Patrick Williams, TheAHL.com Options Author
Some extent of standard hockey knowledge very a lot applies to the Charlotte Checkers and the Florida Panthers, their NHL dad or mum group.
All different parts being equal, ideally an AHL group can tailor its philosophies to its NHL dad or mum group. There might be occasions when these aims want some flexibility, given altering personnel and the inexperience that comes with creating younger gamers, so some programs and schemes could have to differ. That is the AHL, and this morning’s roster could look completely different by tonight, so flexibility is paramount for each participant and coach. It’s typically much less concerning the X’s and O’s than it’s about defining philosophies on easy methods to play, each individually and inside the group sport. Some particulars may have altering, however carried out proper, these philosophies keep true regardless.
The plan is sensible. Put together gamers within the AHL to play the identical means that they are going to be referred to as upon to do if and after they advance to the dad or mum group. Clean that transition as a lot as attainable. They may have sufficient to deal with within the NHL, in spite of everything.
The defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers are invested in what occurs in Charlotte, each from a growth and profitable standpoint. Since their first season on the ice as companions in 2021-22, the 2 sides have labored to place collectively a top quality product in Charlotte. They received an Atlantic Division title in that first marketing campaign collectively, have certified for the Calder Cup Playoffs in all 4 seasons, and this 12 months’s .653 factors share (44-22-3-3) marked the most effective file ever for a Florida AHL affiliate.
Successful issues in Charlotte, so the group supplemented the Panthers’ prospect pool with some high quality veterans. In got here ahead John Leonard, who delivered a 36-goal season. Defenseman Trevor Carrick, a fan favourite and Calder Cup winner from his first flip with the Checkers, got here again and completed as an AHL Second All-Star Group member. Kyle Criscuolo added extra up-front assist. Even in-season additions like C.J. Smith, Kaapo Kähkönen and Jesse Puljujärvi have match effectively into head coach Geordie Kinnear’s lineup.
The Checkers play a decent, accountable, playoff-style kind of hockey that has earned appreciable admiration across the league. This isn’t only a Florida affiliate; it’s a group that appears like an extension of the Panthers with robust personalities anchoring an all-in team-first method.
Florida completed fifth through the NHL common season in shots-against per sport (26.2), seventh in goals-against per sport (2.72), and twelfth on the penalty kill (80.7 p.c). The Panthers’ 12 tallies shorthanded put them second within the NHL. In profitable the franchise’s first Stanley Cup final 12 months, the Panthers killed off a fair 88 p.c of opposing power-play possibilities. Pictures per sport? They averaged 31.6, third-best within the NHL.
Charlotte allowed simply 23.3 pictures per sport within the AHL common season, the fewest within the AHL, and owned the league’s prime penalty kill. Furthermore, Charlotte’s 16 shorthanded strikes paced the league. In addition they know easy methods to management the puck, ending second within the AHL with 31.8 pictures per sport within the common season. Their playoff efficiency has solely strengthened, too. The Checkers allowed simply 24.2 pictures per sport to the P-Bruins, together with a exceptional eight pictures within the deciding Recreation 5 final Sunday. The penalty kill continues to excel and dealt with 17 of 19 Windfall possibilities (89.5 p.c).
Each groups also can combine some additional aggression into their sport, because of having a robust penalty kill. Florida (244) and Charlotte (269) every tied for fifth of their respective leagues in occasions shorthanded.
Together with the Dallas Stars and Texas Stars, Florida and Charlotte are the one different NHL-AHL companions nonetheless alive this postseason. The subsequent step in that journey for the Checkers comes tonight after they welcome the back-to-back Calder Cup champion Hershey Bears to Bojangles Coliseum for Recreation 1 of the Atlantic Division Finals. Windfall didn’t go residence simply; after two Checkers highway wins, the Bruins answered with consecutive victories in Charlotte.
Charlotte’s energy play, which went 1-for-18 towards Windfall, is an space requiring enchancment. Hershey is an enormous take a look at, a group that has received an AHL-record 9 consecutive playoff collection, is coming off its personal grind with Lehigh Valley, and is stacked with Calder Cup Playoff expertise – and rings.
However with a possibility to turn out to be the primary Florida affiliate to win a Calder Cup, the Checkers are by means of to the division closing spherical for the primary time in three years. It’s mid-Could, and so they stay very a lot alive. They’ll have the house crowd behind them this weekend earlier than going north to Big Heart for as many as three video games in one of many AHL’s most tough environments.
Kinnear, who received the Calder Cup as a participant with the Albany River Rats in 1995, loves that.
“I undoubtedly wasn’t prepared for this one to finish,” Kinnear said after the Checkers prolonged their season on Sunday. “They’ve been a pleasure all 12 months, so I really feel recent, and I feel they do, too. We simply need to preserve going as a result of we take pleasure in one another each single day. We’ve quite a bit to study, and we’re not carried out but.”
On the American Hockey League beat for twenty years, TheAHL.com options author Patrick Williams additionally at present 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.
