Big-time big league

[Icechipper]

The AHL is on the verge of reestablishing itself as the second-best hockey league in the world.

 

That's a title only achieved earlerier by the AHL or the defunct IHL or long-lost WHA.

 

Foreign teams playing in ski resort towns in Europe be damned, the AHL is poised to be deluged with a flood of young, healthy U.S. College and Canadian Junior players lost in the Covid Shuffle.

 

Last two seasons, the NHL played. Short seasons. Lower-tier leagues in North America were a mess.  Canceled games, flight, condensed schedules, sick teammates -- like a lost generation of poorly scouted talent.

 

NCAA rosters this year are filled with an influx of fifth-year seniors, graduate students and one-time transfers.

 

Meanwhile, the Canadian-U.S. border has reopened, so colleges can scout players to replenish their respective systems. 

 

With fewer North American players overseas, more are headed to the AHL. And the fans are returning to AHL rinks, in some pretty big markets. Teams not in Stanley Cup contention might be wise (cough, cough, Minnesota) to keep their young guns in the AHL. (Like, say Addison, Beckman, Rossi and Boldy, hidden in an Iowa cornfield). Just food for thought. Or fodder, forage, whatever in Des Moines...

 

[Buffalo Rick]

Just checked the standings.  Springfield and Utica are both unbeaten.  Unreal.  Springfield has been in the league a long time as have Hershey and my Rochester Americans.  Rochester is 5-3.  Looks like Krebs played his first game, a loss to Toronto and he was on the ice for one goal against.  Lovely.  I just wonder if him or Quinn get called up this year.  Id say Quinn has the best chance of a call up.  I am starting to think Luukenen will never be the Sabres goalie.  Maybe next year they use one of those 3 number one picks to grab another goalie?  Unless they can find another sleeper out there like they did when they got Hasek.