Patrick WilliamsTheAHL.com Features Writer
The Charlotte Checkers will host the Stanley Cup on Saturday.
Hockey's most storied trophy will be held at Bojangles Coliseum when the Checkers take on Bridgeport, while Charlotte will celebrate a championship win with its NHL affiliate, the Florida Panthers, in June.
The way the Checkers have been playing, they will likely be a Calder Trophy contender this spring.
Just ask the Springfield Thunderbirds, a strong team in their own right. The Thunderbirds had an 8-1-2 record in their previous 11 games, but the Checkers proved their quality with back-to-back, come-from-behind wins in two games scheduled this week.
Charlotte started the season with a 6-1-0-0 record and quickly looked like it might be a top contender in the Atlantic Division this season. A slump to 1-3-1-2 in November sapped their early momentum, but the rejuvenated Checkers club has won eight of its last 10 games and has four games remaining. Just 6 points behind first place Hershey plays this weekend.
As expected, the Bruins, back-to-back Calder Cup champions, looked dangerous. As is so often the case, Providence is on the rise after a slow start. After some down years, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton looks to be improving. But the Checkers are also among them, thanks to their partnership with the Panthers since their inception in 2020.
The same management team that helped build a Stanley Cup championship in South Florida applies the same high standards in Charlotte. Shortly after the Panthers made their first Stanley Cup appearance, the organization began working on revamping the Checkers.
defensive player Trevor CarrickA Calder Trophy winner with the Checkers in 2019, he returns to Charlotte on a two-year AHL deal; he ranks second among all league blueliners in scoring (24 points). Another veteran, Jacob Megnahas been added to the backend, joining the upcoming leads Marek Alsher and Mikulas Hovolka. Tobias BjornfurterA 2019 first-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Kings, he got a fresh start with the Florida State team after being cleared on waivers last March; he has become a reliable player for the Checkers this season. Experienced striker Kyle Criscuolo and John Leonard Signed with the Checkers. Aidan McDonaldThe AHL player signed from the Abbotsford Canucks in the offseason arrived and tied for the team lead with 10 goals. Oliver OcuellarHe scored 24 goals for Czech team Mountfield HK last season and has 13 points (7 goals, 6 assists) in 21 games for Charlotte.
Florida State also went out and secured reliable goalie insurance, bringing Chris Dreger He returned as a free agent after helping the Coachella Valley Firebirds reach the Calder Cup finals last season. Ken Appleby Moved south from Bridgeport to Charlotte on an AHL trade and provided an extra steady hand in net.
Amid all this hockey action came changes off the ice, too. Zawyer Sports & Entertainment has acquired a controlling interest in the Checkers in a deal that brings new growth potential while still maintaining stability. Michael KahnA majority owner of the team since 2006 and remaining with the organization as its largest minority owner, the Checkers' front office is led by Chief Operating Officer Terra Black Leave it as is.
This Checkers team excels in many ways. One-third of the way through the schedule, Charlotte's power play conversion rate is a whopping 33.7 percent (32-for-95). The penalty kill rate is as high as 85.1%, ranking seventh in the league, and he has scored a league-high 6 short-ball goals. The Checkers lead the league in scoring with 3.83 goals per game and rank first in goals per game (32.54) and goals per game (24.75).
There's also skill throughout the lineup, something the Checkers need amid injuries. Tuesday is a rookie Ben Steves The score was evened in the third period and the game ended with a penalty shootout victory over Springfield 5-4. Charlotte fought back from two points down to win 4-3 on Wednesday, tied by another Steves goal early in the third period. Wilmer SkogThe 22-goal scorer last season scored the winner in the final minute.
Head coach Zuo’s work this week Jody Kinnear Very impressed. The Checkers aren't one to hand out praise lightly, and they've earned the respect of their head coach, a tough, no-nonsense defenseman who came through the rigorous development system of the New Jersey Devils in the 1990s. Lou Lamoriello This generated prospect after prospect.
“I give these guys a lot of credit,” Kinnear told reporters after Tuesday's win. “You look for opportunities throughout the year to build toughness, and we did that tonight.”
Kinnear called Wednesday's win “courageous.” It’s a theme that could lead the Checkers to big things this season.
About two decades in the American Hockey League, TheAHL.com feature writer Patrick Williams also currently covers the league for NHL.com and FloSports and is a regular contributor for SiriusXM NHL Network Radio . In 2016, he received the AHL's James H. Ellery Memorial Award for outstanding coverage of the league.
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