AHL announces new division alignment

St John's IceCaps' Jordan Hill collides with his goalie, Michael Hutchinson, while blocking a shot from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins' Tom Kuhnhackl during the first period of Game 3 of the AHL Eastern Conference semifinal hockey series, Wednesday, May 28, 2014, in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. (The Citizens' Voice, Mark Moran/CP)

The American Hockey League announced their new division alignment Tuesday at the league’s Board of Governors’ Spring Meeting in Chicago, Ill.

With the move of several teams to California, as well as Montreal and Winnipeg’s AHL affiliate relocating, a drastic division realignment was expected to be announced.

Here’s a look at the new divisions below, with the club’s NHL affiliate in parentheses:

Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
Bridgeport Sound Tigers (NYI)
Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR)
Hershey Bears (WSH)
Lehigh Valley Phantoms (PHI)
Portland Pirates (FLA)
Providence Bruins (BOS)
Springfield Falcons (ARI)
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (PIT)

North Division
Albany Devils (NJ)
Binghamton Senators (OTT)
Rochester Americans (BUF)
St. John’s IceCaps (MTL)
Syracuse Crunch (TB)
Toronto Marlies (TOR)
Utica Comets (VAN)

Western Conference
Central Division
Charlotte Checkers (CAR)
Chicago Wolves (STL)
Grand Rapids Griffins (DET)
Iowa Wild (MIN)
Lake Erie Monsters (CBJ)
Manitoba Moose (WPG)
Milwaukee Admirals (NSH)
Rockford IceHogs (CHI)

Pacific Division
Bakersfield Condors (EDM)
Ontario Reign (LA)
San Antonio Rampage (COL)
San Diego Gulls (ANA)
San Jose Barracuda (SJ)
Stockton Heat (CGY)
Texas Stars (DAL)

In addition, the format for the 2016 Calder Cup Playoffs will be finalized at an upcoming Board of Governors meeting July 6-9.

When submitting content, please abide by our submission guidelines, and avoid posting profanity, personal attacks or harassment. Should you violate our submissions guidelines, we reserve the right to remove your comments and block your account. Sportsnet reserves the right to close a story’s comment section at any time.