SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League today released the complete schedule of games for the 2026-27 regular season, the league’s 91st year of operation. The season, with 32 teams playing 72 games apiece – a total of 1,152 games – begins on Friday, October 2 and concludes on Sunday, April 11.
Of note on the 2026-27 schedule:
- The regular season begins with eight games on Oct. 2 – the earliest start date since 2009 – and a total of 30 games over the league’s opening weekend.
- The Hamilton Hammers, new affiliate of the New York Islanders, begin their inaugural season with a visit to Belleville on Oct. 2.
- The Hammers will also be the opponent when Toronto Marlies raise their 2026 Calder Cup championship banner at Coca-Cola Coliseum in their home opener on Oct. 3. The Marlies return the favor when they visit TD Coliseum for Hamilton’s first-ever home game on Oct. 9.
- The Calgary Wranglers begin The ’Dome Farewell Season on Oct. 2 when they host Abbotsford. The 2026-27 season marks the final season for Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation clubs and operations at the Saddledome before Scotia Place opens next fall.
- The Providence Bruins begin their 35th season as members of the American Hockey League with a home game against the Utica Comets on Oct. 2. The Hartford Wolf Pack (30th season), Milwaukee Admirals (25th), Cleveland Monsters (20th), Rockford IceHogs (20th), Belleville Senators (10th), Laval Rocket (10th) and Springfield Thunderbirds (10th) also celebrate milestone AHL seasons in 2026-27.
- All 32 teams will be in action on Saturday, Nov. 7 – 90 years to the day after the first games in league history were played on Nov. 7, 1936. Representing the two cities with the longest AHL histories, the Hershey Bears and Springfield Thunderbirds will meet in Springfield, Mass., that evening.
- The Cleveland Monsters host the 2027 AHL All-Star Classic on Sunday, Feb. 7 and Monday, Feb. 8 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland.
- Games scheduled by day of the week: Monday (14), Tuesday (67), Wednesday (201), Thursday (20), Friday (290), Saturday (363), Sunday (197).
The American Hockey League was officially born in 1936 when the Canadian-American Hockey League and the International Hockey League merged to form the International-American Hockey League (the “International” would be dropped from the league’s name in 1940). The AHL continues to serve as the top development league for all 32 National Hockey League teams; nearly 90 percent of today’s NHL players are American Hockey League graduates, and more than 100 honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame spent time in the AHL in their careers.
