The AHL, American Hockey League, Always Hungry League, The Gauntlet, The Farm System…whatever your nickname is for it, begins it’s 87th season tonight with 10 games on schedule to kick the season off.

The first time in the league’s history, there are 32 active teams competing on the ice for the 2022-2023 season. The new kids on the block, Coachella Valley Firebirds, who are the Seattle Kraken minor league affiliate, begin playing on Sunday against the Calgary Wranglers (Formerly known as the Stockton Heat). It is important to note for the first nearly 2 months of Coachella’s season, their games will be on the road due to their arena still being under construction.

As the league returns to a regular schedule, all teams will play at 72 game schedule. At the end 23 teams will be qualified to play in the postseason, when regular season ends on April 16th. Five rounds of playoffs will lead to the 2023 Calder Cup. The playoff field will include 6 teams from the Atlantic, 5 teams from North, 5 teams from the Central, and 7 from the Pacific Division.

Suspensions:

• Charlotte Checkers Goaltender Alex Lyon will have to sit the first 2 games out of the season as a consequence of his actions following the Calder Cup Championship in Springfield in June.

Friday Night 10/14/2022 Games:

• Hartford Wolfpack vs Charlotte Checkers

• Syracuse Crunch vs Cleveland Monsters

• San Diego Gulls vs Grand Rapid Griffins

• Belleville Senators vs Laval Rocket

• Bridgeport Islanders vs Providence Bruins

• Toronto Marlies vs Rochester Americans

• San Jose Barracudda vs Iowa Wild

• Colorado Eagles vs Texas Stars

• Tucson Roadrunners vs Henderson Silver Knights

• Abbotsford Canucks vs Ontario Reign

Saturday 10/15/2022 Games:

• Syracuse Crunch vs Cleveland Monsters

• Rockford Icehogs vs Manitoba Moose

• Rochester Americans vs Toronto Marlies

• Hartford Wolfpack vs Charlotte Checkers

• Tucson Roadrunners vs Henderson Silver Knights

• Lehigh Valley Phantoms vs Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins

• San Diego Gulls vs Grand Rapid Griffins

• Utica Comets vs Hershey Bears

• San Jose Barracudda vs Iowa Wild

• Laval Rocket vs Belleville Senators

• Bridgeport Islanders vs Springfield Thunderbirds

• Milwaukee Admirals vs Chicago Wolves

• Colorado Eagles vs Texas Stars

• Abbotsford Canucks vs Bakersfield Condors

Sunday 10/16/2022 Games

• Coachella Valley Firebirds vs Calgary Wranglers

• Lehigh Valley Phantoms vs Hershey Bears

• Rockford Icehogs vs Manitoba Moose

• Providence Bruins vs Springfield Thunderbirds

• Bakersfield Condors vs Ontario Reign

Monday 10/17/2022 Games

• Wilkes Barre Scranton Penguins vs Utica Comets

• Coachella Valley Firebirds vs Calgary Wranglers

Tuesday 10/18/2022 Games

• Henderson Silver Knights vs Ontario Reign

-Samantha Wismer- Olde City Sports Network/American Beauties- An AHL Podcast

*Photo Credit: theahl.com