While rumors and potential details still swirl about a possible resumption of the 2019-20 NHL season, its top affiliate has officially closed the book on the remainder of the year.
League president David Andrews announced Monday that the AHL Board of Governors has voted to cancel the rest of the season and Calder Cup Playoffs amid the COVID-19 Pandemic.
“After a lengthy review process, the American Hockey League has determined that the resumption and completion of the 2019-20 season is not feasible in light of current conditions,” Andrews said in an official release from the AHL. The League’s operational focus has turned toward actively preparing for the 2020-21 season.
“We are very grateful to the National Hockey League and its teams for their support and leadership in navigating through the challenges faced over the past two months. “The AHL continues to place paramount importance on the health and safety of our players, officials, staff and fans and all of their families, and we all look forward to returning to our arenas in 2020-21.”
The release also states the current AHL standings (based on points percentage) for the 2019-20 season are considered final and will be used to determine team awards.
This announcement could be of particular interest for Hurricanes fans, as a recent report from the News & Observer that the team is moving closer to switching its AHL affiliate from the Charlotte Checkers to the Chicago Wolves stated that such a move could become official after the AHL season was cancelled.