The American Hockey League will not name a league champion or award the Calder Cup at the end of the 2020-21 season, forgoing a standard postseason due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
It marks the second year the AHL will not award the Calder Cup, once the longest continually awarded trophy in professional hockey, after the 2020 Calder Cup Playoffs were canceled at the beginning of the global health crisis.
The AHL — the NHL’s top minor league — left decisions for whether to hold a postseason up to each of the five divisions in play this season. Only the Pacific Division decided it will play a playoff tournament, with a format to be determined later, to crown a division champion.
The Atlantic, North, Central and Canadian Divisions will not hold a postseason and instead determine division champions based on regular-season points percentage.
“While we are disappointed that we will not be able to award the Calder Cup this spring, we are grateful to have been able to provide a safe and competitive environment for more than 1,000 players to play AHL hockey and continue their development,” AHL president and CEO Scott Howson said in a statement.
“We’re especially thankful for the work done by our athletic trainers, COVID-19 officers and other front-line workers to ensure the health and safety of all of our players and staff throughout the league.”
–Field Level Media
