AHL BOARD OF GOVERNORS APPROVES DIVISION ALIGNMENT FOR 2015-16 SEASON

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - American Hockey League President and CEO David Andrews announced that the league’s Board of Governors, convening for its Spring Meeting today in Chicago, Ill., has approved the following division alignment for the 2015-16 AHL season (National Hockey League affiliates in parentheses):

Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
Bridgeport Sound Tigers (NYI)
Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR)
Hershey Bears (WSH)
Lehigh Valley Phantoms (PHI)
Portland Pirates (FLA)
Providence Bruins (BOS)
Springfield Falcons (ARI)
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (PIT)

North Division
Albany Devils (NJ)
Binghamton Senators (OTT)
Rochester Americans (BUF)
St. John’s IceCaps (MTL)
Syracuse Crunch (TB)
Toronto Marlies (TOR)
Utica Comets (VAN)


Western Conference
Central Division
Charlotte Checkers (CAR)
Chicago Wolves (STL)
Grand Rapids Griffins (DET)
Iowa Wild (MIN)
Lake Erie Monsters (CBJ)
Manitoba Moose (WPG)
Milwaukee Admirals (NSH)
Rockford IceHogs (CHI)

Pacific Division
Bakersfield Condors (EDM)
Ontario Reign (LA)
San Antonio Rampage (COL)
San Diego Gulls (ANA)
San Jose Barracuda (SJ)
Stockton Heat (CGY)
Texas Stars (DAL)

The format for the 2016 Calder Cup Playoffs will be finalized by the Board of Governors at its Annual Meeting in Hilton Head Island, S.C., July 6-9, and the complete playing schedule for the 2015-16 regular season, which begins Oct. 9, will be announced later this summer.

In operation since 1936, the AHL continues to serve as the top development league for all 30 National Hockey League teams. More than 88 percent of today’s NHL players are American Hockey League graduates, and for the 14th year in a row, more than 6 million fans attended AHL games across North America in 2014-15.

Next Home Game: Wednesday, May 13, Western Conference Semifinals - Game 3, vs. Grand Rapids Griffins. Face-off is at 7 p.m. The IceHogs will return home to the BMO Harris Bank Center for Game 3 when the best-of-seven series shifts to Rockford. The first 2,500 fans will receive a rally towel courtesy of BMO Harris Bank. The festivities will begin prior to puck drop during a Pregame Block Party, sponsored by Swedish American Hospital starting at 4 p.m.