Patrick Williams, TheAHL.com Options Author
The Charlotte Checkers are internet hosting the Stanley Cup on Saturday.
Hockey’s most storied trophy will likely be at Bojangles Coliseum when the Checkers tackle Bridgeport as Charlotte celebrates the championship gained by their NHL affiliate, the Florida Panthers, in June.
And the best way the Checkers have been taking part in, they could be making themselves Calder Cup contenders come this spring.
Simply ask the Springfield Thunderbirds, a powerful staff in their very own proper. The Thunderbirds got here to city proudly owning an 8-1-2-0 report of their earlier 11 video games, however the Checkers made a press release of their very own with back-to-back, come-from-behind victories within the groups’ two-game set this week.
Charlotte began 6-1-0-0 and shortly appeared prefer it could possibly be a high contender popping out of the Atlantic Division this season. A November slide wherein they went 1-3-1-2 blunted a few of that early momentum, however a rejuvenated Checkers membership has gained eight of its final 10 video games and sits simply six factors behind first-place Hershey with 4 video games in hand coming into play this weekend.
As anticipated, the Bears with their back-to-back Calder Cup championships look harmful. As so usually appears to be the case, Windfall is surging after a gradual begin. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton appears to be like to be improved after some lean years. However proper within the combine are the Checkers, thanks for an affiliation with the Panthers that has blossomed because it fashioned in 2020.
The identical administration group that helped to construct a Stanley Cup winner in South Florida has utilized that very same excessive commonplace in Charlotte. Shortly after the Panthers had skated the Stanley Cup for the primary time, the group obtained right down to work retooling the Checkers.
Defenseman Trevor Carrick, who gained the Calder Cup with the Checkers in 2019, returned to Charlotte on a two-year AHL contract; he’s second amongst all league blueliners in scoring (24 factors). One other veteran, Jaycob Megna, was added to the again finish, becoming a member of incoming prospects Marek Alscher and Mikulas Hovorka. Tobias Bjornfot, a 2019 first-round decide by the Los Angeles Kings, obtained a recent begin within the Florida group after being claimed on waivers final March; he has grow to be a dependable presence for the Checkers this season. Skilled forwards Kyle Criscuolo and John Leonard signed on with the Checkers. Aidan McDonough, an offseason AHL signing from the Abbotsford Canucks, arrived and is tied for the staff lead with 10 targets. Oliver Okuliar, who had 24 targets final season with Czech staff Mountfield HK, already has 13 factors (seven targets, six assists) in 21 video games for Charlotte.
Florida additionally went out and obtained reliable goaltending insurance coverage, bringing Chris Driedger again to the group as a free agent after he helped to take the Coachella Valley Firebirds to final season’s Calder Cup Finals. Ken Appleby got here south from Bridgeport for an AHL deal in Charlotte and has supplied a further regular hand in internet.
Amid all of these hockey strikes got here off-ice adjustments as effectively. Zawyer Sports activities & Leisure purchased a controlling curiosity within the Checkers in a deal that introduced in new development potential whereas nonetheless sustaining stability. Michael Kahn, the staff’s majority proprietor since 2006, stays within the group as its largest minority associate and the Checkers entrance workplace led by chief working officer Tera Black remained intact.
This Checkers staff is punishing in a number of areas. One-third of the best way by way of their schedule, Charlotte has transformed a outstanding 33.7 p.c of its energy performs (32-for-95). The penalty kill locations seventh within the league at 85.1 p.c, and so they have scored a league-best six shorthanded targets. The Checkers lead the league in scoring, averaging 3.83 targets per recreation, and is first in photographs on aim each for (32.54) and towards (24.75) per contest.
There’s ability all through the lineup, too, one thing that the Checkers have wanted as accidents have hit. On Tuesday it was rookie Ben Steeves whose third-period equalizer arrange an eventual 5-4 shootout victory over Springfield. On Wednesday, Charlotte trailed by two earlier than rallying for a 4-3 win, with one other Steeves aim early within the third interval tying the sport earlier than Wilmer Skoog, a 22-goal scorer final season, pounded in a one-timer within the last minute.
This week’s work left head coach Geordie Kinnear impressed. Not one to dole out reward casually, these Checkers are incomes respect from their head coach, a troublesome, punishing defenseman who got here up by way of the demanding 1990’s-era New Jersey Devils growth system run by Lou Lamoriello that produced one prospect after one other.
“I give the fellows a ton of credit score,” Kinnear informed reporters following Tuesday’s win. “You have a look at alternatives to construct some toughness all year long, and tonight we constructed it.”
Kinnear referred to as Wednesday’s win “gutsy.” It’s been a theme that could possibly be main the Checkers to massive issues this season.
On the American Hockey League beat for 20 years, TheAHL.com options author Patrick Williams additionally at the moment covers the league for NHL.com and FloSports and is a daily 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.
