WATCH: AHL Fans Should Expect More Bang For Their Buck

BY MISSY ZIELINSKI

We’re only two weeks into the American Hockey League calendar, but two weeks is enough to know that the 2012-13 season will be a little different than previous seasons. This year fans should expect to see games played with a touch more vigor and speed and a lot of explosive offensive production.

It will also add some glamour.

With the National Hockey League (NHL) locked out, the AHL has seen its share of players trickle down from the higher ranks, some of the most noteworthy players include:

-Carolina Hurricanes forward Jeff Skinner (a 2010-11 Calder Trophy winner for the NHL’s Rookie of the Year and a member of the NHL ALL-Rookie Team) playing for the Charlotte Checkers. Skinner currently has not put a sweater on for the Checkers.

-Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (The first overall pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft) is in Oklahoma City playing with the Barons. Nugent-Hopkins has two assists in three games with Oklahoma City.

-Also from the Oilers and playing for the Barons forward Jordan Eberle (A first-round pick in 2008, Eberle dished out more than 30 goals for the Oilers last season) has tallied one goal in three games.

And the list doesn’t stop there – the Washington Capitals relied on netminder Braden Holtby during the 2011-12 Stanley Cup playoffs. A talented goalie who’d only seen minimal time in the District manned the crease in the postseason, ousting the defending 2011 Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals and bringing the Capitals to Game 7 in the Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Rangers.

While teammates Slava Voynov and Jordan Nolan, who both helped the Los Angeles Kings win their first franchise Stanley Cup, are chipping in their time for the Manchester Monarchs in the minors.

It's a marketing miracle for the AHL front office, but it’s a story that players and fans alike must understand this season.

After attending two AHL games thus far (Syracuse Crunch vs Rochester Americans on 10/12/12 and Rochester Americans vs Hershey Bears on 10/20/12) 26 goals were scored between the two games: the Amerks earned a 6-5 shootout victory and a 8-7 victory. Witnessing and hearing fans frustrations urged me to write this blog.

These high-tallying games are an opportunity for an AHL team's defense to adjust and the AHL fan must be patient. Or kick back and enjoy.

Expect to see some built up aggression too.

With everyday AHLers being demoted and NHL calldowns seeing more playing time, it will be interesting to see how team chemistry factors in.

After reading a chapter of ex-Washington Capitals head coach (and current Anaheim Ducks head coach) Bruce Boudreau’s book during his coaching tenure in the AHL, he coached teams where call downs just didn't have their heart in it as players who'd been their all season (upon elimination from Stanley Cup contention, farm teams can call down available players from their respective NHL teams to participate in the Calder Cup playoffs).

Will it be the same this season?

We’ve already seen the scoring factor, but the continuation of this is to be determined. The AHL season will be left to decipher this one along with the NHL’s progress in the weeks ahead.