There is a distinct difference between the National Hockey League and American Hockey League. The NHL features the best players in the world, while the AHL is home to minor league hockey teams. Though many of the players playing in the AHL are aspiring to play in the NHL, there are also many veteran players who are content to stay in the AHL.
What is NHL?
The NHL, or National Hockey League, is a professional ice hockey league that consists of 31 teams, 24 of which are based in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is the highest level of professional hockey in the world, and its players are among the best-paid athletes in the world. The NHL was founded in 1917, making it the oldest major professional hockey league in the world. The NHL’s regular season runs from October to April, and each team plays 82 games. The top 16 teams then qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, which is a single-elimination tournament that culminates in the Stanley Cup Finals. The Stanley Cup is the oldest professional sports trophy in North America, and it is awarded to the team that wins the Finals.
What is AHL?
AHL is the top professional hockey league in North America. AHL also is a primary development league for the National Hockey League. The AHL was founded in 1936 and began to play with seven teams. The league now consists of 31 teams in the United States and Canada, divided into two conferences – the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference. Each conference is further split into two divisions – the Atlantic Division and the Central Division in the Eastern Conference, and the Pacific Division and the Calder Cup Division in the Western Conference. The AHL plays a regular-season schedule that runs from October through early April, followed by a playoff tournament that culminates in the awarding of the Calder Cup to the AHL’s championship team.
AHL is an abbreviation for American Hockey League. AHL is the top professional hockey league in North America and a primary development league for NHL. It was founded in 1936 with 7 teams, and now has 31 teams across US & Canada which are divided into 2 conferences (Eastern & Western) each containing 2 divisions (Atlantic & Central for Eastern, Pacific & Calder Cup for Western). AHL plays a regular-season from October-April followed by a playoff tournament to award Calder Cup to a championship team.
Difference between NHL and AHL
NHL and AHL are two professional ice hockey leagues in North America. NHL is the premier league, while AHL is a developmental league for NHL players. NHL teams are made up of the best players in the world, while AHL teams are mostly made up of young prospects or players who are trying to make it back to the NHL. NHL games are faster and more physical than AHL games. NHL players are also better at skating, shooting, and stick-handling than AHL players. The difference in quality between NHL and AHL is similar to the difference between the MLB and AAA baseball leagues.
Conclusion
The National Hockey League (NHL) and the American Hockey League (AHL) are professional ice hockey leagues in North America. The AHL is the primary development league for the NHL, with many of the top players in the NHL having started their careers in the AHL.
