The American Hockey League is a minor hockey league whose headquarters are located in Springfield, Massachusetts. The league, which began play in the 1936-37 season, is comprised of 30 teams. It is considered the top minor hockey league in North America and each of the teams in the league has an official affiliation with a National Hockey League team.http://theahl.com/team-directory-s11579

After the regular season each year, the AHL teams that qualify for the postseason compete in the Calder Cup Playoffs. The Calder Cup is named after the NHL's first president, Frank Calder and has been awarded to the champion of the AHL since the league's inception. The Hershey Bears have the most Calder Cup championships of active franchises, winning the trophy 11 times.http://www.legendsofhockey.net/html/silver_splashcaldercup.htm

The AHL began play as a minor hockey league in 1936-37, with the league comprised of eight teams in small Eastern cities without NHL teams. For the league's first four seasons, it was known as the International-American Hockey League. The league would change its name to the American Hockey League for the 1940-41 season.http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/112.html

The league would undergo rapid expansion through the 1990's and 2000's as the NHL grew in number and more teams were in need of minor league hockey affiliate teams. The biggest change to the league happened after the 2000-01 season, when the AHL's long-time rival league, the International Hockey League, folded. The AHL became the top minor league from the move and absorbed six IHL teams. Those six teams were the Grand Rapids Griffins, the Milwaukee Admirals, the Houston Aeros, the Manitoba Moose, the Utah Grizzlies and the Chicago Wolves.http://www.hockeysfuture.com/articles/2369/ihl_to_fold_this_week_and_merge_to_ahl/