The 2000–01 AHL season was the 65th season of the American Hockey League. The league realigned its divisions again. The Atlantic division was renamed as the Canadian division. The Empire State division was replaced by the South division, with many teams shifting from the Mid-Atlantic division.

Twenty teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Worcester IceCats finished first overall in the regular season. The Saint John Flames won their first Calder Cup championship.

Team changes The Norfolk Admirals joined the AHL as an expansion team, based in Norfolk, Virginia, playing in the South division. The Lowell Lock Monsters switched divisions from Atlantic to New England. The Hamilton Bulldogs switched divisions from Empire State to Canadian. The Albany River Rats, Rochester Americans, Syracuse Crunch and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins switched from the Empire State division to the Mid-Atlantic division. The Cincinnati Mighty Ducks, Kentucky Thoroughblades and Louisville Panthers switched from the Mid-Atlantic division to the South division.

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 Canadian Division y–Saint John Flames (CGY) 80 44 24 7 5 100 269 210 x–Quebec Citadelles (MTL) 80 41 32 3 4 89 264 252 x–St. John's Maple Leafs (TOR) 80 35 35 8 2 80 247 244 e–Hamilton Bulldogs (EDM) 80 28 41 6 5 67 227 281

New England Division y–Worcester IceCats (STL) 80 48 20 9 3 108 264 205 x–Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR) 80 40 26 8 6 94 263 247 x–Providence Bruins (BOS) 80 35 31 10 4 84 245 242 x–Lowell Lock Monsters (LAK/NYI) 80 35 35 5 5 80 225 244 x–Portland Pirates (WSH) 80 34 40 4 2 74 250 280 e–Springfield Falcons (NYI/PHX) 80 29 37 8 6 72 253 280

Western Conference Mid-Atlantic Division y–Rochester Americans (BUF) 80 46 22 9 3 104 224 192 x–Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (PIT) 80 36 33 9 2 83 252 248 x–Syracuse Crunch (CBJ) 80 33 30 12 5 83 235 254 x–Philadelphia Phantoms (PHI) 80 36 34 5 5 82 246 244 x–Hershey Bears (COL) 80 34 39 4 3 75 216 234 e–Albany River Rats (NJD) 80 30 40 6 4 70 216 262

South Division y–Kentucky Thoroughblades (SJS) 80 42 25 12 1 97 273 212 x–Cincinnati Mighty Ducks (ANA/DET) 80 41 26 9 4 95 254 240 x–Norfolk Admirals (CHI) 80 36 26 13 5 90 241 208 e–Louisville Panthers (FLA) 80 21 51 5 3 50 200 285

Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes Player Team GP G A Pts PIM Derek Armstrong Hartford Wolf Pack 75 32 69101 73 Jean-Guy Trudel Springfield Falcons 80 34 65 99 89 Ryan Kraft Kentucky Thoroughblades 77 38 50 88 36 Mark Greig Philadelphia Phantoms 74 31 57 88 98 Brad Smyth Hartford Wolf Pack 77 50 29 79110 Bill Bowler Syracuse Crunch 72 21 58 79 50 Mikael Samuelsson Kentucky Thoroughblades 66 32 46 78 58 Marty Murray Saint John Flames 56 24 52 76 36 Jim Montgomery Kentucky Thoroughblades 55 22 52 74 44 Steve Bancroft Kentucky Thoroughblades 80 23 50 73162 complete list

Calder Cup playoffs

All Star Classic The 14th AHL All-Star Game was played on January 15, 2001 at the First Union Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Team Canada defeated Team PlanetUSA 11–10. In the skills competition held the day before the All-Star Game, Team PlanetUSA won 16–8 over Team Canada.

Trophy and award winners

Team awards Calder CupPlayoff champions: Saint John Flames Richard F. Canning TrophyEastern Conference playoff champions: Saint John Flames Robert W. Clarke TrophyWestern Conference playoff champions: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Macgregor Kilpatrick TrophyRegular season champions, League: Worcester IceCats Frank Mathers TrophyRegular Season champions, Mid-Atlantic Division: Rochester Americans F. G. "Teddy" Oke TrophyRegular Season champions, New England Division: Worcester IceCats Sam Pollock TrophyRegular Season champions, Canadian Division: Saint John Flames John D. Chick TrophyRegular Season champions, South Division: Kentucky Thoroughblades

Individual awards Les Cunningham AwardMost valuable player: Derek Armstrong - Hartford Wolf Pack John B. Sollenberger TrophyTop point scorer: Derek Armstrong - Hartford Wolf Pack Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial AwardRookie of the year: Ryan Kraft - Kentucky Thoroughblades Eddie Shore AwardDefenceman of the year: John Slaney - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton / Philadelphia Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial AwardBest goaltender: Dwayne Roloson - Worcester IceCats Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial AwardLowest goals against average: Mika Noronen & Tom Askey - Rochester Americans Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial AwardCoach of the year: Don Granato - Worcester IceCats Fred T. Hunt Memorial AwardSportsmanship / Perseverance: Kent Hulst - Portland / Providence Yanick Dupre Memorial AwardCommunity Service Award: Mike Minard - St. John's Maple Leafs Jack A. Butterfield TrophyMVP of the playoffs: Steve Begin - Saint John Flames

Other awards James C. Hendy Memorial AwardMost outstanding executive: Stew MacDonald, Saint John Flames Thomas Ebright Memorial AwardCareer contributions: Bill Torrey James H. Ellery Memorial Awards Outstanding media coverage: Tris Wykes, Norfolk, (newspaper)Bob Crawford, Hartford, (radio)Fox Sports Net, Pittsburgh, (television) Ken McKenzie AwardOutstanding marketing executive: Dave Cieslinski, Rochester Americans

See also List of AHL seasons

References AHL official site AHL Hall of Fame HockeyDB