1995–96 AHL season

The 1995–96 AHL season was the 60th season of the American Hockey League. The AHL expands by two teams and realigns into two conferences, and four divisions. The Northern Conference includes the North and Atlantic Divisions. The Southern Conference include the South Division and the newly created Central Division.

The league introduces two new trophies for division champions of the regular season. The Frank Mathers Trophy is first awarded for the south division, and the Sam Pollock Trophy is first awarded for the atlantic Division. The John D. Chick Trophy becomes awarded to the central division.

The AHL revives awarding points for overtime losses, last awarded in the 1987–88 AHL season. Eighteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Albany River Rats finished first overall in the regular season. The Rochester Americans won their sixth Calder Cup championship.

Team changes

• The Baltimore Bandits join the AHL as an expansion team, based in Baltimore, Maryland, playing in the South Division.
• The Carolina Monarchs join the AHL as an expansion team, based in Greensboro, North Carolina, playing in the South Division.
• The Cornwall Aces, Rochester Americans, and Syracuse Crunch switch from the South Division to the new Central Division.
• The Adirondack Red Wings and Albany River Rats switch from the North Division to the new Central Division.

Final standings

Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; OTL = Overtime losses; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points;

Northern Conference

Atlantic	GP	W	L	T	OTL	Pts	GF	GA
Prince Edward Island Senators (OTT)	80	38	33	6	3	85	303	313
Saint John Flames (CGY)	80	35	30	11	4	85	272	264
St. John's Maple Leafs (TOR)	80	31	31	14	4	80	248	274
Fredericton Canadiens (MTL)	80	34	35	11	0	79	307	308
Cape Breton Oilers (EDM)	80	33	40	3	4	73	290	323

North	GP	W	L	T	OTL	PTS	GF	GA
Springfield Falcons (HFD/WPG)	80	42	22	11	5	100	272	215
Worcester IceCats (STL)	80	36	28	12	4	88	242	244
Portland Pirates (WAS)	80	32	34	10	4	78	282	283
Providence Bruins (BOS)	80	30	36	10	4	74	249	280

Southern Conference

Central	GP	W	L	T	OTL	PTS	GF	GA
Albany River Rats (NJ)	80	54	19	7	0	115	322	218
Adirondack Red Wings (DET)	80	38	32	8	2	86	271	247
Rochester Americans (BUF)	80	37	34	5	4	83	294	297
Cornwall Aces (COL)	80	34	34	7	5	80	249	251
Syracuse Crunch (VAN)	80	31	37	5	7	74	257	307

South	GP	W	L	T	OTL	PTS	GF	GA
Binghamton Rangers (NYR)	80	39	31	7	3	88	333	331
Hershey Bears (PHI)	80	36	30	11	3	86	301	287
Baltimore Bandits (ANA)	80	33	36	9	2	77	279	299
Carolina Monarchs (FLA)	80	28	38	11	3	70	313	343

Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

Player	Team	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
Brad Smyth	Carolina Monarchs	68	68	58	126	80
Jim Montgomery	Hershey Bears	78	34	71	105	95
Mike Casselman	Carolina Monarchs	70	34	68	102	46
Gilbert Dionne	Carolina Monarchs	55	43	58	101	29
Peter Ferraro	Binghamton Rangers	68	48	53	101	157
Chris Ferraro	Binghamton Rangers	77	32	67	99	208
Craig Charron	Rochester Americans	72	43	52	95	79
Jean-Yves Roy	Prince Edward Island Senators	67	40	55	95	64
Dixon Ward	Rochester Americans	71	38	56	94	74
Brett Harkins	Carolina Monarchs	55	23	71	94	44
Andrew Brunette	Portland Pirates	69	28	66	94	125

• complete list

Calder Cup playoffs

Main article: 1996 Calder Cup playoffs

Division Semifinals

Division Finals

Conference Finals

Calder Cup Final

A1

P.E.I.

2

A4

Fredericton

3

A4

Fredericton

1

Atlantic Division

A2

Saint John

4

A2

Saint John

3

A3

St. John's

1

A2

Saint John

3

Northern Conference

N3

Portland

4

N1

Springfield

3

N4

Providence

1

N1

Springfield

2

North Division

N3

Portland

4

N2

Worcester

1

N3

Portland

3

N3

Portland

3

C3

Rochester

4

C1

Albany

1

C4

Cornwall

3

C4

Cornwall

0

Central Division

C3

Rochester

4

C2

Adirondack

0

C3

Rochester

3

C3

Rochester

4

Southern Conference

C5

Syracuse

1

S1

Binghamton

1

C5

Syracuse

3

C5

Syracuse

4

South Division

S3

Baltimore

3

S2

Hershey

2

S3

Baltimore

3

All Star Classic

The 9th AHL All-Star Game was played on January 16, 1996 at the Hersheypark Arena in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Team USA defeated Team Canada 6-5. In the inaugural AHL skills competition held the day before the All-Star Game, Team USA won 14-12 over Team Canada.

Trophy and award winners

Team Awards

Calder Cup Playoff champions:	Rochester Americans
Richard F. Canning Trophy Northern Conference playoff champions:	Portland Pirates
Robert W. Clarke Trophy Southern Conference playoff champions:	Rochester Americans
Frank Mathers Trophy Regular Season champions, South Division:	Binghamton Rangers
F. G. "Teddy" Oke Trophy Regular Season champions, North Division:	Springfield Falcons
Sam Pollock Trophy Regular Season champions, Atlantic Division:	Prince Edward Island Senators
John D. Chick Trophy Regular Season champions, Central Division:	Albany River Rats

Individual awards

Les Cunningham Award Most valuable player:	Brad Smyth - Carolina Monarchs
John B. Sollenberger Trophy Top point scorer:	Brad Smyth - Carolina Monarchs
Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award Rookie of the year:	Darcy Tucker - Fredericton Canadiens
Eddie Shore Award Defenceman of the year:	Barry Richter - Binghamton Rangers
Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award Best Goaltender:	Manny Legace - Springfield Falcons
Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award Lowest goals against average:	Manny Legace & Scott Langkow - Springfield Falcons
Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award Coach of the year:	Robbie Ftorek - Albany River Rats
Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award Sportsmanship / Perseverance:	Ken Gernander - Binghamton Rangers
Jack A. Butterfield Trophy MVP of the playoffs:	Dixon Ward - Rochester Americans

Other awards

James C. Hendy Memorial Award Most outstanding executive:	Steve Donner, Rochester Americans
James H. Ellery Memorial Awards Outstanding media coverage:	Kevin Oklobzija, Rochester, (newspaper) Seth Everett, Syracuse, (radio) Tom Caron, New England Sports Network, (television)
Ken McKenzie Award Outstanding marketing executive:	Tim Kuhl, Syracuse Crunch

See also

• List of AHL seasons

References

• AHL official site
• AHL Hall of Fame
• HockeyDB

Preceded by 1994–95 AHL season

AHL seasons

Succeeded by 1996–97 AHL season