Charlotte, which last season played in the Central Division of the Western Conference, will now compete in the Atlantic Division along with Bridgeport (New York Islanders), Hartford (New York Rangers), Hershey (Washington Capitals), Lehigh Valley (Philadelphia Flyers), Providence (Boston Bruins), Springfield (Florida Panthers) and Wilkes-Barre Scranton (Pittsburgh Penguins).
The rest of Charlotte’s schedule will be made up of Eastern Conference teams from the North Division, including Belleville (Ottawa Senators), Binghamton (New Jersey Devils), Laval (Montreal Canadiens), Rochester (Buffalo Sabres), Syracuse (Tampa Bay Lightning), Toronto (Toronto Maple Leafs) and Utica (Vancouver Canucks), meaning that the Checkers will play an entirely new group of teams next season.
Next season will mark the Checkers’ first in the East since their inaugural AHL campaign in 2010-11 – one that still holds up as the team’s best in terms of regular-season points percentage (.606) and longest playoff run (conference finals).
The format for the 2018 Calder Cup Playoffs will be finalized by the Board of Governors at its Annual Meeting in Hilton Head Island, S.C., July 2-6, and the complete playing schedule for the 2017-18 regular season, which begins Oct. 6, will be announced this summer.
