The 2020–21 NAHL season was the 37th season of the North American Hockey League. The regular season ran from October 2020 to May 2021 with an unbalanced schedule for the league. The Aberdeen Wings won the regular season championship and progressed all the way to the championship game where they were defeated 2–4 by the Shreveport Mudbugs who captured the Robertson Cup.
COVID-19 Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the NAHL and its member teams were forced to adjust their plans several times during the season. A few of the existing teams chose to suspend play for the year while some expansion franchises elected to delay their start until the following season. The league initially planned on starting the season on time in September, however, the NAHL decided to push back the first game until early October. After the season was already underway, the league then had to halt play for the entire Midwest division for over a month due to public health orders from the state of Minnesota. Despite the setbacks, the league was able to play most of its scheduled matches and hold a full postseason tournament.
Member changes On October 15, 2019, the Wichita Falls Warriors, were accepted as an expansion franchise for this season.
In late February 2020, the Topeka Pilots announced that they would be moving to Kansas City, Missouri for the following season. The team later announced that they would become the Kansas City Scouts, taking the same name as a defunct NHL team. However, by August the team had decided that not only would they be unable to play during this season due to COVID restrictions, but they would also have to sit out the following year as they had yet to find a stable home venue. Eventually, the team moved to Amarillo, Texas in the summer of 2021.
After the season had been suspended due to the pandemic, the St. Cloud Blizzard formally changed their name to the St. Cloud Norsemen.
Less than a week later, the NAHL approved the sale and relocation of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights. The franchise would take up residence in Danbury, Connecticut and take a similar name as its new patron, becoming the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks.
In late August, the Fairbanks Ice Dogs and Kenai River Brown Bears took up residence in Minnesota due to quarantine and testing regulations that would have made travel between Alaska and Minnesota logistically impossible. At the same time, the New Mexico Ice Wolves announced their move to Texas for the same reason. Once policies had been relaxed in April, all three teams were able to return to their home sites and finish out the remainder of their seasons at home.
Due to similar COVID restrictions issued in other states, the Corpus Christi IceRays, Springfield Jr. Blues and Jamestown Rebels each suspended play for the 2020-21 season. Each was expected to resume play the following year.
Regular season
The standings at the end of the regular season were as follows:
Note: x = clinched playoff berth; y = clinched division title; z = clinched regular season title Standings Central Division
Team xyz – Aberdeen Wings 565140110325175 x – Bismarck Bobcats 5629213364173151 x – Minnesota Wilderness 5625271354136168 x – Minot Minotauros 5623256254150199 Austin Bruins 5622265352159187 St. Cloud Norsemen 5622330145151206
East Division
Team xy – Johnstown Tomahawks 5439102383220144 x – Maine Nordiques 5635192072169163 x – New Jersey Titans 5427202561197174 x – Maryland Black Bears 5425216258146159 Northeast Generals 6020326248164217 Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks 5420276147148187
Midwest Division
Team xy – Janesville Jets 4831134066183144 x – Fairbanks Ice Dogs 4825192254165163 x – Minnesota Magicians 4824213051144153 x – Kenai River Brown Bears 4822241146155168 Chippewa Steel 4814292333116169
South Division
Team xy – Shreveport Mudbugs 5638112583205139 x – Lone Star Brahmas 5638162078172132 x – Wichita Falls Warriors 5630191667171161 x – Amarillo Bulls 5629183667159166 New Mexico Ice Wolves 5621303247147184 Odessa Jackalopes 5612364432117190
Statistics Scoring leaders
The following players led the league in regular season points at the completion of all regular season games.
Player Team Payton Matsui Aberdeen Wings 56 27 38 65 18 Jay Ahearn Johnstown Tomahawks 52 31 31 62 71 Clayton Cosentino Aberdeen Wings 56 12 48 60 25 Cole Hanson New Mexico Ice Wolves 53 21 39 60 34 Braiden Dorfman Shreveport Mudbugs 55 21 38 59 22 Andrew DeCarlo Lone Star Brahmas 54 22 35 57 61 Brendan Clark Johnstown Tomahawks 51 18 37 55 81 John Gelatt Johnstown Tomahawks 51 24 30 54 34 Nicholas Niemo Lone Star Brahmas 52 17 36 53 35 Thomas Manty Aberdeen Wings 55 25 28 53 26
Leading goaltenders
Note: GP = Games played; Mins = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime losses; SOL = Shootout losses; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average; SV% = Save percentage
Player Team GP Mins W L OTL SOL SO SV% GAA Jake Sibell Aberdeen Wings 47 2826:31 43 2 0 1 11 .952 1.19 Cole Hudson Shreveport Mudbugs 32 1941:11 20 6 3 2 2 .923 2.13 Arsenii Sergeev Shreveport Mudbugs 20 1206:09 14 4 0 2 2 .936 2.14 Salvatore Evola Johnstown Tomahawks 27 1588:18 18 6 2 0 3 .924 2.15 Josh Graziano New Mexico/Johnstown 21 1252:36 13 4 0 3 1 .931 2.16 Graham Burke Lone Star Brahmas 37 2001:34 23 9 0 0 1 .917 2.16
Robertson Cup playoffs Teams are reseeded prior to the semifinal round based upon regular season records.
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
References
NAHL reference
External links Official website of the North American Hockey League