the San Jose Sharks, the Adirondack Flames being relocated to Stockton, California and become the Stockton Heat.  The ownership of the Oklahoma City Barons announced previously that they were ceasing operations after losing their affiliation with the Edmonton Oilers.  The Oilers purchased the Bakersfield Condors franchise in the ECHL and were making Bakersfield, California the home of their AHL affiliate as the Bakersfield Condors. In March, the Winnipeg Jets announced the were relocating their AHL affiliate from St. John's, Newfoundland & Labrador to Winnipeg as the Manitoba Moose, and the Montreal Canadiens purchased the Hamilton Bulldogs franchise and relocated them to St. John's and assumed the St. John's IceCaps identity. Both of the moves are believed to be temporary as Winnipeg may be relocating their affiliation to Thunder Bay, Ontario if and when a new arena opens there and the Canadiens are waiting for an arena to open in Laval, Quebec to move their affiliate. The former owner of the Hamilton AHL franchise purchased the Belleville Bulls and will relocate the team to Hamilton assuming the Bulldogs identity.

Team Alignment for 2015-16 season[]

American Hockey League 2015-16 map zoomed

Location of AHL teams for the 2015-16 season


Outdoor Game[]

On December 19th (rescheduled from December 18th due to rain) as part of the Golden State Hockey Rush, the Stockton Heat and the Bakersfield Condors met in an outdoor game at Raley Field in West Sacramento, California. Stockton won the game 3-2 in front of a crowd of 9,357.  The Golden State Hockey Rush runs from November 20th to January 3rd.

2016 All Star Classic[]

The AHL's 2016 All Star Classic will be held at the War Memorial Arena in Syracuse, New Yorkon January 31st and February 1st, 2016. The actual All Star Game will be played on February 1st.

2016 All Star Classic logo

Standings[]

Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
Team GP W L T OTL SOL GF GA P %
Hershey Bears 76 43 21 - 5 7 259 220 98 0.645
Providence Bruins 76 41 22 - 9 4 238 198 95 0.625
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 76 43 27 - 4 2 230 203 92 0.605
Portland Pirates 76 41 27 - 6 2 215 207 90 0.592
Bridgeport Sound Tigers 76 40 29 - 4 3 209 220 87 0.572
Hartford Wolf Pack 76 41 32 - 3 0 202 199 85 0.559
Lehigh Valley Phantoms 76 34 35 - 4 3 215 222 75 0.493
Springfield Falcons 76 26 42 - 3 5 194 265 60 0.395
North Division
Team GP W L T OTL SOL GF GA P %
Toronto Marlies 76 54 16 - 5 1 294 191 114 0.750
Albany Devils 76 46 20 - 8 2 212 167 102 0.671
Utica Comets 76 38 26 - 8 4 224 217 88 0.579
Syracuse Crunch 76 32 29 - 11 4 213 240 79 0.520
St. John's IceCaps 76 32 33 - 8 3 208 239 75 0.493
Rochester Americans 76 34 38 - 3 1 199 249 72 0.474
Binghamton Senators 76 31 38 - 6 1 204 241 69 0.454
Western Conference
Central Division
Team GP W L T OTL SOL GF GA P %
Milwaukee Admirals 76 48 23 - 3 2 224 193 101 0.664
Lake Erie Monsters 76 43 22 - 6 5 211 188 97 0.638
Rockford IceHogs 76 40 22 - 10 4 214 205 94 0.618
Grand Rapids Griffins 76 44 30 - 1 1 238 195 90 0.592
Charlotte Checkers 76 36 32 - 3 5 214 229 80 0.526
Chicago Wolves 76 33 35 - 5 3 194 228 74 0.487
Manitoba Moose 76 26 41 - 4 5 180 250 61 0.401
Iowa Wild 76 24 41 - 5 6 169 225 59 0.388
Pacific Division
Team GP W L T OTL SOL GF GA P %
Ontario Reign 68 44 19 - 4 1 192 138 93 0.684
San Diego Gulls 68 39 23 - 4 2 208 200 84 0.618
Texas Stars 76 40 25 - 8 3 277 246 91 0.599
San Jose Barracuda 68 31 26 - 8 3 198 193 73 0.537
Bakersfield Condors 68 31 28 - 7 2 212 222 71 0.522
Stockton Heat 68 32 32 - 2 2 194 224 68 0.500
San Antonio Rampage 76 33 35 - 8 0 213 240 74 0.487

note: due to the California based teams only playing 68 games this season; all standings were calculated on point percentage which is points earned divided by twice the number of games played (or available points)

2016 Calder Cup Playoffs[]

For more detailed information please see 2016 Calder Cup playoffs

Format[]

Due to the realignment of the league the playoff format was changed:

  • The playoff format is now a division based format with the top four teams in each division qualifying for the playoffs with one exception if the fifth place team in one division has a better points percentage than the fourth place team in the other division within the conference they will assume the fouth place team's place in the other division's bracket. (note: this is not the same as the NHL's format for this season)
  • The division semi-final round is best-of-five with the division final, conference final and Calder Cup final rounds all being best-of-seven.

Bracket[]

  Division Semi-finals Division Finals Conference Finals Calder Cup Final
                                     
A1  Hershey Bears 3  
A4  Portland Pirates 2  
  A1  Hershey Bears 4  
  A3  Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 3  
A2  Providence Bruins 0
A3  Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 3  
  A1  Hershey Bears 4  
Eastern Conference
  N1  Toronto Marlies 1  
N1  Toronto Marlies 3  
WC  Bridgeport Sound Tigers 0  
  N1  Toronto Marlies 4
  N2  Albany Devils 3  
N2  Albany Devils 3
N3  Utica Comets 1  
  A1  Hershey Bears 0
  C2  Lake Erie Monsters 4
C1  Milwaukee Admirals 0  
C4  Grand Rapids Griffins 3  
  C4  Grand Rapids Griffins 2
  C2  Lake Erie Monsters 4  
C2  Lake Erie Monsters 3
C3  Rockford IceHogs 0  
  C2  Lake Erie Monsters 4
Western Conference
  P1  Ontario Reign 0  
P1  Ontario Reign 3  
P4  San Jose Barracuda 1  
  P1  Ontario Reign 4
  P2  San Diego Gulls 1  
P2  San Diego Gulls 3
P3  Texas Stars 1  

Atlantic Division Semifinals[]

North Division Semifinals[]

Central Division Semfinals[]

Pacific Division Semifinals[]

Atlantic Division Final[]

North Division Final[]

Central Division Final[]

Pacific Division Final[]

Eastern Conference Final[]

Western Conference Final[]

Calder Cup Final[]

2016 Calder Cup champs Lake Eire Monsters

2016 Calder Cup Champions Lake Erie Monsters

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