As everyone scurries around to finalize details for NHL camps to open over the next few days, we got a bit of news from the American Hockey League on their restart for 2020-21.
.@TheAHL Board of Governors has approved the structural framework for an AHL season that will begin on February 5, 2021. pic.twitter.com/l5Yk0z2rht
— AHL Communications (@AHLPR) December 30, 2020
The Stockton Heat, the Flames’ primary affiliate, are part of the AHL. Presumably following the Flames’ camp ending on Jan. 12, they would be assigning their cuts to AHL camp in advance of the Feb. 5 start to that league’s season.
The next step will be seeing which teams intend on operating for 2020-21. While the Flames own the Heat outright, as several NHL clubs own their AHL farm teams, several of the AHL’s clubs are independently owned and may not have the financial resources to operate for a season without revenue from fans.
AHL clubs not owned by their NHL parent franchise include:
- Charlotte Checkers
- Chicago Wolves
- Cleveland Monsters
- Colorado Eagles
- Grand Rapids Griffins
- Hershey Bears
- Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Milwaukee Admirals
- Providence Bruins
- Rockford IceHogs
- Springfield Thunderbirds
- Syracuse Crunch
Last word was the Heat were intending to play in 2020-21, but plans can always change.
