October and November are when AHL teams start showing what they can do.
But it can be a messy affair. AHL rosters go through a lot of turnover every summer, it’s a league full of youth and all its inexperience, and there’s a coaching advantage. This isn’t the NHL, where teams often bring back much of the same team, especially key pieces, from one season to the next. Getting a system to an AHL-level position takes time. Therefore, having the perfect talent can mean getting a lot of wins while the competition is still working to improve.
However, the AHL standings do not allow for losses and slumps in the opening of the season in two months. Falling too far behind early on, and it could mean months of trying to fight to make the playoffs.
With the first quarter of the AHL season over or almost over, it’s time to check where the teams stand as December approaches. FloHockey will start with the Eastern Conference before exploring the Western Conference next time.
Belleville Senators (7-3-0-4)
Given the B-Sens’ injury problems in the net and enough food for the games against Laval and Toronto, the first quarter should be considered a strong effort. Bringing in veteran Malcolm Subban to bolster the offensive picture was a solid move, especially considering he’s on an AHL contract. They play hard and can pull off tough games, going 5-0-0-4 in one-goal contests.
Bridgeport Islanders (5-10-1-0)
The tough games hurt the Islanders and contributed to a much lower record than it could have been. Bridgeport is 0-4-1-2 in one-goal games. They also struggled late in the games, going 1-3-0-0 when tied after two periods. With back-to-back wins against Hershey and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton earlier this month, this is a team that has shown it can be dangerous despite sitting in last place in the Atlantic Division.
Charlotte Checkers (8-4-1-2)
At first it looked like the Checkers had what it took to fight for first place in the Eastern Conference. They probably still do even though they just finished a 1-2-1-1 road trip. Long road trips are a reality for the Checkers, however, and something they will have to manage this season. The power play continues to be bitter (league-best 35.8 percent) and has powered the league’s top offense (3.93 goals per game). Aside from a quick trip to Pennsylvania in mid-December, the Checkers are home for the better part of the next month. Having conceded a league-leading five goals, the Checkers will face Iowa this weekend, a team that has allowed a nine-point deficit in 16 games.
Cleveland Checkers (12-4-0-1)
Rookie defenseman Denton Mateychuk will make it difficult for the Columbus Blue Jackets to keep him in the AHL long term. He might be the league’s top blueliner already. After a summer off the roster, it would be reasonable to expect the Monsters to need some time to figure it out. Instead Cleveland went on a quick run and delivered an eight-game winning streak this week. After not signing all summer until the first day of the regular season, elite shooter Rocco Grimaldi is back to blow the whistle.
Hartford Wolf Pack (8-7-1-1)
With a reasonably experienced back and goal guard, the Wolf Pack should be strong defensively. Special teams play is another problem with the penalty kill at 29th in the AHL and the power play stuck at 31st. There is enough talent at every position to think that those problems can and will eventually be fixed. Hartford has gone through three head coaches in the past year between Kris Knoblauch, Steve Smith, and now Grant Potulny. Closing a team name takes time in this league.
Hershey Bears (13-4-2-0)
It seems difficult to separate the Calder Cup-chasing three-peat team that also holds first place in the AHL.
That said, the Bears have shown a tendency to not give up defensively, which is a stark contrast to the club that has won these two championships. They suffered a blowout at home to Bridgeport on November 15, something that left head coach Todd Nelson visibly unhappy. Given enough talent and scoring, the Bears have been able to overcome these dips and pull out wins that other teams may not be able to. That’s one thing in October and November. It will be very difficult to do that as the opponents tighten up their games.
Laval Rocket (13-3-1-0)
Young, full of hope, and building success from the net forward, the Rockets have been a different story by far. Pascal Vincent, who was the AHL coach of the year in 2017-18 with the Manitoba Moose, may be making himself a candidate to recapture that honor in his first year behind the bench. Jakub Dobeš and Connor Hughes each rank in the league’s top 10 stats. A good measuring stick is ahead this week with contests in Hershey and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, but there’s everything to like about what the Rockets have shown so far.
2024 Laval Rocket vs Hershey Bears
Lehigh Valley Phantoms (6-6-3-1)
The Phantoms are enjoying themselves, shooting 25.5% and ranking second in the league. Offending without personal gain has been a challenge. Having Anthony Richard back for the Philadelphia Flyers is a significant asset. The goaltending and collective .884 save percentage will need to improve for the Phantoms to compete with the likes of Hershey and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Providence Bruins (8-6-3-0)
Slow starts are nothing new for the P-Bruins. Last year’s program had a 6-8-1-2 record before going on a seven-game winning streak and going 36-13-5-1 throughout the regular season. Brandon Bussi tried hard before going back last weekend against Lehigh Valley. He’s proven enough to expect his game to return to form. Meanwhile, Michael DiPietro has been different. Head coach Ryan Mougenel will continue to push an experienced team, and it wouldn’t be surprising at all to see Providence make a run.
Rochester Americans (8-6-3-0)
One night it looked like the Amerks got their job. Some nights, like last Saturday’s 5-1 home loss to Utica, are reminders that there is still work to be done. That would explain a lot of teams in this league, though. They are holding opponents to an average of 8.06 shots per game, something that should be encouraging. Between that and the assignment of goaltender Devon Levi to the Buffalo Sabres, the Americans have enough to be encouraged about their prospects as the season enters December. While it was nice to have Jiri Kulich briefly, this could be a club that relies too much on scoring by committee.
Springfield Thunderbirds (8-8-1-0)
After a 3-7-0-0 start, 4-0-1-0 got the Thunderbirds’ season on track. Dalibor Dvorsky looked like part of the 10th pick. Colten Ellis gave Springfield a chance in net while the rest of the team tried to form. The execution of the sentence should be much better than the 30th. Similar to Rochester, there is enough evidence with the Thunderbirds to think they will continue to improve.
Syracuse Crunch (7-6-1-2)
Up and down. One night there is a Crunch. Some nights are a struggle, and that includes being in the middle of the pack in the Eastern Conference. There is enough stoppage to allow Crunch time to solve some problems like a sluggish offense. Brandon Halverson has been solid in net as he continues to be one of the best comeback stories in hockey. Someone like Jesse Ylonen, who has one goal in 16 games, will definitely break out. Returning captain Gabriel Dumont from injury should be another start for the Crunch.
Toronto Marlies (10-1-2-3)
The Marlies play a tough game, and that can take a team far in this league. Their 2.38 goals against per game is third in the AHL, and their special teams play has been excellent. That three of the team’s top four scorers are with the parent Toronto Maple Leafs (Nikita Grebenkin, Alex Nylander, and Alex Steeves) is a test, but this is a program with solid depth. With only 21 games of KHL experience before this season, goaltender Artur Akhtyamov has been outstanding.
Utica Comets (2-10-1-2)
At least the Comets stopped the bleeding last weekend. In fact, they entered Syracuse and Rochester on consecutive nights
Like Bridgeport, this is a team that should be much better than its record suggests, and poor play cost head coach Kevin Dineen his job just three and a half weeks into the season. Now that they have relieved themselves of the burden of going their first 13 games without a win, where can the Comets go from there? With 10 points left of a playoff spot, the Comets will have their work cut out for them if they want to make a difference in their season.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (9-4-1-0)
Despite going through five starters in 14 games, the Penguins have gotten the job done. And that has resulted in injuries to players like Jimmy Huntington and Dan Renouf among others. It will be worth watching if the ongoing problems of the parent of the Pittsburgh Penguins finally have an impact on Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, either in the form of recalls or additional players or lost due to trade. The Fortunes can swing quickly to the AHL, depending on where the parent club is.
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