Goals are scored and games are won on sheets of ice across North America, but the centerpiece of the AHL’s hockey operations department is actually a giant magnetic schedule board hanging on a wall in downtown Springfield, Mass. The making of the 2008-09 AHL schedule is a long process that will culminate when the final product is released sometime around Aug. 1.

Bryan Little may look the same as he did in a powder blue Atlanta Thrashers jersey, but it is a more confident center who is wearing the Chicago Wolves' burgundy and gold as they skate for a berth in the Calder Cup Finals. The same can be said of Boris Valabik. For two of the franchise's top prospects, there's still plenty of hockey to be played... More AHL On The Beat

Eight days ago, Syracuse looked like an elephant burial ground for the Toronto Marlies. They had lost their first two home games, they were heading to a hostile arena and they were averaging less than two goals per playoff game. But four wins in five games, including Monday’s 3-2 win over the Syracuse Crunch, fixed things nicely... More AHL On The Beat

Alaska. It may be one of the few places on Earth where you might come face to face with a polar bear or get a chance to go kayaking through a glacier. It’s also the perfect place to become a hockey player. Just ask Syracuse Crunch defenseman Clay Wilson, a 2008 AHL All-Star. “There are outdoor rinks everywhere in Alaska,” Wilson said... More AHL On The Beat