AHL Cancels Rest of Season, 2020 Calder Cup Playoffs
The Grand Rapids Griffins are done for the season.
Wood TV 8 reports that the American Hockey League announced Monday that the rest of the 2019-2020 season is canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020 Calder Cup Playoffs will not take place.
The AHL says that standings – sorted by points percentage – and statistics as of March 12, 2020, are considered final and official. They will serve as the basis for determining league awards for the 2019-20 season. This puts the Grand Rapids Griffins finishing the the 2019-20 season in third place in the Central Division with a 29-27-3-4 record (0.516).
According to a release, the decision to end the season was made by the AHL board of governors:
After a lengthy review process, the American Hockey League has determined that the resumption and completion of the 2019-20 season is not feasible in light of current conditions.
The League’s operational focus has turned toward actively preparing for the 2020-21 season.
We are very grateful to the National Hockey League and its teams for their support and leadership in navigating through the challenges faced over the past two months.
The AHL continues to place paramount importance on the health and safety of our players, officials, staff and fans and all of their families, and we all look forward to returning to our arenas in 2020-21.
The Griffins say season ticket members and FLEX ticket buyers will get an email this week about refunds, redemption and credit rollover options for the 2020-21 season. Anyone who bought single-game tickets for any of the final seven home games of the 2019-20 regular season who have not already received refunds or credits can visit the Griffins’ canceled game FAQ page for information on their options.
Griffins president Tim Gortsema said in a release,
As difficult as this decision was for the AHL and its 31 member teams, the unanimous approval by the league's Board of Governors underscores that it was absolutely the right decision in light of the pandemic still sweeping the globe. While we all miss sports, and hockey in particular, we recognize that the continued health and safety of our players, staff and fans will always take precedence.