AHL ANNOUNCES DIVISION ALIGNMENTS FOR 2009-10
29 Teams To Compete In League's 74th Season
 SPRINGFIELD, Mass. . American Hockey League President and CEO David Andrews announced that the league's Board of Governors has approved the following conference and division alignment for the AHL's 2009-10 season (NHL affiliates in parentheses):
| EASTERN CONFERENCE |
| Atlantic Division |
|
|
East Division |
|
| Bridgeport Sound Tigers |
(NYI) |
|
Adirondack Phantoms |
(PHI) |
| Hartford Wolf Pack |
(NYR) |
|
Albany River Rats |
(CAR) |
| Lowell Devils |
(NJD) |
|
Binghamton Senators |
(OTT) |
| Manchester Monarchs |
(LAK) |
|
Hershey Bears |
(WAS) |
| Portland Pirates |
(BUF) |
|
Norfolk Admirals |
(TB) |
| Providence Bruins |
(BOS) |
|
Syracuse Crunch |
(CLB) |
| Springfield Falcons |
(EDM) |
|
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins |
(PIT) |
| Worcester Sharks |
(SJS) |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
WESTERN CONFERENCE |
| North Division |
|
|
West Division |
|
| Abbotsford Heat |
(CGY) |
|
Chicago Wolves |
(ATL) |
| Grand Rapids Griffins |
(DET) |
|
Houston Aeros |
(MIN) |
| Hamilton Bulldogs |
(MTL) |
|
Milwaukee Admirals |
(NSH) |
| Lake Erie Monsters |
(COL) |
|
Peoria Rivermen |
(STL) |
| Manitoba Moose |
(VAN) |
|
Rockford IceHogs |
(CHI) |
| Rochester Americans |
(FLA) |
|
San Antonio Rampage |
(PHX) |
| Toronto Marlies |
(TOR) |
|
Texas Stars |
(DAL) |
The biggest changes to the alignment affecting the Penguins include the Syracuse Crunch moving to the East Division from the North, and the Bridgeport Sound Tigers leaving the East for the Atlantic.
The 2009-10 regular season will begin on Oct. 2. The complete schedule will be announced later this summer.
In operation since 1936, the AHL continues to serve as the top development league for all 30 National Hockey League teams. More than 84 percent of today's NHL players are American Hockey League graduates, and for the eighth year in a row, more than 6 million fans attended AHL games across North America in 2008-09.
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