It’s getting late.
This concept applies to several AHL teams just over two months into the regular season.
On December 19 of last season, the Bridgeport Islanders, Laval Rocket, Chicago Wolves and Bakersfield Condors were all at the bottom of their respective conferences. Of those four teams, only the Condors made it to the Calder Cup playoffs. LaVar managed to stay in playoff contention until the final weekend of the regular season, but the Rockets came out strong in the second half to get back into contention.
A year later, some teams are off to a slow start, putting their season and playoff chances in jeopardy. This is bad news for them. The good news for these clubs is that the AHL’s expanded 23-team playoff field does provide opportunities for teams that don’t get off to a slow start. This is also a league with constant, intense rivalries between division rivals. Those two elements could allow the team to pick up the slack, especially with four months left in the game.
As long as we make the playoffs, anything can happen.
Bridgeport Islanders (5-17-2-2 – 14 points out of playoff spot, one win less)
Maybe the Islanders will have something to build on after a rough start.
That thought made sense when they visited Hershey in mid-November and beat the defending Calder Cup champions 6-1. One night later, they lost 5-2 to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. For a team that’s off to a 2-9-1-1 start, this is a weekend that could change the entire season.
However, this did not happen. Since that weekend, the team’s record is 1-8, 1-1, and the season is in jeopardy. The calendar isn’t slowing down either, with a pair of games this weekend in Charlotte against a Checkers team that has been doing well this month.
As always, veteran Chris Terry was outstanding. In his second run through Bridgeport, he tied with Brian Pinho with 21 points. Pinho has been equally impressive with 14 goals in 26 games after scoring nine last season. But the team needs prospects to start producing. Matthew Maggio has one goal in 24 games after scoring 16 in his rookie season. William Dufour scored 21 goals in his rookie season in 2022-23 and has 4 goals in 23 games this season.
However, management has been proactive. The team re-signed guard Seth Helgeson and then added veteran forward Gemmell Smith.
Henderson Silver Knights (6-19-0-0 – 15 points out of playoff spot with two games remaining)
On paper, the Silver Knights appear to have it all.
A state-of-the-art arena coupled with state-of-the-art practice facilities. Adjacent to the NHL’s parent team, the Vegas Golden Knights. This provides teams and players with easy player movement so they don’t have to be hauled far away if they are sent to the AHL.
On the ice, however, victory was yet to come. The team has missed the Calder Cup playoffs the past two seasons and is already in jeopardy this season. The Golden Knights had to give up top prospects and draft picks in order to compete for the Stanley Cup. Other options simply didn’t work. 2021 second-round pick defenseman Daniil Chayka left the team this month for the KHL. Another blueliner, Lukas Cormier, has been sidelined for the first two months of the season.
2024 Henderson Silver Knights vs Calgary Wranglers
With rookies and draft picks having been sent elsewhere and a limited number of prospects within the organization, the Silver Knights have been unable to thrive at a young age. Their veteran additions have largely yet to find their game. The Silver Knights have yet to score a goal, and all four goalies they use have save percentages below .900.
They bounced back briefly with a win at Coachella Valley to open the season in December and a home win over the Texas Stars, but have mired in 11 straight losses in their last 13 games. They also face a tough series of games against Calgary (starting Friday), San Jose and Ontario. Once January begins, they will play nine away games out of 11 games.
Manitoba Moose (6-16-0-1 – 10 points out of playoff spot, two games remaining)
Thursday brought some potentially good news for the Moose, as defenseman Dylan Coghlan cleared waivers, making him eligible to join the Winnipeg Jets if they decide to take that route. Team.
The Moose were 3-3-0-0 at one point. Not great, but certainly not jeopardizing their season. Even with a 6-9-0-0 record as of Nov. 23, the team has plenty of room to bounce back and get back into contention.
From there, however, the season began to fall apart. They have lost all four of their home games, taking just one point in a penalty shootout loss to Belleville on 7 December. In two games against Abbotsford, they were eliminated in both games. Prior to that game, the Moose had given up a combined 12 goals in two games in Calgary.
Now the Moose have their traditional family-oriented vacation schedule. First up will be a pair of games against the Rockford IceHogs. The Stars will visit the Canadian Life Center to wrap up their final two games of 2024. But after a home break, the Moose will return to the road with stops in Calgary, Milwaukee and Grand Rapids as part of a rigorous January schedule.
The Moose rank 31st in the AHL with 2.26 goals per game. Their power play and penalty kill also rank in the bottom third of the AHL.
Utica Comets (6-14-1-2 – 14 points out of playoff spot, 3 games remaining)
Opponents underestimate the Comets at their own peril.
The Comets have pulled off an impressive win for a club that has been winless in its previous 13 games. At one point in late November, they had two wins against Providence and Springfield, two of the better AHL teams, in the first third of the season. They traveled to Cleveland on Wednesday night and won 3-2 on Adam Beckman’s two goals and Isaac Poulter’s 28 saves.
The problem is that these impressive wins have been punctuated by a series of losses. After a 13-game skid early in the season, the Comets won their next five games. But since the streak ended, they’ve lost their next five games. After such a poor start, this team will need continued work to get into contention. Although Utica is a top-10 team, it ranks last in the AHL in goals per game at 2.13, and that has to change. Desperately need scoring help.
They have the entire weekend off and don’t resume play until Dec. 27, when they open a home series against Rochester. That game against Amerkes begins seven of 10 home games, and the Comets are just 1-7-0-2 so far.
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