Calder Cup Playoffs Round of 16: Everything You Need to Know – The Hockey Writers – AHL

It’s that time of the year when all eyes are on the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Well, almost all eyes are on the playoffs. There’s nothing like playoff hockey, and the American Hockey League (AHL) features the Calder Cup Playoffs, which are already underway and provide great moments for hockey fans. The first round took place last week, and the round of 16 is set and ready to go.

Related: In a League Built on Maturity, Lehigh Valley Is Built for a Calder Cup Run

Now is when the playoffs heat up and the grind to the Calder Cup begins. There are plenty of intriguing matchups, so for those who are following from a distance or have a team but don’t know much about the other teams in the playoffs, here’s a rundown of the upcoming matchups and the teams featured in them.

Hershey Bears vs Lehigh Valley Phantoms

• The Calder Cup runs through Chocolatetown. The Hershey Bears are the reigning back-to-back champions and are still the team to beat in the AHL.
• Unlike the past two seasons, the Bears feature a team that isn’t as talented as they’ve lost a few key contributors from the previous teams, notably Ethen Frank and goaltender Clay Stevenson. That said, their star players can still carry them, and they are a well-coached team with Todd Nelson leading them from behind the bench.
• The Lehigh Valley Phantoms are the AHL team that can go on a run and shock the hockey world. They had an underwhelming season, but their young roster is maturing at the right time, and a wave of prospects (notably Alex Bump and Jett Luchanko) has changed the way they’ve played. They swept the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a series upset and will look to do the same this week.

Charlotte Checkers vs Providence Bruins

• The Charlotte Checkers are one of the more complete teams in the AHL. They score (averaging 3.25 goals per game), defend (allowing only 2.56 goals per game), and forecheck. While they don’t have a lot of prospects to watch, they play the right way and are built for a playoff run.
• The Providence Bruins are led by their goaltending, and it showed in their recent series against the Springfield Thunderbirds. Michael DiPietro had a .945 save percentage (SV%) and allowed only three goals on 55 shots in the three-game series, and if this team makes a run, it will be because of their goaltending and defense.
• Because of the…