DAVID A. ANDREWS
PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE
American Hockey League
One Monarch Place – Springfield, MA 01144 Phone: (413) 781-2030 Fax: (413) 733-4767 Dear Fans, It is my great pleasure to welcome you to another exciting season of American Hockey League action. We are proud to be entering our 78th season of continuous play, bringing a tradition of excellence and an entertaining, physical, and highly skilled level of play to more than 6 million hockey fans annually across North America. Once again in 2013-14, there are 30 teams competing for the historic Calder Cup championship and all 30 National Hockey League clubs are developing their top prospects and draft picks in the AHL. Last season more than 270 first- and second-round NHL draft picks competed in the American Hockey League, and 346 players took the ice in both the AHL and the NHL. We continue to be proud of our tradition of developing the best hockey talent in the world, with over 87 percent of today’s NHL players, coaches and officials having honed their skills in the American Hockey League. Our loyal and passionate fans through the years have enjoyed cheering for more than 100 future Hockey Hall of Famers, and have rooted for more than 100 Calder Cup champions who would go on to have their names engraved on the Stanley Cup as well. In this Olympic year we are excited to bring an international twist to our schedule: In December, the Rochester Americans will represent the AHL at the prestigious Spengler Cup tournament in Davos, Switzerland. And in February, Färjestad BK -- one of the top teams in the Swedish Hockey League -- will face off against the AHL’s best at the 2014 AHL All-Star Classic in St. John’s, N.L. We’re pleased to welcome the fans in Iowa and Utica back to the AHL as the Iowa Wild and Utica Comets begin play this fall, joining the rest of the league in looking to dethrone the defending Calder Cup champion Grand Rapids Griffins in the chase for the AHL’s 2014 crown. On behalf of all of our teams, thank you again for your continuing support and I wish you the utmost enjoyment in following your club through what is sure to be another terrific season. Sincerely,
David A. Andrews President & Chief Executive Officer American Hockey League
/TheAHL
theahl.com
@TheAHL
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
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