SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … As the National Hockey League opens its 2026-27 season, the American Hockey League is proud to have 602 graduates across the NHL’s 32 opening-day active rosters, making up more than 83 percent of the NHL’s initial player pool to begin its campaign.
Many of last year’s notable AHL players have made the jump to the NHL as the new season gets underway, among them reigning AHL MVP and outstanding goaltender Michael DiPietro (Boston); 2025-26 AHL rookie of the year Ilya Protas (Washington); and 2026 AHL All-Stars Frederic Brunet (Boston), Sebastian Cossa (Utah), Luca Del Bel Belluz (Columbus), Adam Engström (Montreal), Conor Geekie (Tampa Bay), Matvei Gridin (Calgary), Konsta Helenius (Buffalo), Kevin Korchinski (Chicago), Nick Lardis (Chicago), Andre Lee (Los Angeles), Sergei Murashov (Pittsburgh), Isak Rosén (Winnipeg), Dmitri Simashev (Utah), Ryan Ufko (Nashville) and Tim Washe (Anaheim).
Twenty-two of the NHL’s 32 head coaches were AHL bench bosses earlier in their careers. Manny Malhotra takes over the bench for the Vancouver Canucks following two seasons at the helm of their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford, where he won a Calder Cup championship in 2025. Ryan Craig is the new head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights after spending the last three years guiding the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights. Additionally, Trent Vogelhuber (Columbus), Mark Letestu (Vegas), Rocky Thompson (New York Islanders), Greg Cronin (St. Louis), Pascal Vincent (Seattle), Ryan Mougenel (Vancouver), Matt McIlvane (Boston) and John Gruden (Toronto) are all new assistant coaches in the NHL after serving as bench bosses in the AHL in 2025-26.
Among the NHL stars who developed their skills in the American Hockey League are 2025-26 Hart Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov and Vezina Trophy winner Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning; Norris Trophy recipient Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets; Stanley Cup champion Logan Stankoven of the Carolina Hurricanes; and 100-point scorers David Pastrnak of the Boston Bruins and Martin Necas of the Colorado Avalanche. Last season, a total of 901 AHL alumni played in the National Hockey League – 87.0 percent of all NHL players – including 334 who skated in both leagues last year alone.
In operation since 1936, the AHL serves as the top development league for the players, coaches, managers, executives, broadcasters and officials of the National Hockey League and its 32 teams. The AHL’s 91st season begins this Friday with Opening Weekend presented by FloHockey.
