2010-11 AHL Division Alignment

American Hockey League President and CEO David Andrews announced that the league will operate with an all-time high of 30 active teams in 2010-11, which will also mark the AHL's historic 75th season.

All 30 National Hockey League teams will have their own primary affiliate playing in the AHL next fall. The league's Board of Governors has approved the following division alignment for 2010-11 (NHL affiliates in parentheses):

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division Bridgeport Sound Tigers (New York Islanders) Hartford Wolf Pack (New York Rangers) Manchester Monarchs (Los Angeles Kings) Portland Pirates (Buffalo Sabres) Providence Bruins (Boston Bruins) Springfield Falcons (Columbus Blue Jackets) Worcester Sharks (San Jose Sharks)	Western Conference North Division Abbotsford Heat (Calgary Flames) Grand Rapid Griffins (Detroit Red Wings) Hamilton Bulldogs (Montreal Canadiens) Lake Erie Monsters (Colorado Avalanche) Manitoba Moose (Vancouver Canucks) Rochester Americans (Florida Panthers) Toronto Marlies (Toronto Maple Leafs)
East Division Adirondack Phantoms (Philadelphia Flyers) Albany Devils (New Jersey Devils) Binghamton Senators (Ottawa Senators) Charlotte Checkers (Carolina Hurricanes) Hershey Bears (Washington Capitals) Norfolk Admirals (Tampa Bay Lightning) Syracuse Crunch (Anaheim Ducks) Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh Penguins)	West Division Chicago Wolves (Atlanta Thrashers) Houston Aeros (Minnesota Wild) Milwaukee Admirals (Nashville Predators) Oklahoma City Barons (Edmonton Oilers) Peoria Rivermen (St. Louis Blues) Rockford IceHogs (Chicago Blackhawks) San Antonio Rampage (Phoenix Coyotes) Texas Stars (Dallas Stars)

The format for the 2011 Calder Cup Playoffs will be determined by the Board of Governors at its Annual Meeting in Hilton Head Island, S.C., July 5-8. The complete playing schedule for the 2010-11 regular season, which begins Oct. 8, 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 85 percent of today's NHL players are American Hockey League graduates, and for the ninth year in a row, more than 6 million fans attended AHL games across North America in 2009-10.