2025–26 AHL season
| 2025–26 AHL season | |
|---|---|
| League | American Hockey League |
| Sport | Ice hockey |
| Duration | October 10, 2025 – April 19, 2026 |
| Regular season | |
| Playoffs | |
| Calder Cup | |
The 2025–26 AHL season is the 90th season of the American Hockey League. The regular season began on October 10, 2025, and will end on April 19, 2026. The 2026 Calder Cup playoffs will follow the conclusion of the regular season.
League changes
[edit]Coaching changes
[edit]| Off–season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Team | 2024–25 coach | 2025–26 coach | Notes |
| Rockford IceHogs | Anders Sorensen Mark Eaton (interim) |
Jared Nightingale | On May 30, 2025, Nightingale was hired as head coach of the IceHogs, having previously served assistant coach from 2021 through 2024.[1] |
| Calgary Wranglers | Trent Cull Joe Cirella (interim) |
Brett Sutter | On December 27, 2024, Cull was called up to serve as assistant coach for the Calgary Flames on an interim basis.[2] He was named full-time assistant coach on May 30, 2025.[3] Following Cull's official promotion, on June 20, Sutter was named head coach of the Wranglers.[4] |
| Iowa Wild | Brett McLean | Greg Cronin | Following the 2024–25 NHL season, McLean was named to the coaching staff of Vancouver's Adam Foote. Cronin was named as head coach of the Wild on June 23, 2025.[5] |
| Bridgeport Islanders | Rick Kowalsky | Rocky Thompson | Kowalsky was relieved as head coach of the Islanders on May 29, 2025.[6] Former Philadelphia Flyers assistant coach Rocky Thompson was hired as his replacement on June 23.[7] |
| Colorado Eagles | Aaron Schneekloth | Mark Letestu | On June 17, 2025, Schneekloth was hired as an assistant coach for the Seattle Kraken.[8] Letestu, who had previously served as assistant coach for the Cleveland Monsters, was hired by the Eagles on July 5.[9] |
| Texas Stars | Neil Graham | Toby Petersen | Following the 2024–25 season NHL season, Graham was promoted to assistant coach with the Dallas Stars. Former Texas and Dallas Star Toby Petersen was named head coach on July 7.[10] |
| Ontario Reign | Marco Sturm | Andrew Lord | Sturm was hired as head coach of the Boston Bruins on June 5, 2025.[11] Following this, on July 11, Ontario hired Andrew Lord as his replacement.[12] |
| Lehigh Valley Phantoms | Ian Laperriere | John Snowden | Former Phantoms assistant coach John Snowden was named head coach on July 8, 2025, following Laperriere's transition to an advisory role within the Philadelphia Flyers' hockey operations department.[13] |
| Hershey Bears | Todd Nelson | Derek King | Nelson was named as an assistant coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins on June 20, 2025.[14] Derek King was named his replacement as head coach for Hershey on August 4.[15] |
| In–season | |||
| Team | Outgoing coach | Incoming coach | Notes |
| Chicago Wolves | Cam Abbott | Spiros Anastas (interim) | Abbott was fired as head coach of the Wolves on December 12, 2025, with Anastas being named interim head coach.[16] |
| Belleville Senators | David Bell | Andrew Campbell (interim) | Bell was fired as head coach of the Senators on December 17, 2025, with Campbell being named interim head coach.[17] |
Standings
[edit] z– Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy (regular season) champion
y– indicates team has clinched division and a playoff spot
x– indicates team has clinched a playoff spot
e– indicates team has been eliminated from playoff contention
Standings as of games through December 14, 2025[18]
Eastern Conference
[edit]| Atlantic Division | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | Pts | Pts% | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (PIT) | 26 | 19 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 39 | .750 | 89 | 61 |
| Providence Bruins (BOS) | 25 | 19 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 39 | .780 | 81 | 53 |
| Lehigh Valley Phantoms (PHI) | 25 | 13 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 29 | .580 | 73 | 73 |
| Charlotte Checkers (FLA) | 23 | 13 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 28 | .609 | 69 | 64 |
| Hershey Bears (WSH) | 24 | 13 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 27 | .563 | 68 | 68 |
| Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR) | 25 | 9 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 22 | .440 | 67 | 83 |
| Bridgeport Islanders (NYI) | 23 | 10 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 22 | .478 | 74 | 79 |
