It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Postseason hockey is here and the field for the Calder Cup Playoffs is set.
The postseason picture was not 100% clear until the final day of the regular season when the Rochester Americans secured the single standings point they needed in an overtime loss to the Hershey Bears. The last team eliminated from playoff contention was the Utica Comets, which had become the biggest Hershey fans on the planet Sunday to no avail.
So who is all in?
The AHL playoffs includes 23 of the league’s 32 teams with nine teams securing byes to the second round and the remaining teams playing in a best-of-three series to keep their postseasons alive.
brb, framing this #CalderCup Playoffs picture🏆
— American Hockey League (@TheAHL) April 19, 2026
🔗: https://t.co/km2Qdvyo9G pic.twitter.com/nrAHONMNNK
What Teams Made The 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs?
Here are the 23 teams that reached the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs. NHL affiliates are in parenthesis.
- Bakersfield Condors (Edmonton Oilers)
- Bridgeport Islanders (New York Islanders)
- Charlotte Checkers (Florida Panthers)
- Chicago Wolves (Carolina Hurricanes)
- Cleveland Monsters (Columbus Blue Jackets)
- Coachella Valley Firebirds (Seattle Kraken)
- Colorado Eagles (Colorado Avalanche)
- Grand Rapids Griffins (Detroit Red Wings)
- Henderson Silver Knights (Vegas Golden Knights)
- Hershey Bears (Washington Capitals)
- Laval Rocket (Montreal Canadiens)
- Manitoba Moose (Winnipeg Jets)
- Milwaukee Admirals (Nashville Predators)
- Ontario Reign (Los Angeles Kings)
- Providence Bruins (Boston Bruins)
- Rochester Americans (Buffalo Sabres)
- San Diego Gulls (Anaheim Ducks)
- San Jose Barracuda (San Jose Sharks)
- Springfield Thunderbirds (St. Louis Blues)
- Syracuse Crunch (Tampa Bay Lightning)
- Texas Stars (Dallas Stars)
- Toronto Marlies (Toronto Maple Leafs)
- Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Here Are The First-Round Matchups
Higher-seeded team listed first.
Atlantic Division
- Charlotte Checkers vs. Springfield Thunderbirds
- Bridgeport Islanders vs. Hershey Bears
North Division
- Toronto Marlies vs. Rochester Americans
Central Division
- Manitoba Moose vs. Rochester Americans
Pacific Division
- Colorado Eagles vs. San Diego Gulls
- Henderson Silver Knights vs. San Jose Barracuda
Which Teams Earned First-Round Byes?
The following teams have earned a bye to the best-of-five second round.
- Providence Bruins
- Grand Rapids Griffins
- Chicago Wolves
- Texas Stars
- Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Ontario Reign
- Laval Rocket
- Syracuse Crunch
- Cleveland Monsters
Who Was The Best AHL Team In The Regular Season?
The Providence Bruins had a historic season, posting 54 wins in 72 games. The P-Bruins won the league’s regular-season title by three points over the similarly dominant Grand Rapids Griffins, which won 51 games during the regular season.
Who Is The Defending Champion?
The Abbotsford Canucks are the defending Calder Cup champions, but failed to qualify for the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs. There will be a new champion.
The Hershey Bears have the all-time record of Calder Cup championships with 13, most recently in 2024.
When do the Calder Cup Playoffs Start?
The opening game of the Calder Cup Playoffs is Tuesday, April 21. The Bridgeport Islanders will host the Hershey Bears. The game is set for 7 p.m. ET and will stream on FloHockey.
How Can I Watch The AHL Playoffs?
FloHockey is the exclusive streaming home of the Calder Cup Playoffs. You can watch every game live and on demand throughout the postseason with a subscription. All games are available via FloHockey.tv or the FloSports connected TV and mobile apps. For a limited time, purchasing an annual subscription gives you the value of nine months free from the monthly price.
Watch The AHL, ECHL, OHL, QMJHL, USHL And More On FloHockey
FloHockey is the streaming home to some of the best hockey leagues in North America, including the ECHL and more. Check out the broadcast schedule to watch more hockey.
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