2016–17 AHL season

The 2016–17 AHL season was the 81st season of the American Hockey League. The regular season began on October 14, 2016, and ended on April 15, 2017. The 2017 Calder Cup playoffs began on April 20, 2017.

2016–17 AHL season
LeagueAmerican Hockey League
SportIce hockey
DurationOctober 14, 2016 - April 15, 2017
Regular season
Macgregor Kilpatrick TrophyWilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Season MVPKenny Agostino
Top scorerKenny Agostino
Playoffs
Eastern Conference championsSyracuse Crunch
  Eastern Conference runners-upProvidence Bruins
Western Conference championsGrand Rapids Griffins
  Western Conference runners-upSan Jose Barracuda
Playoffs MVPTyler Bertuzzi
Calder Cup
ChampionsGrand Rapids Griffins
  Runners-upSyracuse Crunch

Regular season

The AHL had a slight alignment shift with the addition of the Tucson Roadrunners to the one-year-old Pacific Division, bringing the division member total up to eight. It also created an unbalanced conference alignment with the Western Conference having 16 members and the Eastern Conference containing 14 members.[1] Similar to the season scheduling in the previous season, the five California based teams, plus the new Tucson team, continue to play a 68-game season while the rest of the AHL teams play a 76-game season.

The AHL also changed the usage of home and away jerseys for the season. Before the Christmas break, home teams wear light jerseys and after the Christmas break, home teams wear dark jerseys. For the past several seasons, the visiting team wore light jerseys and the home team wore dark jerseys. Prior to the change in 2003, it was the opposite for many years.

Rule changes

The Board of Governors implemented some changes to further curb fighting in hockey. To prevent staged fights, any players involved in a fight prior to or immediately after a faceoff would be given a game misconduct which results in the player being ejected from the game. If a player accumulates ten fighting major penalties, the player would be suspended for one game following the tenth penalty and then suspended for one game after each subsequent fighting major penalty. If a player accumulates 14 fighting majors, the number of games suspended increases to two for each subsequent fighting major. Accumulated fighting majors do not include instances where the opposing player was assessed an instigator penalty.[1]

Team changes

Relocations

Renamed

Playoff format

The 2017 playoff format retained a similar divisional format to the 2016 Calder Cup playoffs. The revised playoff format was finalized at the Annual Board of Governors meeting that took place July 2016. During the regular season, teams receive two points for a win and one point for an overtime or shootout loss. The top four teams in each division ranked by points percentage (points earned divided by points available) qualify for the 2017 Calder Cup Playoffs. The 2017 playoffs removed the divisional fifth-place qualifier exception used by the NHL and the AHL in 2015–16.

The 2017 Calder Cup Playoffs features a divisional playoff format, leading to conference finals and ultimately the Calder Cup Finals. The division semifinals are best-of-five series; all subsequent rounds are best-of-seven.[1]

Standings

Final standings[6]
 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

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division GP W L OTL SOL Pts Pts% GF GA
y–Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (PIT)76512032107.704247170
x–Lehigh Valley Phantoms (PHI)76482350101.664260219
x–Hershey Bears (WSH)7643228397.638252211
x–Providence Bruins (BOS)7643236496.632229188
e–Bridgeport Sound Tigers (NYI)7644283192.605220212
e–Springfield Thunderbirds (FLA)7632339275.493197206
e–Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR)7624464254.355194280
North Division GP W L OTL SOL Pts Pts% GF GA
y–Syracuse Crunch (TB)7638247790.592232227
x–Toronto Marlies (TOR)7642294189.586245207
x–Albany Devils (NJ)7639322383.546204206
x–St. John's IceCaps (MTL)7636308282.539216220
e–Utica Comets (VAN)7635327279.520195220
e–Rochester Americans (BUF)7632410367.441205240
e–Binghamton Senators (OTT)7628442260.395190266

Western Conference

Central Division GP W L OTL SOL Pts Pts% GF GA
y–Chicago Wolves (STL)76441985101.664251200
x–Grand Rapids Griffins (DET)76472315100.658251190
x–Milwaukee Admirals (NSH)7643264395.612225215
x–Charlotte Checkers (CAR)7639297186.566212208
e–Cleveland Monsters (CBJ)7639294486.566195198
e–Iowa Wild (MIN)7636317281.533182196
e–Manitoba Moose (WPG)7629375568.447197242
e–Rockford IceHogs (CHI)7625399362.408175246
Pacific Division GP W L OTL SOL Pts Pts% GF GA
y–San Jose Barracuda (SJ)6843164595.699232176
x–San Diego Gulls (ANA)6843203291.669221178
x–Ontario Reign (LA)68362110183.610199190
x–Stockton Heat (CGY)6834257277.566212192
e–Bakersfield Condors (EDM)6833295172.529200188
e–Tucson Roadrunners (ARI)6829318066.485187237
e–Texas Stars (DAL)7634371473.480224265
e–San Antonio Rampage (COL)7627425261.401184240

