Which Teams Qualified for the 2026 AHL Calder Cup Playoffs?

The Start of the Calder Cup Playoffs

The most exciting time of the year for hockey fans is here. The postseason is underway, and the field for the Calder Cup Playoffs has been finalized. With the regular season coming to a close, the final day saw the Rochester Americans securing the crucial single standings point they needed in an overtime loss to the Hershey Bears. This ensured their place in the playoffs, while the Utica Comets were left out, becoming the biggest fans of the Hershey Bears on Sunday without success.

Teams That Made the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs

The AHL playoffs feature 23 of the league’s 32 teams. Out of these, nine teams have earned byes to the second round, while the remaining teams will compete in a best-of-three series to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Here are the 23 teams that made it to the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs. Their NHL affiliates are listed in parentheses:

Bakersfield Condors (Edmonton Oilers)
Bridgeport Islanders (New York Islanders)
Charlotte Checkers (Florida Panthers)
Chicago Wolves (Carolina Hurricanes)
Cleveland Monsters (Columbus Blue Jackets)
Coachella Valley Firebirds (Seattle Kraken)
Colorado Eagles (Colorado Avalanche)
Grand Rapids Griffins (Detroit Red Wings)
Henderson Silver Knights (Vegas Golden Knights)
Hershey Bears (Washington Capitals)
Laval Rocket (Montreal Canadiens)
Manitoba Moose (Winnipeg Jets)
Milwaukee Admirals (Nashville Predators)
Ontario Reign (Los Angeles Kings)
Providence Bruins (Boston Bruins)
Rochester Americans (Buffalo Sabres)
San Diego Gulls (Anaheim Ducks)
San Jose Barracuda (San Jose Sharks)
Springfield Thunderbirds (St. Louis Blues)
Syracuse Crunch (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Texas Stars (Dallas Stars)
Toronto Marlies (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh Penguins)

First-Round Matchups

The first-round matchups are as follows, with the higher-seeded team listed first:

Atlantic Division
– Charlotte Checkers vs. Springfield Thunderbirds
– Bridgeport Islanders vs. Hershey Bears

North Division
– Toronto Marlies vs. Rochester Americans

Central Division
– Manitoba Moose vs. Rochester Americans

Pacific Division
– Colorado Eagles vs. San Diego Gulls
– Henderson Silver Knights vs. San Jose Barracuda

Teams with First-Round Byes

Nine teams have earned a bye to the best-of-five second round:

Providence Bruins
Grand Rapids Griffins
Chicago Wolves
Texas Stars
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Ontario Reign
Laval Rocket
Syracuse Crunch
Cleveland Monsters

Best AHL Team in the Regular Season

The Providence Bruins had an outstanding regular season, finishing with 54 wins in 72 games. They claimed the league’s regular-season title by three points over the Grand Rapids Griffins, who had 51 wins during the season.

Defending Champion

The Abbotsford Canucks are the defending Calder Cup champions but did not qualify for the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs. This means there will be a new champion this year. The Hershey Bears hold the all-time record for Calder Cup championships with 13 titles, most recently in 2024.

When Do the Calder Cup Playoffs Start?

The opening game of the Calder Cup Playoffs is scheduled for Tuesday, April 21. The Bridgeport Islanders will host the Hershey Bears in the first game, set for 7 p.m. ET. The game will stream online.

How Can I Watch the AHL Playoffs?

is the exclusive streaming home of the Calder Cup Playoffs. Fans can watch every game live and on demand throughout the postseason with a subscription. All games are available via .tv or the FloSports connected TV and mobile apps. For a limited time, purchasing an annual subscription gives you the value of nine months free from the monthly price.

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