The American Hockey League finished up the Calder Cup Playoffs on Monday. The 2023-24 AHL season saw thirty two teams participate in seventy two games for the eighty eighth season of the AHL. Going into the season was that the Chicago Wolves ended their affiliation with the Carolina Hurricanes to be the first team since the 1994-95 season to be independent. Thirteen teams saw coaching changes either prior to or during the season.
The Hershey Bears won the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy for having the best record during the regular season. This was their fourth time winning the award. The last time they won the award was for the 2020-21 season. This was their ninth regular season title overall. They had a record of 53-14-0-5 totaling in 111 points. They also won the Eastern Conference regular season title. This was their twenty fifth conference title. The Coachella Valley Firebirds won the Western Conference regular season title. This was their first time winning the Western Conference regular season title.
The Hershey Bears won the Eastern Conferences Atlantic Division regular season title. It was their nineteenth divisional regular season title. The Cleveland Monsters won the Eastern Conferences North Division regular season title. It was their first divisional regular season title. The Milwaukee Admirals won the Western Conferences Central Division regular season title. That was their seventh AHL regular season divisional title. It was their twelfth regular season divisional title overall. The Coachella Valley Firebirds won the Pacific Division regular season title. It was their first divisional title.
The Hershey Bears, Providence Bruins, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Charlotte Checkers, Hartford Wolf Pack, and Lehigh Valley Phantoms all qualified for the playoffs in the Atlantic Division. The Cleveland Monsters, Rochester Americans, Syracuse Crunch, Belleville Senators, and Toronto Marlies qualified for the playoffs in the North Division. The Milwaukee Admirals, Grand Rapids Griffins, Rockford IceHogs, Texas Stars, and Manitoba Moose qualified for the playoffs in the Central Division. The Coachella Valley Firebirds, Tucson Roadrunners, Ontario Reign, Colorado Eagles, Abbotsford Canucks, Bakersfield Condors, and Calgary Wranglers qualified for the playoffs in the Pacific Division.
The Springfield Thunderbirds, Bridgeport Islanders, Utica Comets, Laval Rocket, Iowa Wild, Chicago Wolves, Henderson Silver Knights, San Diego Gulls, and San Jose Barracuda were eliminated from playoff contention. The Bridgeport Islanders were the worst team in the AHL this season. They finished the regular season with just 59 points.
Twenty three teams qualified for the 2024 AHL Calder Cup Playoffs. The AHL introduced a new playoff logo for this season. The first round were best of three games series. The Division Semifinals and Division Finals were best of five games series. The Conference Finals and Calder Cup Finals were best of seven games series. Seeding and matchups were based on divisional standings.
The Hershey Bears, Providence Bruins, Milwaukee Admirals, Grand Rapids Griffins, Rockford IceHogs, Cleveland Monsters, Rochester Americans, Syracuse Crunch, and Coachella Valley Firebirds all got a bye into the Division Semifinals. The Lehigh Valley Phantoms swept the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 2-0 in the first round. The Hartford Wolf Pack beat the Charlotte Checkers 2-1 in the first round. The Belleville Senators beat the Toronto Marlies 2-1 in the first round. The Texas Stars swept the Manitoba Moose 2-0 in the first round. The Calgary Wranglers swept the Tucson Roadrunners 2-0 in the first round. The Ontario Reign swept the Bakersfield Condors 2-0 in the first round. The Abbotsford Canucks beat the Colorado Eagles 2-1 in the first round.
The Hershey Bears beat the Lehigh Valley Phantoms 3-1 in the Atlantic Division Semifinals. The Hartford Wolf Pack beat the Providence Bruins 3-1 in the Atlantic Division Semifinals. The Cleveland Monsters beat the Belleville Senators 3-1 in the North Division Semifinals. The Syracuse Crunch beat the Rochester Americans3-2 in the North Division Semifinals. The Milwaukee Admirals beat the Texas Stars 3-2 in the Central Division Semifinals. The Grand Rapids Griffins beat the Rockford IceHogs 3-1 in the Central Division Semifinals. The Coachella Valley Firebirds beat the Calgary Wranglers 3-1 in the Pacific Division Semifinals. The Ontario Reign swept the Abbotsford Canucks 3-0 in the Pacific Division Semifinals.
The Hershey Bears swept the Hartford Wolf Pack 3-0 in the Atlantic Division Finals. The Cleveland Monsters swept the Syracuse Crunch 3-0 in the North Division Finals. The Milwaukee Admirals beat the Grand Rapids Griffins 3-2 in the Central Division Finals. The Coachella Valley Firebirds beat the Ontario Reign 3-0 in the Pacific Division Finals. The Grand Rapids Griffins were the only team to not get swept in the divisional finals.
The Hershey Bears took on the Cleveland Monsters in the AHL Eastern Conference Finals. The Hershey Bears won the series 4-3. The Hershey Bears are the 2024 AHL Eastern Conference Champions. The Hershey Bears won the Richard F. Canning Trophy for a league leading seventh time and second time in a row.
The Coachella Valley Firebirds took on the Milwaukee Admirals in the AHL Western Conference Finals. The Coachella Valley Firebirds won the series 4-1. The Coachella Valley Firebirds are the 2024 AHL Western Conference Champions. The Coachella Valley Firebirds won the Robert W. Clarke Trophy for the second time in a row.
The Hershey Bears (Washington Capitals affiliate) took on the Coachella Valley Firebirds (Seattle Kraken affiliate) in the 2024 AHL Calder Cup Finals. This was the first time since 1991 that the Calder Cup Finals featured the same teams as the previous year. The Firebirds won game one 4-3 in Hershey. The Bears won game two 5-2 in Hershey. The Firebirds won game three 6-2 in Coachella Valley. The Bears won game four 3-2 in Coachella Valley. The Bears won game five 3-2 in Coachella Valley. The Bears won game six 4-5 in overtime. Like the 2024 Kelly Cup Finals the winner was decided in overtime. The Hershey Bears won the 2024 AHL Calder Cup Finals 4-2. They have won back to back AHL Championships. It was their thirteenth Calder Cup win. They are the first team since the 2010 season to win back to back Calder Cups. The last team to win back to back Calder Cups was also the Hershey Bears. The Rochester Americans are the only other active AHL team to have won back to back Calder Cups doing so in 1955 and 1956. The Springfield Indians won back to back in 1960, 1961, and 1962. The Maine Mariners (1978 & 1979), Nova Scotia Voyageurs (1976 & 1977), the Cleveland Barons (1953 & 1954), and the Buffalo Bisons (1943 & 1944), are the other AHL teams to win back to back Calder Cups.
Zac Electrifly 
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