2014-15 AHL schedule unveiled

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League today released the complete schedule of regular-season games for the 2014-15 season, the league’s 79th year of operation. The season, comprising 1,140 games, begins on Fri., Oct. 10 and concludes on Sun., Apr. 19; each of the league’s 30 clubs will play 76 games, 38 at home and 38 on the road.

2014-15 team-by-team schedules (PDF)
2014-15 day-by-day schedules (PDF)
2014-15 LeagueStat schedules

Some highlights of the 2014-15 schedule:

• The 2014-15 regular season begins with five games on Oct. 10, including the debut of the Adirondack Flames, the new primary affiliate of the NHL’s Calgary Flames. After visiting the Rochester Americans on opening night, Adirondack opens its home schedule at the Glens Falls Civic Center on Oct. 11 vs. Albany.

• The Lehigh Valley Phantoms begin their first season in Allentown, Pa., on Oct. 11 when they visit the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The top development team of the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers makes its home debut at the brand-new PPL Center in downtown Allentown on Oct. 17 vs. Adirondack.

• The 2014 Calder Cup champion Texas Stars begin their title defense at the Cedar Park Center on Oct. 11 when they host the Iowa Wild. The St. John’s IceCaps, defending Eastern Conference champions, open the season with a three-game road trip before hosting Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Oct. 17.

• The Syracuse Crunch will look to set a professional hockey indoor attendance record on Nov. 22 when they host the Utica Comets in the Toyota Frozen Dome Classic at the Carrier Dome on the campus of Syracuse University.

• The 2015 AHL All-Star Classic will take place Sun., Jan. 25 and Mon., Jan. 26. Details on the event will be announced soon.

• There are five nights on which all 30 AHL teams are in action: Sat., Oct. 18; Fri., Nov. 14; Sat., Mar. 21; Fri., Apr. 17; and Sat., Apr. 18.

The 2015 Calder Cup Playoffs will once again see eight teams from each conference qualify for the postseason: the three division winners plus the next five teams with the best records.

As announced last month, the 2014-15 season will feature some new rules, most notably the extension of regular-season overtime to a seven-minute period that will include three-on-three play for as much as four minutes.

The American Hockey League was officially born in 1936 when the Canadian-American Hockey League and the International Hockey League merged to form the International-American Hockey League (the “International” would be dropped from the league’s name in 1940). The AHL continues to serve as the top development league for the players, coaches, managers, executives, broadcasters and staff of all 30 National Hockey League teams. More than 88 percent of today’s NHL players are American Hockey League graduates, and for the 13th year in a row, more than 6 million fans attended AHL games across North America in 2013-14. Through the years, the AHL has been home to more than 100 future members of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

The entire 2014-15 AHL regular season schedule is available for viewing at theahl.com