AHL cancels season, playoffs

Options for ticket holders include credit toward next season and refunds

The Monsters were going nowhere this season, and now the rest of the American Hockey League isn’t going anywhere, either.

The AHL on May 11 announced the remainder of the 2019-20 regular season plus the Calder Cup playoffs have been canceled due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

“After a lengthy review process, the American Hockey League has determined that the resumption and completion of the 2019-20 season is not feasible in light of current conditions,” AHL president David Andrews said in a statement. “The AHL continues to place paramount importance on the health and safety of our players, officials, staff and fans and all of their families, and we all look forward to returning to our arenas in 2020-21.”

The Monsters were stuck in last place in the North Division when the season was halted in mid-March because of COVID-19.

They were 24-31-5-2 with 14 games remaining, eight points behind seventh place Toronto and 17 points away from fourth place Binghamton and the final playoff spot.

The Monsters’ seven remaining home games at Rocket Mortgage

Fieldhouse have thus been officially canceled. The Monsters announced fans holding tickets to any of the canceled 201920 games can receive up to 110% credit toward their 2020-21 Monsters tickets. Additional benefit options are available in the case of specific plan holders. Fans can also choose to receive a full refund.

Monsters Hockey Club members, group clients and ticket holders are receiving direct communication explaining their options.

From a historical perspective, this will be the first time an AHL season ended without the Calder Cup playoffs.

The Calder Cup is named for Frank Calder, the NHL’s first president. The first Calder Cup champions were the Syracuse Stars, who beat the Philadelphia Ramblers three games to one in the 1936-37 playoffs.

The AHL Cleveland Barons won the Calder Cup nine times — in 1940, 1941, 1945, 1948 (the Indians, Browns and Barons all won championships in 1948), 1951, 1953, 1954, 1957 and 1964.

The Lake Erie Monsters won the Calder Cup in 2016.