Patrick Williams, TheAHL.com Options Author
A degree of standard hockey knowledge very a lot applies to the Charlotte Checkers and the Florida Panthers, their NHL mother or father group.
All different components being equal, ideally an AHL group can tailor its philosophies to its NHL mother or father group. There could be occasions when these aims want some flexibility, given altering personnel and the inexperience that comes with growing younger gamers, so some methods and schemes could have to differ. That is the AHL, and this morning’s roster could look completely different by tonight, so flexibility is paramount for each participant and coach. It’s usually much less concerning the X’s and O’s than it’s about defining philosophies on how one can play, each individually and throughout the group recreation. Some particulars may have altering, however finished proper, these philosophies keep true regardless.
The plan is sensible. Put together gamers within the AHL to play the identical method that they are going to be known as upon to do if and after they advance to the mother or father group. Easy that transition as a lot as potential. They’ll have sufficient to deal with within the NHL, in any case.
The defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers are invested in what occurs in Charlotte, each from a improvement and successful standpoint. Since their first season on the ice as companions in 2021-22, the 2 sides have labored to place collectively a top quality product in Charlotte. They gained an Atlantic Division title in that first marketing campaign collectively, have certified for the Calder Cup Playoffs in all 4 seasons, and this 12 months’s .653 factors share (44-22-3-3) marked the very best report ever for a Florida AHL affiliate.
Successful issues in Charlotte, so the group supplemented the Panthers’ prospect pool with some high quality veterans. In got here ahead John Leonard, who delivered a 36-goal season. Defenseman Trevor Carrick, a fan favourite and Calder Cup winner from his first flip with the Checkers, got here again and completed as an AHL Second All-Star Staff member. Kyle Criscuolo added extra up-front assist. Even in-season additions like C.J. Smith, Kaapo Kähkönen and Jesse Puljujärvi have match properly into head coach Geordie Kinnear’s lineup.
The Checkers play a decent, accountable, playoff-style sort of hockey that has earned appreciable admiration across the league. This isn’t only a Florida affiliate; it’s a group that appears like an extension of the Panthers with robust personalities anchoring an all-in team-first method.
Florida completed fifth through the NHL common season in shots-against per recreation (26.2), seventh in goals-against per recreation (2.72), and twelfth on the penalty kill (80.7 %). The Panthers’ 12 tallies shorthanded put them second within the NHL. In successful the franchise’s first Stanley Cup final 12 months, the Panthers killed off a good 88 % of opposing power-play possibilities. Pictures per recreation? They averaged 31.6, third-best within the NHL.
Charlotte allowed simply 23.3 photographs per recreation within the AHL common season, the fewest within the AHL, and owned the league’s high penalty kill. Furthermore, Charlotte’s 16 shorthanded strikes paced the league. Additionally they know how one can management the puck, ending second within the AHL with 31.8 photographs per recreation within the common season. Their playoff efficiency has solely strengthened, too. The Checkers allowed simply 24.2 photographs per recreation to the P-Bruins, together with a outstanding eight photographs within the deciding Sport 5 final Sunday. The penalty kill continues to excel and dealt with 17 of 19 Windfall possibilities (89.5 %).
Each groups also can combine some additional aggression into their recreation, due to having a powerful penalty kill. Florida (244) and Charlotte (269) every tied for fifth of their respective leagues in occasions shorthanded.
Together with the Dallas Stars and Texas Stars, Florida and Charlotte are the one different NHL-AHL companions nonetheless alive this postseason. The subsequent step in that journey for the Checkers comes tonight after they welcome the back-to-back Calder Cup champion Hershey Bears to Bojangles Coliseum for Sport 1 of the Atlantic Division Finals. Windfall didn’t go house simply; after two Checkers highway wins, the Bruins answered with consecutive victories in Charlotte.
Charlotte’s energy play, which went 1-for-18 towards Windfall, is an space requiring enchancment. Hershey is a large check, a group that has gained an AHL-record 9 consecutive playoff collection, is coming off its personal grind with Lehigh Valley, and is stacked with Calder Cup Playoff expertise – and rings.
However with a possibility to turn out to be the primary Florida affiliate to win a Calder Cup, the Checkers are via to the division last spherical for the primary time in three years. It’s mid-Could, they usually stay very a lot alive. They’ll have the house crowd behind them this weekend earlier than going north to Large Heart for as many as three video games in one of many AHL’s most troublesome environments.
Kinnear, who gained the Calder Cup as a participant with the Albany River Rats in 1995, loves that.
“I positively wasn’t prepared for this one to finish,” Kinnear stated after the Checkers prolonged their season on Sunday. “They’ve been a pleasure all 12 months, so I really feel recent, and I believe they do, too. We simply wish to preserve going as a result of we take pleasure in one another each single day. We now have so much to be taught, and we’re not finished but.”
On the American Hockey League beat for twenty years, TheAHL.com options author Patrick Williams additionally at the moment covers the league for NHL.com and FloSports and is an everyday contributor on SiriusXM NHL Community Radio. He was the recipient of the AHL’s James H. Ellery Memorial Award for his excellent protection of the league in 2016.
