June 28, 2012 2:59 PM
Another offseason has resulted in another move for the Checkers.
On the heels of last year’s big move to the Western Conference, the AHL announced Thursday that Charlotte will now move from the Midwest Division to the newly-renamed South Division for the 2012-13 campaign. Its new divisional opponents are Houston, San Antonio, Texas and Oklahoma City, which previously made up the West Division along with Abbotsford.
 Though travel carriers and routes have yet to be determined, the move could potentially alleviate some of the road weariness the Checkers experienced last season by cutting down on one flight. Previously, the team, which is one of the few in the AHL that requires flights for the vast majority of its road games, flew through Dallas en route to Chicago to play nearby Midwest Division clubs such as Milwaukee, Peoria and Rockford.
It’s not yet clear how often the Checkers will have to make trips out west, as the league has yet to determine schedule and playoff formats. Last season, the Checkers played each of their Midwest opponents a total of eight times.
Along with the divisional realignment, the AHL also announced that all games will use a video goal-review system beginning next season. Also, the league has officially adopted a handful of rule changes recently made at the NHL level related to handling the puck, faceoffs, and icing. Those changes, along with the new divisional makeup, can be viewed in their entirety here. |
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