Statistical leaders

Leading skaters

The following players are sorted by points, then goals. Updated as of April 14, 2017.[7]

GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/– = Plus-minus; PIM = Penalty minutes

Player Team GP G A Pts PIM
Kenny Agostino Chicago Wolves 6524598348
Chris Terry St. John's IceCaps 5830386836
Chris Mueller Tucson Roadrunners 6819486748
Wade Megan Chicago Wolves 7333336657
Taylor Beck Bakersfield/Hartford 5619476624
Cole Schneider Rochester Americans 7124396345
Travis Boyd Hershey Bears 7616476316
T. J. Brennan Lehigh Valley Phantoms 76213960101
Chris Bourque Hershey Bears 7618426046
Cory Conacher Syracuse Crunch 56174360113

Leading goaltenders

The following goaltenders with a minimum 1500 minutes played lead the league in goals against average. Updated as of April 15, 2017.[8]

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 GPTOISAGASOGAASV%WLOT
Casey DeSmithWilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 291730:357875812.01.9262153
Zane McIntyreProvidence Bruins 311777:138596022.03.9302162
Troy GrosenickSan Jose Barracuda 492728:48125593102.04.92630105
Tristan JarryWilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 452706:4913009732.15.92528152
Jaroslav HalakBridgeport Sound Tigers 271535:597335522.15.9251773

Calder Cup playoffs

Division semifinals Division finals Conference finals Calder Cup final
            
A1 W-B/Scranton 2
A4 Providence 3
A4 Providence 4
Atlantic Division
A3 Hershey 3
A2 Lehigh Valley 2
A3 Hershey 3
A4 Providence 1
Eastern Conference
N1 Syracuse 4
N1 Syracuse 3
N4 St. John's 1
N1 Syracuse 4
North Division
N2 Toronto 3
N2 Toronto 3
N3 Albany 1
N1 Syracuse 2
C2 Grand Rapids 4
C1 Chicago 3
C4 Charlotte 2
C1 Chicago 1
Central Division
C2 Grand Rapids 4
C2 Grand Rapids 3
C3 Milwaukee 0
C2 Grand Rapids 4
Western Conference
P1 San Jose 1
P1 San Jose 3
P4 Stockton 2
P1 San Jose 4
Pacific Division
P2 San Diego 1
P2 San Diego 3
P3 Ontario 2

AHL awards

Calder Cup : Grand Rapids Griffins
Les Cunningham Award : Kenny Agostino, Chicago
John B. Sollenberger Trophy : Kenny Agostino, Chicago
Willie Marshall Award : Wade Megan, Chicago
Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award : Danny O'Regan, San Jose
Eddie Shore Award : Matt Taormina, Syracuse
Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award : Troy Grosenick, San Jose
Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award : Tristan Jarry & Casey DeSmith, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
Louis A. R. Pieri Memorial Award : Roy Sommer, San Jose
Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award : Craig Cunningham, Tucson
Yanick Dupre Memorial Award : A. J. Greer, San Antonio
Jack A. Butterfield Trophy : Tyler Bertuzzi, Grand Rapids
Richard F. Canning Trophy : Syracuse Crunch
Robert W. Clarke Trophy : Grand Rapids Griffins
Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Frank Mathers Trophy (Eastern Conference regular season champions): Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Norman R. "Bud" Poile Trophy (Western Conference regular season champions): San Jose Barracuda
Emile Francis Trophy (Atlantic Division regular season champions): Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
F. G. "Teddy" Oke Trophy (North Division regular season champions): Syracuse Crunch
Sam Pollock Trophy (Central Division regular season champions): Chicago Wolves
John D. Chick Trophy (Pacific Division regular season champions): San Jose Barracuda
James C. Hendy Memorial Award: Jim Brooks and Rob Brooks, Lehigh Valley
Thomas Ebright Memorial Award: Craig Heisinger, Manitoba
James H. Ellery Memorial Awards: Service Electric 2 Sports, Lehigh Valley
Ken McKenzie Award: Marc Lira, Toronto
Michael Condon Memorial Award: Kevin Hastings
President's Awards: Organization – San Diego

All-Star Teams

First All-Star Team[9]

Second All-Star Team[9]

All-Rookie Team[10]

See also

References

Preceded by
2015–16
AHL seasons Succeeded by
2017–18
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