Patrick WilliamsTheAHL.com Features Writer
Thursday is Thanksgiving in the United States. While there are plenty of games leading up to Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Saturday that have fans packing buildings around the league, this is a rare off day for the AHL schedule.
Of course, some teams play on the road, and a team Thanksgiving dinner is a long-standing tradition embraced by players from any country. For teams at home, players are sure to party and refuel before a busy hockey weekend.
What do AHL teams have to be thankful for when they enjoy a meal on Thursday? Let’s look at the Eastern Conference teams, then the Western Conference teams.
bellville senator
With the Ottawa Senators playing well and staying healthy, the B-Sens have luck with a more stable roster than the teams that have hindered them in the past. Wyatt BongiovanniAcquired from the Winnipeg Jets for future considerations in 2024, he scored 22 goals last season and was strong again. Now an undrafted rookie goaltender. Jackson Parsons He helped fill the void and achieved encouraging early results. The Ottawa organization has a knack for uncovering overlooked talent.
bridgeport islanders
After a tough 2024-25 season, the Islanders have a busy offseason that includes the addition of Rocky Thompson as their new head coach and brought in some key veterans through free agency. This new group will still take time to fully come together, but the Islanders are off to a good enough start to stay in the middle of the Atlantic Division.
Charlotte Checkers
Charlotte played in the Calder Cup finals last spring and put up a tenacious battle against the Abbotsford Canucks until the end. Several subsequent summer departures could deplete Charlotte’s talent. Instead, their ties to the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers have been aggressive in trying to replace key players up and down the roster. Jack Devine Has been one of the AHL’s leading prospects.
cleveland monsters
Monsters get captain back as Columbus Blue Jackets acquire Brendan Gance From the Minnesota Wild this past June. After a strong start with the Monsters, Gaunce is now tied with Columbus for the scoring lead Luca Pinelli Recalled to the Blue Jackets on Tuesday. The Monsters also debuted their throwback Cleveland Barons jerseys last week, and they look sharp. Cleveland draws nearly 11,400 fans per game over seven home games and could challenge the AHL’s single-season attendance record (12,002).
Hartford Wolf Pack
The Wolf Pack’s home rink is getting a new look as the newly renamed PeoplesBank Arena undergoes a $145 million renovation. The building itself is 50 years old this year, but it doesn’t look like it. New seating, bunker suites, boxes and lobby improvements — in addition to locker room renovations — allow the Wolf Pack to live in style.
Hershey Bear
So much for a rebuilding year: With most of the veterans from the Bears’ back-to-back Calder Trophy teams moving on to other opportunities, there’s an influx of rookies onto the Hershey roster, but little growing pains. new head coach Derek King His Bruins are already looking dangerous and are in the top four of the Atlantic Division, and the 19-year-old rookie Ilya Protas Leads the team with 15 points in 16 games.
laval rocket
After finishing first in the 2024-25 regular season, the Rockets advanced all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals, giving fans an unforgettable journey. Jacob FowlerHis sparkling debut at the crease in last year’s playoffs carried over into his rookie season. Expectations are one thing, but no one really knows how a rookie will perform until he plays one level below the NHL level; Fowler posted a 2.10 GAA, .918 save percentage, and three shutouts in his first 11 games.
Lehigh Valley Phantom
As the Philadelphia Flyers continue to exceed expectations, there’s a new enthusiasm surrounding the team that extends to the Phantoms. rookie forward Denver Bucky and Alex Bump are delivering on the promise they hoped for, and the goalkeeper is Carson Bjarnason and Alexei Kolosov Already performing well. Defender injured in the end Oliver Bunkera first-round pick, should also make the Lehigh Valley roster. with the new head coach John Snowdendevelopment work on the Phantom is well underway.
Providence Bruins
The Boston Bruins have always made sure to take care of their operations in Providence, the oldest franchise in the AHL. Boston’s aggressive offseason plan brings Matthij Blumel and Alex Steves Both have been recalled by the NHL. former eddie shore award winner Christian Wolanin was added to the P-Bruins roster last week, and Simon Zajisek Join the Reigning Baz Bastian Award Winners Michael DiPietro Create a powerful connection online.
rochester american
While the Amerkes have been able to send a bunch of top draft picks to the Buffalo Sabers, they’ve still been able to win games. Consta Helenius Continuing development in the AHL after being selected in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft, as well as recent first-round players Isaac Rosen and Noah Ostlund We’ve already spent big time in Buffalo this season. Newcomer Zach Jones Leads all AHL defensemen with 16 points (all assists).
Springfield Thunderbirds
Dalibor Dvorsky Impressed St. Louis Colten Ellis Since transferring to Buffalo, the Thunderbirds have lost two key pieces from last year’s club. Nikita Alexandrov Springfield leads scoring list and touts rookie following 21-goal season a year ago Yuraj Pekasik He had nine points in his first 16 games as a pro. Theo LindsteinOne of the Blues’ three first-round picks in 2023, he is a promising young defender who began his North American career in Springfield.
Syracuse Crunch
The Crunch recently sent their 100th player to the Tampa Bay Lightning, a milestone for one of the most durable and productive leagues in hockey. It takes a lot of hard work, a lot of dedication and dedication for a relationship to flourish. Tampa Bay has been a top contender for years and the Crunch has been a key part of its success while also racking up a lot of wins. The new content is Jacob Pelletier and Nick Abruzzese This season has given the Crunch more offensive punch while Dylan Duke and Connor Geek Continuing to develop as a second-year pro.
toronto marris
Artur Akhtyamov He arrived in Toronto as a fourth-round pick in 2024 with only 21 games of goaltending experience in the Kontinental Hockey League. If no one really knew what to expect from Akhtiamov’s first time in the AHL, they certainly did at the end of last season. He inherited that standard and established a foundation with the Marlies this fall, providing a level of stability as Toronto went through multiple roster changes.
Comet Utica
Let’s not sugarcoat it: Utica’s 2024-25 season is tough. A 13-game winning streak that began last year almost ended their playoff hopes in November. but Ryan ParentThe team never gave up and instead became an unwelcome opponent in the final moments. This year’s Comets are facing similar adversity, but rookie guard Ethan Edwards Has been a bright spot; the Michigan product had one goal and five assists in 14 games and was recalled to New Jersey last week.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are supposed to be a fading old team, but the big club has been one of the NHL’s best first-quarter stories, and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has exceeded expectations. Sergei Murashov Was named the AHL’s top goaltender in October before being recalled and excelling in Pittsburgh. Depth is a must at both the NHL and AHL levels, and the Pittsburgh organization has secured the reserves.
About two decades in the American Hockey League, TheAHL.com feature writer Patrick Williams also currently covers the league for NHL.com and FloSports and is a regular contributor to SiriusXM NHL Network Radio. In 2016, he received the AHL’s James H. Ellery Memorial Award for outstanding coverage of the league.
