The American Hockey League announced Monday that the 2020-2021 regular season will begin Friday, Feb. 5. The Chicago Wolves are among the 28 teams ready to play a shortened season that will feature an adjusted divisional alignment and a tentative postseason format.
The Wolves plan to play all home games at the Chicago Wolves training facility in the Triphahn Community Center and Ice Arena in Hoffman Estates, to mark the first time the team will not compete at Allstate Arena in Rosemont. The Wolves will strictly adhere to all COVID-19 protocols in order to create a safe environment for practices and games, which means fans will not be allowed to attend until the Illinois Department of Public Health declares it safe to do so.
Chicago has been assigned to the AHL’s Central Division, as usual, but the divisional setup will feature just six teams instead of the traditional eight. The Wolves are joined by the Cleveland Monsters, Grand Rapids Griffins, Iowa Wild, Rockford IceHogs, and Texas Stars. The Milwaukee Admirals, a fierce Wolves’ rival for the last 26 seasons, are one of the three teams that opted out this season. The Manitoba Moose are shifting to a new four-team Canadian Division, which gives the AHL five divisions.
After the Wolves’ regular season ends in mid-May, the official schedule should be released within days, the AHL has made tentative plans to oversee a condensed postseason competition that will not determine a Calder Cup champion.
—Chicago Wolves