Yesterday, the American Hockey League (AHL) announced its plans for the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons. The news comes weeks after the league wrapped up its bumpy COVID season where three teams—including the Milwaukee Admirals—did not play and league executives faced backlash from Pacific Division players after they were the only division to host a postseason tournament.
Prior to the 2020-21 season, each AHL team played 76 games per season, except for the Pacific Division which played 68-game seasons. Next year, ten teams will play a 76-game schedule, 12 teams will play a 72-game season, and nine teams will play a 68-game season:
2021-22 AHL Season Schedule
| Chicago (CAR) | Belleville (OTT) | Abbotsford (VAN) |
| Cleveland (CBJ) | Bridgeport (NYI) | Bakersfield (EDM) |
| Grand Rapids (DET) | Charlotte (FLA) | Colorado (COL) |
| Hershey (WSH) | Hartford (NYR) | Henderson (VGK) |
| Lehigh Valley (PHI) | Iowa (MIN) | Ontario (LAK) |
| Milwaukee (NSH) | Laval (MTL) | San Diego (ANA) |
| Rochester (BUF) | Manitoba (WPG) | San Jose (SJS) |
| Springfield (STL) | Providence (BOS) | Stockton (CGY) |
| Syracuse (TBL) | Rockford (CHI) | Tucson (ARI) |
| Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (PIT) | Texas (DAL) | |
| Toronto (TOR) | ||
| Utica (NJD) |
Next year, the league’s 31 teams will return to the four-division set-up: North (7), Central (7), Pacific (9), and Atlantic (8).