The 2006–07 AHL season was the 71st season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-seven teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hamilton Bulldogs won their first Calder Cup, defeating the defending champions, the Hershey Bears in the finals.
Team changes The Lowell Lock Monsters are purchased by the New Jersey Devils, and renamed the Lowell Devils. The Cleveland Barons are relocated to Worcester, Massachusetts and renamed the Worcester Sharks, playing in the Atlantic Division. The Albany River Rats shift from the Atlantic Division to the East Division.
Rules changes The league mandated that players wear a hockey helmet with a visor, following research on eye injuries by Mayo Clinic physician Michael Stuart.
Final standings
indicates team clinched division and a playoff spot indicates team clinched a playoff spot indicates team was eliminated from playoff contention
Eastern Conference Atlantic Division y–Manchester Monarchs (LAK) 80 51 21 7 1 110 242 182 x–Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR) 80 47 29 3 1 98 231 201 x–Providence Bruins (BOS) 80 44 30 2 4 94 251 218 x–Worcester Sharks (SJS) 80 41 28 3 8 93 247 244 e–Lowell Devils (NJD) 80 38 30 6 6 88 212 220 e–Portland Pirates (ANA) 80 37 31 3 9 86 225 232 e–Springfield Falcons (TBL) 80 28 49 1 2 59 181 268 East Division y–Hershey Bears (WSH) 80 51 17 6 6 114 305 219 x–Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (EDM/PIT) 80 51 23 2 4 108 276 221 x–Norfolk Admirals (CHI) 80 50 22 6 2 108 301 257 x–Albany River Rats (CAR/COL) 80 37 36 4 3 81 246 258 e–Bridgeport Sound Tigers (NYI) 80 36 37 1 6 79 229 267 e–Philadelphia Phantoms (PHI) 80 31 41 2 6 70 222 271 e–Binghamton Senators (OTT) 80 23 48 4 5 55 225 323
Western Conference North Division y–Manitoba Moose (VAN) 80 45 23 7 5 102 232 201 x–Rochester Americans (BUF/FLA) 80 48 30 1 1 98 269 250 x–Hamilton Bulldogs (EDM/MTL) 80 43 28 3 6 95 243 208 x–Grand Rapids Griffins (DET/EDM) 80 37 32 6 5 85 226 244 e–Syracuse Crunch (CBJ) 80 34 34 4 8 80 250 248 e–Toronto Marlies (TOR) 80 34 39 2 5 75 220 270 West Division y–Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights (CGY) 80 49 25 5 1 104 214 189 x–Chicago Wolves (ATL) 80 46 25 3 6 101 331 252 x–Milwaukee Admirals (EDM/NSH) 80 41 25 4 10 96 227 230 x–Iowa Stars (DAL/EDM) 80 42 34 3 1 88 221 231 e–Peoria Rivermen (STL) 80 37 33 2 8 84 221 242 e–San Antonio Rampage (PHX) 80 32 42 2 4 70 219 256 e–Houston Aeros (MIN) 80 27 43 4 6 64 205 269
Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes Player Team GP G A Pts PIM Darren Haydar Chicago Wolves 73 41 81 122 55 Keith Aucoin Albany River Rats 65 27 72 99 108 Martin St. Pierre Norfolk Admirals 65 27 72 99 100 Brett Sterling Chicago Wolves 77 55 42 97 96 Cory Larose Chicago Wolves 63 22 61 83 75 Jason Jaffray Manitoba Moose 77 35 46 81 75 Mathieu Darche Worcester Sharks 76 35 45 80 72 Jason Krog Chicago Wolves 44 26 54 80 20 Troy Brouwer Norfolk Admirals 66 41 38 79 70 P. A. Parenteau Portland Pirates / Norfolk Admirals 68 30 49 79 47
Leading goaltenders Note: GP = Games played; Mins = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; SL = Shootout losses; GA = Goals allowed; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average Player Team GP Mins W L SL GA SO SV% GAA Drew MacIntyre Manitoba Moose 28 1618 16 11 0 54 6 .932 2.00 Curtis McElhinney Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights 57 3181 35 17 1 113 7 .917 2.13 Jaroslav Halak Hamilton Bulldogs 41 2290 24 12 2 83 3 .922 2.17 Jason LaBarbera Manchester Monarchs 62 3619 39 20 1 133 7 .933 2.21 Al Montoya Hartford Wolf Pack 48 2556 27 17 0 98 6 .914 2.30
Calder Cup Playoffs
All Star Classic The 20th AHL All-Star Classic was played on January 29, 2007 at the Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto, Ontario. Team PlanetUSA defeated Team Canada 7–6. In the skills competition held the night before, Team PlanetUSA defeated Team Canada 19–14.
Trophy and award winners
Team awards Calder CupPlayoff champions: Hamilton Bulldogs Richard F. Canning TrophyEastern Conference playoff champions: Hershey Bears Robert W. Clarke TrophyWestern Conference playoff champions: Hamilton Bulldogs Macgregor Kilpatrick TrophyRegular season champions, League: Hershey Bears Frank Mathers TrophyRegular season champions, Eastern Conference: Hershey Bears Norman R. "Bud" Poile TrophyRegular season champions, Western Conference: Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights Emile Francis TrophyRegular season champions, Atlantic Division: Manchester Monarchs F. G. "Teddy" Oke TrophyRegular season champions, East Division: Hershey Bears Sam Pollock TrophyRegular season champions, North Division: Manitoba Moose John D. Chick TrophyRegular season champions, West Division: Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights
Individual awards Les Cunningham AwardMost valuable player: Darren Haydar – Chicago Wolves John B. Sollenberger TrophyTop point scorer: Darren Haydar – Chicago Wolves Willie Marshall AwardTop goal scorer: Brett Sterling – Chicago Wolves Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial AwardRookie of the year: Brett Sterling – Chicago Wolves Eddie Shore AwardDefenceman of the year: Sheldon Brookbank – Milwaukee Admirals Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial AwardBest goaltender: Jason LaBarbera – Manchester Monarchs Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial AwardLowest goals against average: Jason LaBarbera – Manchester Monarchs Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial AwardCoach of the year: Mike Haviland – Norfolk Admirals Fred T. Hunt Memorial AwardSportsmanship / Perseverance: Mike Keane – Manitoba Moose Yanick Dupre Memorial AwardCommunity Service Award: Matt Carkner – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Jack A. Butterfield TrophyMVP of the playoffs: Carey Price – Hamilton Bulldogs
Other awards James C. Hendy Memorial AwardMost outstanding executive: Jon Greenberg, Milwaukee Admirals Thomas Ebright Memorial AwardCareer contributions: Frank Miceli James H. Ellery Memorial Awards Outstanding media coverage: Bill Ballou, Worcester, (newspaper)John Bartlett, Toronto, (radio)Mark Giangreco, Chicago, (television) Ken McKenzie AwardOutstanding marketing executive: Randy Cleves, Grand Rapids Griffins Michael Condon Memorial AwardOutstanding service, on-ice official: Leo Boylan
See also List of AHL seasons 2006 in ice hockey 2007 in ice hockey
References
External links AHL official site AHL Hall of Fame HockeyDB