The American Hockey League will again have a formidable presence at the IIHF World Junior Championship.

A base of veterans and some bright young talent has Belleville set to compete in the AHL’s North Division.

New Oilers head coach Ken Hitchcock will look to turn the team around, although some players he could be coaching in the near future are still developing in Bakersfield.

The play of Andrew Hammond and Kaapo Kahkonen has made the Iowa Wild one of the AHL’s top storylines early this season.

Some players, like Chicago’s Brooks Macek, take a more scenic route through the AHL to the National Hockey League.

Jacob MacDonald and Brendan Guhle are among the top young defensemen to watch as the AHL season enters its second month.

No position has relied more heavily on development in the American Hockey League than goaltending.

Montreal Canadiens prospects in the AHL learn quickly the scrutiny that awaits if they make the final step to the NHL.

Here are four Western Conference teams with intriguing development storylines to watch during the 2018-19 season.

Belleville’s role in the Ottawa Senators’ rebuild and the Rangers’ European forwards in Hartford are among key storylines in the AHL.