Providence's Atlantic Division Back To Seven Teams

AHL Announces Division Alignment for 2010
June 20, 2010

Providence, RI - The Providence Bruins, entering their 19th season in the American Hockey League, announced today that they will be a part of a seven-team Atlantic Division when the AHL opens the 2010-11 season. The league will operate with an all-time high of 30 teams in its historic 75th campaign as all 30 National Hockey League clubs will be represented by their own primary AHL affiliate.

After the Atlantic Division grew to eight teams in 2009-10 with the addition of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, it is now back to seven squads with the loss of the Lowell Devils. The P-Bruins will play the majority of their games against Bridgeport, the Hartford Wolf Pack, the Manchester Monarchs, the Portland Pirates, the Springfield Falcons and the Worcester Sharks.

Below is a complete list of the new 2010-11 conferences and divisions, as well as the NHL affiliates of the teams involved.

Eastern Conference:

Atlantic Division - Providence (Boston Bruins), Bridgeport (New York Islanders), Hartford (New York Rangers), Manchester (Los Angeles Kings), Portland (Buffalo Sabres), Springfield (Columbus Blue Jackets) and Worcester (San Jose Sharks)

East Division - Adirondack Phantoms (Philadelphia Flyers), Albany Devils (New Jersey Devils), Binghamton Senators (Ottawa Senators), Charlotte Checkers (Carolina Hurricanes), Hershey Bears (Washington Capitals), Norfolk Admirals (Tampa Bay Lightning), Syracuse Crunch (Anaheim Ducks) and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh Penguins)

Western Conference:

North Division - Abbotsford Heat (Calgary Flames), Grand Rapids Griffins (Detroit Red Wings), Hamilton Bulldogs (Montreal Canadiens), Lake Erie Monsters (Colorado Avalanche), Manitoba Moose (Vancouver Canucks), Rochester Americans (Florida Panthers) and Toronto Marlies (Toronto Maple Leafs)

West Division - Chicago Wolves (Atlanta Thrashers), Houston Aeros (Minnesota Wild), Milwaukee Admirals (Nashville Predators), Oklahoma City Barons (Edmonton Oilers), Peoria Rivermen (St. Louis Blues), Rockford IceHogs (Chicago Blackhawks), San Antonio Rampage (Phoenix Coyotes) and Texas Stars (Dallas Stars)

The 2010-11 regular season will begin on October 8 with Providence hosting Springfield at the Dunkin' Donuts Center. The complete schedule will be announced later this summer.

*Information gathered from www.providencebruins.com

Providence To Open 75th AHL Season

P-BRUINS TO OPEN 2010-11 SEASON AT THE DUNK
Providence Will Begin Campaign with Springfield on October 8
June 8, 2010

Providence, RI - The Providence Bruins, entering their 19th season in the American Hockey League, announced today that they will open the 2010-11 season on Friday, October 8 with a home-and-home series against the Springfield Falcons.

The P-Bruins will host the season opener that night at the Dunkin' Donuts Center and then will travel to face the Falcons on Saturday, October 9 at the MassMutual Center.

As part of the AHL's 75th anniversary celebration, the P-Bruins will wear throwback Rhode Island Reds jerseys for both games, while the Falcons will wear throwback Springfield Indians jerseys.

Throughout the season, Providence will pay tribute to the Reds and the AHL's 75 seasons with theme nights, special jerseys, jerseys auctions and promotional nights, honoring the squad that played in Rhode Island from 1926 through 1977, winning three Fontaine Cups and four Calder Cups.

The AHL will celebrate its storied history in 2010-11 with a special new logo, new merchandise, new jerseys and a return to an East versus West All-Star Classic format for the first time since 1942. The 2011 AHL All-Star Classic, which will pit players from each of the AHL's two conferences against each other, will take place at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania, on January 30-31.

*Information gathered from http://www.providencebruins.com/