Monsters announce inaugural schedule as CBJ affiliate

Ah, the day the NBA schedule is released – it’s a happy day across an entire hockey league (stay with me kids). When the NBA releases its schedule that means the powers that be at the AHL offices can get to work on the league’s schedule. So now, after weeks of waiting, the league has finally announced its full schedule for the 80th season today. How the AHL schedule is set up is…well, in my opinion it’s actually pretty dumb and will hopefully eventually be fixed. Here’s what is frustrating: 25 of the 30 AHL teams – including the Monsters – will play 76 games split between 38 home games and 38 away games. Now as for the other five teams (the ones based in California) they will only play 68 games. Here is how the playoffs will work straight from the league’s press release about rule changes from earlier in the summer:

“Teams will receive two points for a win and one point for an overtime or shootout loss. The top four teams in each division ranked by points percentage (points earned divided by points available) will qualify for the 2016 Calder Cup Playoffs, with one exception in each conference: if the fifth-place team in the Atlantic or Central Division finishes with a better points percentage than the fourth-place team in the North or Pacific Division, it would cross over and compete in the other division’s bracket.”

Now you know how in the NHL every team plays every team at least once? Not so much in the AHL. Of the 29 teams the Monsters could play they’ll play…11. The Monsters will play 60 games against division opponents meaning they are playing the Charlotte Checkers (who don’t play a home game until November), Chicago Wolves, Iowa Wild, Manitoba Moose, Milwaukee Admirals, and Rockford IceHogs eight times each while also playing the Red Wings’ top affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, 12 times. The other 16 games will be played against the Rochester Americans and Toronto Marlies of the Eastern Conference and the two Texas teams from the Pacific Division (the San Antonio Rampage, Texas Stars).

The Monsters will play the usual as far as timing of games for minor league: a weekend heavy schedule with 55 of their games (25 at home) on either Friday (20), Saturday (25) or Sunday (10). The Monsters will be part of only one school day game (which if I was a pro hockey player, I’d hate) in a game that starts at 10:30AM against Milwaukee in the Admiral’s inaugural school day game.

The Monsters longest homestand will be from February 19th to March 3rd during which they play seven games. The Monsters longest road trip will be 10 games – a 4100 mile trek that will include two trips into Canada. Due to realignment the games against Rochester and Toronto will be the first time since the 2012-13 season that the Monsters will play Eastern Conference opponents (despite them being conference rivals last season).

The AHL All Star Game is in Syracuse this year and is the same weekend as the NHL’s just taking part on January 31st (skills) and February 1st (game).

Now, for the important stuff. How many times can I go watch the future Jackets play this season? I’m focusing on Saturdays and Sunday games for ease of travel, so considering that, here are the dates when the Jackets are either on the road or off meaning you won’t miss much live Jackets hockey.

October 17 Vs Iowa (CBJ Road)
December 26 Vs Grand Rapids (CBJ Road)
December 27 Vs Grand Rapids (CBJ Road)
January 23 Vs Milwaukee (CBJ Road)
January 30 Vs Texas (NHL All Star Weekend)
February 20 Vs San Antonio (CBJ Off)
March 20 Vs Toronto (CBJ Road)
April 10 Vs Rochester (well if the CBJ are in the playoffs this could be subject to change)

All the schedules are out, and players are coming back to Columbus meaning hockey is closer than it is farther away. From a prospect perspective, the Traverse City Prospects Tournament is two weeks away with Jared Bednar and his staff leading the young Jackets which could include as many as 12 members of the Monsters.

Preseason games are coming, but look more to the CBJ schedule for that. AHL teams normally only play two preseason games, perhaps because the league figures players play in NHL preseason games so they should be ready. The Monsters two will be against the Grand Rapids Griffins at Bowling Green State University Ice Arena and on October 2nd and October 3rd in the home of the Windsor Spitfires and Jackets prospect Markus Soberg, the WFCU Centre in Windsor, Ontario.