AHL Announces Its Schedule Format

Providence Opponents Determined
July 8, 2009
by T. Chace Jr.

The opponents have been determined, but the dates and times have to wait a bit. The American Hockey League has come out with their format schedule for all their teams, as well as some re-alignments and new teams. The Bridgeport Sound Tigers join the Providence Bruins in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference to make an eight team division.

Here is the complete breakdown of the Providence Bruins' opponents and how many times they will face each other, along with the conference and divisional alignments:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

ATLANTIC DIVISION

PROVIDENCE BRUINS (Boston)
Bridgeport Sound Tigers (New York Islanders) - 3 H, 3 A
Hartford Wolf Pack (New York Rangers) - 5 H, 5 A
Lowell Devils (New Jersey) - 5 H, 5 A
Manchester Monarchs (Los Angeles) - 5 H, 5 A
Portland Pirates (Buffalo) - 4 H, 4 A
Springfield Falcons (Edmonton) - 5 H, 5 A
Worcester Sharks (San Jose) - 5 H, 5 A

EAST DIVISION

Adirondack Phantoms (Philadelphia) - 1 H, 1 A
Albany River Rats (Carolina) - 1 H, 1 A
Binghamton Senators (Ottawa) - 1 H, 1 A
Hershey Bears (Washington) - 1 H, 1 A
Norfolk Admirals (Tampa Bay)
Syracuse Crunch (Columbus) - 1 H, 1 A
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh) - 1 H, 1 A


WESTERN CONFERENCE

NORTH DIVISION

Abbotsford Heat (Calgary) - 2 H, 2 A
Grand Rapid Griffins (Detroit)
Hamilton Bulldogs (Montreal)
Lake Erie Monsters (Colorado)
Manitoba Moose (Vancouver)
Rochester Americans (Florida)
Toronto Marlies (Toronto)

WEST DIVISION
Chicago Wolves (Atlanta)
Houston Aeros (Minnesota)
Milwaukee Admirals (Nashville)
Peoria Rivermen (St. Louis)
Rockford IceHogs (Chicago)
San Antonio Rampage (Phoenix)
Texas Stars (Dallas)


The AHL will continue to feature an Eastern and Western conference. Three new teams join the AHL this upcoming season, including the Texas Stars, Abbotsford Heat, and the Adirondack Phantoms, giving the league a total of 29 clubs vying for the 2010 Calder Cup.