| Springfield Thunderbirds (STL) | 23 | 7 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 19 | .413 | 60 | 81 |
| North Division | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | Pts | Pts% | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laval Rocket (MTL) | 26 | 17 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 35 | .673 | 88 | 64 |
| Syracuse Crunch (TBL) | 25 | 15 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 31 | .620 | 86 | 68 |
| Rochester Americans (BUF) | 26 | 14 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 31 | .596 | 89 | 81 |
| Toronto Marlies (TOR) | 26 | 12 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 26 | .500 | 76 | 85 |
| Belleville Senators (OTT) | 28 | 11 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 25 | .446 | 85 | 105 |
| Cleveland Monsters (CBJ) | 23 | 10 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 24 | .522 | 56 | 62 |
| Utica Comets (NJD) | 23 | 5 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 14 | .304 | 49 | 73 |
Western Conference
[edit]| Central Division | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | Pts | Pts% | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids Griffins (DET) | 24 | 22 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 45 | .938 | 93 | 44 |
| Manitoba Moose (WPG) | 26 | 14 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 30 | .577 | 67 | 71 |
| Chicago Wolves (CAR) | 24 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 29 | .604 | 76 | 71 |
| Milwaukee Admirals (NSH) | 23 | 12 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 26 | .565 | 72 | 66 |
| Rockford IceHogs (CHI) | 27 | 11 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 25 | .463 | 72 | 86 |
| Texas Stars (DAL) | 25 | 8 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 20 | .400 | 61 | 81 |
| Iowa Wild (MIN) | 26 | 7 | 18 | 0 | 1 | 15 | .288 | 53 | 85 |
| Pacific Division | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | Pts | Pts% | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Eagles (COL) | 24 | 17 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 35 | .729 | 79 | 52 |
| San Jose Barracuda (SJS) | 25 | 15 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 32 | .640 | 81 | 80 |
| Ontario Reign (LAK) | 24 | 15 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 31 | .646 | 80 | 68 |
| Calgary Wranglers (CGY) | 28 | 13 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 31 | .554 | 80 | 92 |
| Coachella Valley Firebirds (SEA) | 23 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 29 | .630 | 82 | 77 |
| Bakersfield Condors (EDM) | 24 | 11 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 27 | .563 | 88 | 88 |
| San Diego Gulls (ANA) | 23 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 27 | .587 | 73 | 62 |
| Henderson Silver Knights (VGK) | 23 | 12 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 25 | .543 | 80 | 71 |
| Tucson Roadrunners (UTA) | 24 | 10 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 24 | .500 | 78 | 84 |
| Abbotsford Canucks (VAN) | 26 | 6 | 15 | 2 | 3 | 17 | .327 | 52 | 99 |
Statistical leaders
[edit]Leading skaters
[edit]These are the top ten skaters based on points. If there is a tie in points, goals take precedence over assists; if there is a tie in goals, players with fewer games played take precedence over those with more. Updated following games played on December 14, 2025.[19]
GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/– = P Plus–minus; PIM = Penalty minutes
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jakob Pelletier | Syracuse Crunch | 23 | 15 | 16 | 31 | 5 |
| Laurent Dauphin | Laval Rocket | 25 | 10 | 21 | 31 | 18 |
| John Leonard | Grand Rapids Griffins | 20 | 19 | 10 | 29 | 2 |
| Quinn Hutson | Bakersfield Condors | 24 | 16 | 12 | 28 | 22 |
| Arthur Kaliyev | Belleville Senators | 26 | 17 | 10 | 27 | 12 |
| Patrick Brown | Providence Bruins | 25 | 10 | 17 | 27 | 12 |
| Brett Seney | Rockford IceHogs | 27 | 6 | 21 | 27 | 37 |
| Nick Lardis | Rockford IceHogs | 24 | 13 | 13 | 26 | 10 |
| Martin Frk | Calgary Wranglers | 28 | 11 | 14 | 25 | 36 |
| Seth Griffith | Bakersfield Condors | 24 | 7 | 18 | 25 | 18 |
Leading goaltenders
[edit]This is a combined table of the top five goaltenders based on goals against average and the top five goaltenders based on save percentage with at least 360 minutes played. The table is initially sorted by goals against average, with the criterion for inclusion in bold. Updated following games played on December 14, 2025.[20]
