The American Hockey League (AHL) has set the stage for the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs, with the Eastern and Western Conference Finals now underway. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Toronto Marlies will face off in the Eastern Conference Finals, while the Colorado Eagles will battle the Chicago Wolves in the West. The Penguins are making their first conference finals appearance since 2014, and the Eagles are set to make history as they reach the conference finals for the first time ever.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton returns to the conference finals for the first time in 12 years, having last reached the stage in 2013 and 2014. The Penguins come in as the second seed in the East, while the Toronto Marlies are the fourth seed. The Marlies have reached the AHL's final four seven times, with their most recent appearance in 2019. The series will begin Wednesday night at Mohegan Arena in Wilkes-Barre, with Game 1 set for 7:05 PM Eastern.
The Penguins have a storied history in the AHL, serving as the top affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Marlies, meanwhile, are the top affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs and have a strong pedigree in the playoffs, having advanced to the Calder Cup Finals in five of the past seven seasons.
Meanwhile in the Western Conference, the Colorado Eagles are making history. As the top affiliate of the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche, the Eagles are now in their first-ever conference finals. Opposing them is the Chicago Wolves, who are the top affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes. The Wolves are a powerhouse in the West, with a 5-1 record in Western Conference Finals and three Calder Cup championships to their name.
Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals will be played Thursday night in Colorado at Blue Federal Credit Union Arena, with puck drop set for 9:05 PM Eastern. The Wolves are looking to continue their dominance and reach the AHL Finals for the sixth time in 25 years.
All games will be streamed live on AHLTV via FloHockey, giving fans across the globe access to every moment of the action.
The AHL, now in its 90th season, continues to serve as the top development league for the NHL, with nearly 90% of current NHL players having played in the league. The 2026 Calder Cup Finals will follow the conclusion of both conference series, with dates to be announced.
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