With the AHL season canceled, the American Hockey League Board of Directors also canceled the Calder Cup playoffs, which have been held annually since 1937.
Here’s the official announcement from the league with news about the AHL season canceled:
“After a lengthy review process, the American Hockey League has determined that the resumption and completion of the 2019-20 season is not feasible in light of current conditions.
The League’s operational focus has turned toward actively preparing for the 2020-21 season.
We are very grateful to the National Hockey League and its teams for their support and leadership in navigating through the challenges faced over the past two months.
The AHL continues to place paramount importance on the health and safety of our players, officials, staff and fans and all of their families, and we all look forward to returning to our arenas in 2020-21.”
The AHL’s standings – sorted by points percentage – and statistics as of March 12, 2020, are considered final and official, and will serve as the basis for determining league awards for the 2019-20 season.
The AHL was the last minor hockey league to hold out hope that a conclusion to the 2019-2020-season and accompanying playoffs could be scheduled. Dropping the Calder Cup is a huge deal: it’s been awarded annually since 1937. The NHL is also facing the same issue, with the latest plan a 24-team Stanley Cup tourney played in a single market.
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