September 2003

Phantoms To Compete in Re-Organized AHL.

By Anthony Mingioni

The Philadelphia Phantoms are back in the Eastern Conference after the American Hockey League unveiled a new conference and division alignment and announced the Calder Cup Playoff format for the 2003-04 season after the AHL Board of Governors’ annual meeting July 9 on Hilton Head Island, S.C.

Beginning next season, the AHL has returned to a four-division, two-conference setup, with seven teams in each division. The Phantoms will be playing in the East Division and will maintain their geographic rivalries with the Hershey Bears, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, and the Norfolk Admirals while gaining two New York state teams (Binghamton and Albany), as well the New York Islanders’ affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, who appeared in the Calder Cup Finals two seasons ago.

The league playoff format will echo the NHL’s past when divisional playoffs existed through the ‘80’s and early ‘90’s as the top five teams in each of the four divisions will qualify for the Calder Cup 2004 Playoffs.

In each division, the fourth-place team will face the fifth-place team in a best-of-three qualifying round (4 vs. 5). Each subsequent round will be a best-of-seven. In the division semifinals, the first-place team will face the qualifying winner (1 vs. 4 or 5) and the second-place team will face the third-place team (2 vs. 3) from each division. The division finals will match the semifinal winners within each division, with those winners advancing to their respective conference final. Conference final winners will advance to the Calder Cup 2004 Finals.

There have been arguments over the allowance of so many teams into the postseason. Some have complained that this has led to a watering down of competition in the regular season. However, the AHL is in the business of player development and the new format allows for at least two-thirds of NHL teams prospects to gain valuable postseason experience.

Below are the new conference and divisional realignments:

American Hockey League 2003-2004

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division
Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR)
Lowell Lock Monsters (CAR/CGY)
Manchester Monarchs (LA)
Portland Pirates (WSH)
Providence Bruins (BOS)
Springfield Falcons (PHX)
Worcester IceCats (STL)

East Division
Albany River Rats (NJ)
Binghamton Senators (OTT)
Bridgeport Sound Tigers (NYI)
Hershey Bears (COL/TB)
Norfolk Admirals (CHI)
Philadelphia Phantoms (PHI)
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (PIT)

Western Conference

North Division
Cleveland Barons (SJ)
Hamilton Bulldogs (MTL)
Manitoba Moose (VAN)
Rochester Americans (BUF)
St. John's Maple Leafs (TOR)
Syracuse Crunch (CBJ)
Toronto Roadrunners (EDM)

West Division
Chicago Wolves (ATL)
Cincinnati Mighty Ducks (ANA)
Grand Rapids Griffins (DET)
Houston Aeros (MIN)
Milwaukee Admirals (NSH)=20
San Antonio Rampage (FLA)
Utah Grizzlies (DAL)