The American Hockey League is slated for its 91st season in 2026-27. The week comes down to Friday night, featuring plenty of professional debuts, a new team and the Toronto Marlies’ latest championship celebration on Saturday.
This is the third year that FloHockey has been the home of the AHL stream, and this season in particular has me more excited than ever. Why? Let me share a few reasons.
A larger list of top prospects in 2026-27
The AHL is always the best graduate school for the NHL, and that means it always has top prospects throughout the league, but the star power feels much stronger this season. There are several reasons for this.
For one thing, NHL teams get more flexibility this offseason, which means there’s less need to add players on lower-dollar, entry-level contracts. That means there’s less pressure to rush players into the league before they’re ready. The AHL has long been an important step for these players, and considering 87% of NHL players don’t miss the move, that’s a good indication of its effectiveness.
Second, AHL teams have more ways to add younger players, including a new agreement between the NHL and CHL that allows 19-year-old first-round picks to be placed in the AHL as opposed to being sent back as juniors. As a result of that new rule, there are several players in the league this season.
🚨 THE WAIT IS OVER. AHL HOCKEY IS BACK! 🚨
The new season starts tonight and these top prospects are ready to go to work.#AHL: |: @TheAHL: Opening night October 2 | Live FloHockey 📺 pic.twitter.com/InMkLPtgwv
— FloHockey (@FloHockey) October 2, 2026
Finally, the NHL has simply gotten better at drafting and developing players, and there is a greater emphasis on process-based growth. The idea of continuing the aesthetic and throwing a player in at the deep end has never been less appealing to teams. That may still happen, but gradual development, marinating prospects and giving them the appropriate level of ice time and role at the right level of competition will go a long way in preparing them for the best league in the world.
I spent the last week detailing the top prospects to watch around the league, and when the final lists were announced, I realized I could probably double the size of each list compared to the level of prospects in the league this season.
Read the AHL Top Prospect Previews
Central |: Atlantic |: Pacific Ocean |: North
Canada is rising
In each of the last two seasons, Canadian teams have finished the season hoisting the Calder Cup. It was Abbotsford in 2025 and the Toronto Marlies last year.
The Marlies will raise their Calder Cup banner on Saturday night and will welcome the Hamilton Hammers for the first time. The addition of Hamilton after more than a decade without AHL hockey is another positive for the league’s Canadian growth.
The newly renovated TD Coliseum is set to host both the AHL’s Hammers and the PWHL’s new Hamilton club, bringing pro hockey back to Southern Ontario in a big way. The opportunity that exists in that market with a renovated facility will certainly follow.
This year will also mark the curtain falling on Calgary’s Saddledome. Calgary’s AHL team, home to both the Flames and Wranglers, opens its season on the Saddledome ice for the final time Friday night. Few buildings had more character and fans should come
With Hamilton now in the league, the number of Canadian markets in the AHL has increased to seven.
A new crop of trainers
While the AHL has always been about developing players, it’s also been what most NHL coaches have to go through before taking the big-time bench. There are tons of new coaches in the league this year and a few returning ones.
There are plenty of familiar names, including former NHL players making their first major-league head coach such as Steve Sullivan (Toronto Marlies), Dave Manson (San Diego Gulls), Stu Bickel (Iowa Wild), Joel Ward (Henderson Silver Knights) and Jay McKee (Hamilton Hammers).
There are also some rising stars in the industry, including Finnish national Jussi Ahokas, who joined the Colorado Eagles as head coach after leading the Kitchener Rangers to the Memorial Cup last season. Also new to the league is Ryan Papaioannou, who was hired to lead the Abbotsford Canucks after a stint with the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL following an illustrious career leading the Brooks Bandits in the AJHL and BCHL.
Multiple openings were created by coaches moving NHL jobs, including Manny Malhotra being tapped to lead the Vancouver Canucks and Ryan Craig being tabbed to take over the Vegas Golden Knights.
Just look at the benches around the league and you’re sure to see several future NHL bench bosses, if not more, at the helm of these clubs.
More ways to watch than ever before
The other great thing about AHL hockey this year is that there are more ways to watch the league than ever before. It all starts, of course, with AHLTV on FloHockey. The best way to experience every game live and on demand is with a FloHockey subscription. which you can grab here.
But FloHockey will also feature a number of AHL games throughout the season on FloHockey 24/7, a channel you can find on multiple streaming platforms, including Amazon Prime Video in the United States and Roku Channel in Canada, or Fubo on both and is available worldwide on YouTube and FloHockey.tv.
FloHockey has also partnered exclusively with YouTube to feature multiple Wednesday night games throughout the season on FloHockey’s YouTube channel. Select games will also include enhanced broadcast elements with FloHockey personalities and YouTube influencers as the season progresses.
The first game you can watch as part of this partnership is Saturday’s flag raising for the Toronto Marlies.
It’s never been easier to watch your favorite teams, prospects and players than with FloHockey, which also includes the ECHL and SPHL, Swedish Hockey League, NCAA Hockey, OHL, QMJHL, USHL and many other top junior hockey leagues.
FloHockey has the most live hockey streaming anywhere. So get that subscription and never miss the best in the future of our sport.
Enjoy the season, hockey fans!
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