SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League, in conjunction with the celebration of its 70th anniversary this season, announced today the formation of the American Hockey League Hall of Fame.
"The American Hockey League has a history virtually unmatched outside of major-league sports," said AHL President and CEO David Andrews. "We are proud to be represented by more than 100 alumni who are honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame, and now the creation of an AHL Hall of Fame allows us to recognize, honor and celebrate individuals for their outstanding achievements and contributions specifically in the American Hockey League."
The first class of inductees will be announced in early January, and will be honored as part of the festivities at the 2006 Rbk Hockey AHL All-Star Classic in Winnipeg on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1.
In a unique effort to make the rich tradition of the AHL available to the widest possible audience, the AHL Hall of Fame will be housed on-line at www.ahlhalloffame.com and will be accessible to fans worldwide with the click of a mouse as the newest member of the AHL Internet Network. The Network also includes theahl.com, caldercup.com and all 27 official team sites, and hosts more than 150 million page views each year. The AHL Hall of Fame site will be launched in conjunction with the Feb. 1 induction ceremony.
The AHL Hall of Fame logo, a gold variation on the AHL’s familiar primary logo, can be viewed above.
In operation since 1936, the AHL is celebrating its historic 70th anniversary this season, and continues to serve as the top development league for all 30 National Hockey League teams. Nearly 80 percent of all NHL players today are AHL graduates, and last year more than 7.1 million fans – an all-time league record – attended AHL games across North America.
