As the AHL season begins, FloHockey’s AHL writer Patrick Williams will be keeping an unusual top 10 in the power ratings of the species. Check back often to see if your favorite team made the list.
Here’s how to start the new season.
Ranking the Top 10 AHL Teams So Far in 2024-25
1. The Hershey Bears
The defending Calder Cup champion Bears reloaded this summer, but opening the season with five games in eight nights can be a test for any club. For a team that has entered late June the past two seasons, those demands are loud, something head coach Todd Nelson acknowledged. Until the Bears can resolve the early season tension, they have enough to win games on talent alone. In the past, the Bears have sometimes lacked explosiveness; This season’s team averaged four goals per game.
2024 Hershey Bears vs Providence Bruins
2. Toronto Marlies
Goaltender Artur Akhtyamov, a 2021 fourth-round pick, showed some potential last season in the KHL. But he arrived in North America with only 21 games in that league behind him. In three games, he’s already shut down and looks like he could be a great addition to the Marlies’ tandem with Matt Murray. Alex Nylander gave the Marlies another top scorer and someone to close out the season after losing Kieffer Bellows.
3. Calgary Wranglers
Dustin Wolf’s long-awaited promotion to the Calgary Flames has left the Wranglers with an open question mark this season, but the Wranglers are off to a 4-1-0-0 start with newcomer Devin Cooley more than handling the job in net.
Rory Kerins, Walker Duehr, and Jakob Pelletier are two-three in AHL scoring so far.
4. San Jose Barracuda
The Barracuda made some dramatic changes in the offseason that seem to have stuck. Start with goalkeeper Yaroslav Askarov, who has scored twice in his first three starts. San Jose’s top five scorers are all rookies. Luca Cagnoni is a rookie defenseman with four goals in his first five games. A dangerous group of veterans has yet to put up big numbers. When those older players perform, San Jose could be a handful of opponents.
5. Charlotte Checkers
Charlotte was another very active team this past summer. Consistently a team that can make noise from one season to the next, the Checkers have another strong team in place. Aidan McDonough, who was due for an AHL deal in the summer, is one of the AHL’s top stories so far with six goals in four games.
6. Milwaukee Admirals
Few things in hockey are as reliable as the Admirals and success, although head coach Karl Taylor has had to manage a significant amount of turnover after his club reached the Western Conference Finals the past two seasons. One question involves the Nashville Predators. If the parent club continues to struggle, how long until reinforcements come calling from Milwaukee?
2024 Milwaukee Admirals vs Chicago Wolves
7. Laval Rocket
It’s a safe bet that the Rockets will be among the most scrutinized teams in the AHL this season. For one, they play among the ever-attentive Montreal Canadiens fans. But this is also a team with legitimate prospects up and down the roster. Logan Mailloux’s recall to the Canadiens is a big loss, however.
8. Wilkes Barre/Scranton Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas has named assistant general manager Jason Spezza to help lead the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton preseason operations. Starting with new head coach Kirk MacDonald, a new group of strong veterans has been brought in. Pittsburgh will need time to replenish its pool, but in the meantime this plan could make Wilkes-Barre/Scranton a stronger competitor for Hershey.
9. Grand Rapids Griffins
The production hasn’t been there yet for the Griffins, who have a core of scorers that should break soon. But allowing five goals in four games will buy time for the offense to settle.
10. Texas Stars
This is another strong Texas club even though the AHL’s most valuable player in Maverik Bourque and its player of the year, Logan Stankoven, both graduated from the Dallas Stars. Coming off a season at Northeastern in which he was nominated for the Hobey Baker Award, Justin Hryckowian is the story of Texas’ early success.
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