GP = Games played; TOI = Time on ice (in minutes); SA = Shots against; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average; SV% = Save percentage; W = Wins; L = Losses; OT = Overtime/shootout loss
| Player | Team | GP | TOI | SA | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | W | L | OT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sergei Murashov | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins | 11 | 614:47 | 282 | 16 | 2 | 1.56 | .943 | 8 | 2 | 0 |
| Sebastian Cossa | Grand Rapids Griffins | 13 | 775:29 | 345 | 21 | 3 | 1.62 | .939 | 12 | 1 | 0 |
| Michael DiPietro | Providence Bruins | 15 | 851:25 | 416 | 28 | 0 | 1.97 | .933 | 10 | 4 | 0 |
| Isak Posch | Colorado Eagles | 15 | 895:15 | 370 | 30 | 2 | 2.01 | .919 | 11 | 3 | 1 |
| Simon Zajicek | Providence Bruins | 11 | 653:41 | 322 | 22 | 0 | 2.02 | .932 | 9 | 1 | 1 |
Calder Cup playoffs
[edit]Playoff format
[edit]The AHL will continue to use the same playoff format used since 2022. The playoff field will include the top six finishers in the eight-team Atlantic Division, the top five finishers each in the seven-team North and Central Divisions, and the top seven teams in the 10-team Pacific Division. First Round match-ups will be best-of-three series; the two highest seeds in the Atlantic, the three highest seeds in each of the North and Central, and the first-place team in the Pacific will receive byes into the best-of-five Division Semifinals, with the First Round winners re-seeded in each division. The Division Finals will also be best-of-five series, followed by best-of-seven Conference Finals and a best-of-seven Calder Cup Finals series.[21]
References
[edit]- ^ Boysen, Greg (May 30, 2025). "Jared Nightingale Named Rockford IceHogs Head Coach". Chicago Hockey Now. Retrieved October 20, 2025.
- ^ Francis, Eric (December 29, 2024). "Flames Notebook: Huberdeau feeling at his 'best' after dramatic turnaround". SportsNet.
- ^ Gilbertson, Wes (May 30, 2025). "Calgary Flames promote Trent Cull to full-time assistant, announce Brad Larsen will return". Calgary Herald.
- ^ Austin, Daniel (June 20, 2025). "Wranglers name Brett Sutter as new head coach". Calgary Herald. Retrieved October 20, 2025.
- ^ Wingert, Kelby (June 23, 2025). "Iowa Wild hires former Anaheim Ducks head coach". KCCI Des Moines. Retrieved October 20, 2025.
- ^ Williams, Patrick (May 29, 2025). "Mathieu Darche Outlines His Plans For The Bridgeport Islanders". FloHockey. Retrieved October 20, 2025.
- ^ Rosner, Stefen (June 23, 2025). "Islanders Hire Coach Rocky Thompson to Lead Bridgeport Amid Crucial Prospect Development Phase". The Hockey News. Retrieved October 20, 2025.
- ^ Lytle, Kevin (June 17, 2025). "Longtime Colorado Eagles coach, player Aaron Schneekloth leaves for NHL job". Coloradoan. Retrieved October 20, 2025.
- ^ Newland, Jason (July 5, 2025). "Cleveland Monsters Mark Letestu Gets Head Coaching Job With AHLs Colorado Eagles". The Hockey News. Retrieved October 20, 2025.
- ^ "Petersen named head coach of Texas Stars". Pro Hockey News. July 7, 2025. Retrieved October 20, 2025.
- ^ Goss, Nick (June 5, 2025). "A familiar face: Bruins hire ex-player Marco Sturm as new head coach". NBC Sports. Retrieved October 20, 2025.
- ^ Dooley, Zach (July 11, 2025). "Andrew Lord named Head Coach of the Ontario Reign". LA King Insider. Retrieved October 20, 2025.
- ^ Spiegel, Jackie (July 8, 2025). "Flyers officially name John Snowden head coach of AHL Lehigh Valley". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved October 20, 2025.
- ^ Surmacz, Kelsey (June 21, 2025). "Penguins Are Getting Excellent Coach In Todd Nelson". The Hockey News. Retrieved October 20, 2025.
- ^ "Hershey Bears Hire Derek King As New Head Coach". The Hockey News. August 4, 2025. Retrieved October 20, 2025.
- ^ "Canes Relieve Wolves' Cam Abbott Of Duties". Canes.com. December 12, 2025. Retrieved December 17, 2025.
- ^ "Belleville Senators replace David Bell and name Andrew Campbell as interim head coach". BellevilleSens.com. December 17, 2025. Retrieved December 17, 2025.
- ^ "AHL Standings". AHL. Retrieved December 16, 2025.
- ^ "Skater Stats". American Hockey League. Retrieved December 16, 2025.
- ^ "Goalie Stats – Top Goalies". American Hockey League. Retrieved December 16, 2025.
- ^ "2025-26 Qualification Rules". American Hockey League. Retrieved October 23, 2025.