Calder Cup Playoffs cancelled, Providence will compete for Emile Francis Trophy instead

While Boston may have it’s ups and downs recently, it is all in service to the ultimate prize of this level of the sport, the Stanley Cup. And as long as that is still an option for them, they will keep playing as hard as they can; day-in, day-out, as long as they can.

So have a heart, won’t you? For the players of their AHL team, their minor league squad...the Providence Bruins, who for the second time in two years, will be denied the chance to go for their own version of Lord Stanley: President Calder.

The AHL announced today their plans for what apparently counts as a postseason, which ultimately ended with the Calder Cup Playoffs being cancelled outright.

However, that doesn’t mean that the season ends with nothing (although it really kind of does), as the league left it to the divisions how they wanted to end their seasons, and the P-Bruins three way dance in the AHL-Atlantic Division opted to go for an EPL-ish “whoever finishes in first via points percentage” model that will award the team in first place the Emile Francis Trophy, which is the divisional championship trophy for the Atlantic Division. Meaning that on May 6th, Providence’s season ends.

Speaking of which, let’s check in on how that race is now going!

1st Place: P-B’s, 14-7-1 in 22 games played, good for 30 points. Their Points-% is at 0.682.

2nd Place: Hartford Wolfpack, 12-8-1 in 21 games played, good for 25 points. Their Points-% is at 0.595.

“Not going to be in the conversation” Place: Bridgeport Sound Tigers, 8-13-2 in 23 games played, good for 18 points. Given their record, I won’t bore you with the details of their points percentage.

So yeah, it looks like it’s Providence and Hartford trading blows until next Thursday, when we announce whether or not they’ve won.

It sucks all around, as many teams were likely facing financial destitution for playing or not playing, and are having to navigate this pandemic while still having to be pro-athletes, which is a very full time affair. As for any Calder ambitions? Would we ever know if they were truly good enough to hoist it for the first time since 1999?

We’ll have to find out next October, as the 2021-22 season begins on October 15, 2021.

Make the home-stretch count, lads!