The American Hockey League featured a seven-game Calder Cup championship final between its oldest and newest franchises, a memorable All-Star Classic, and much more in 2023.
Here is a look back at the year that was in 2023 for the NHL’s top developmental league:
Hershey wins a league-record 12th championship
Since becoming the affiliate of the Washington Capitals in 2005, Hershey has been a regular Calder Cup contender.
The AHL’s oldest team has long blended a dedication to winning with top-tier player development for the Capitals. Going into last season, the Washington-Hershey partnership had produced three Calder Cup championships (2006, 2009, and 2010) along with the Capitals’ 2018 Stanley Cup championship. Capitals stalwarts like defenseman John Carlson and goalie Braden Holtby are among the many Hershey alumni who have advanced to find success with Washington and elsewhere in the NHL. Current Capitals coach Spencer Carbery spent three seasons in Hershey before moving on as part of his hockey education.
But Hershey’s latest championship might have been its most dramatic yet. After being outscored 9-0 by Coachella Valley (Seattle Kraken) in the first two games of the best-of-7 Calder Cup Final in June, Hershey won its next three games at home. With a chance to win the series and going back on the road, Hershey lost Game 6 and was trailing 2-0 late in the second period of Game 7.
However, goals from forwards Connor McMichael and Hendrix Lapierre, each of whom is now with the Capitals, tied the game. Those goals helped to set the stage for Mike Vecchione’s series-deciding goal 16:19 into the first overtime. Hershey goalie Hunter Shepard made 45 saves in the Game 7 win. Hershey’s win was the only time a road team won a game in the series.
Shepard was given the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as the most valuable player in the Calder Cup Playoffs. He was 14-6 with a 2.27 goals-against average, a .914 save percentage and three shutouts. Todd Nelson of Hershey won his second Calder Cup championship as a coach to go with one as a player (1994 with Portland) and one as an assistant coach (2008 with Chicago).
Coachella Valley’s playoff journey
After finishing second in the league in its inaugural regular season, Coachella Valley went on a five-round odyssey through the Calder Cup Playoffs.
Coachella Valley faced elimination in each of its first three playoff series against Tucson (Arizona Coyotes), Colorado (Colorado Avalanche), and Calgary (Calgary Flames) only to survive and defeat Milwaukee (Nashville Predators) in the Western Conference Final. Coachella Valley outscored opponents 25-11 in five elimination games.
Goalie Joey Daccord used a standout playoff performance to help earn his full-time promotion to the Kraken. Daccord established AHL playoff records in games (26), minutes (1,647), and shots (823) and finished 15-11 with a 2.22 goals-against-average and .926 save percentage.
Dustin Wolf’s storybook season
Calgary goalie Dustin Wolf continued to collect awards.
A seventh-round pick (No. 214) by the Flames in the 2019 NHL Draft, Wolf’s second pro season featured him leading Calgary to the AHL’s top regular-season record. He led the league with 42 wins and also finished first in GAA (2.09), save percentage (.932), and shutouts (seven). His work earned him awards as the AHL’s top goalie as well as its most valuable player. He also was a member of the First All-Star Team.
His 2022-23 season also featured his NHL debut with the Flames, a 3-1 home win against the San Jose Sharks on April 12. The 22-year-old goalie has split this season between the Flames and the AHL.
A memorable All-Star night
Wolf was part of the 2023 All-Star Classic that Laval (Montreal Canadiens) hosted Feb. 5-6. It was the first time that the AHL had hosted the event in Quebec.
Wolf and Lukas Dostal of San Diego (Anaheim Ducks) were named co-MVPs of the AHL All-Star Challenge after they combined for a shutout in the Pacific Division’s 1-0 win against the Atlantic Division in the event’s championship game.
It was the AHL’s first All-Star event since 2020 after the COVID-19 pandemic had caused cancellations in 2021 and 2022.
Dave Andrews enters AHL Hall of Fame
Long-time AHL president Dave Andrews was inducted into the league hall of fame during the All-Star Classic in February.
Andrew took the job in 1994 and served until June 30, 2020. Along the way he grew the league from 16 teams to 31 teams, emphasized a development-first model, and helped the league absorb six teams from the former International Hockey League. He also expanded the AHL footprint into the West Coast. He remains with the league as the chair of its board of governors.
