With the American Hockey League in the stretch drive of its 90th anniversary season, NHL.com presents a biweekly notebook breaking down all the happenings around the league as teams prepare for the Calder Cup Playoffs. The Boston Bruins' affiliate in Providence could make history this week, top college prospects T.J. Hughes and Trey Augustine have joined AHL teams and Florida Panthers forward prospect Sandis Vilmanis is primed for the postseason.
Winning ways in Providence
The American Hockey League affiliate of the Boston Bruins has a chance to make history this weekend.
Providence (54-14-2-0) has clinched the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy as regular-season champions, setting a league record in wins for a 72-game season with a .786 points percentage that could top the .775 set by Binghamton (New York Rangers) in 1992-93. The Bruins affiliate needs two of a possible four points in a home-and-home series against Utica (New Jersey Devils) to break the record and will have a first-round bye in the Calder Cup Playoffs.
Georgii Merkulov (59 points; 23 goals, 39 assists in 68 games) leads Providence in scoring. The 25-year-old forward (one game) is one of several players who have played at least one game in the NHL and AHL this season: Goalie Michael DiPietro; defensemen Jonathan Aspirot, Jordan Harris, and Victor Soderstrom; and forwards Matej Blumel, James Hagens, Matthew Poitras, Lukas Reichel, Alex Steeves and Riley Tufte.
Avalanche get deeper
T.J. Hughes is starting his pro career with the Colorado Avalanche affiliate in Loveland, Colorado.
The University of Michigan captain a signed one-year, entry-level contact with the Avalanche on April 11 for next season and was assigned to the AHL. The 24-year-old undrafted forward, a Hobey Baker Award finalist as the top player in college hockey, had 57 points (22 goals, 35 assists) in 40 games and was named the Big Ten Player of the Year. Michigan was eliminated in the semifinal of the Frozen Four with a 4-3 loss in double overtime to the University of Denver.
Colorado has qualified for the Calder Cup Playoffs.
Another goalie joins Grand Rapids
Detroit Red Wings goalie prospect Trey Augustine made his pro debut with their AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids on April 10.
The 21-year-old made 26 saves in a 4-1 loss to Chicago (Carolina Hurricanes). After a standout career at Michigan State University, Augustine signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Red Wings on March 31. The contract starts next season and Detroit's second-round pick (No. 41) in the 2023 NHL Draft is with Grand Rapids on an amateur tryout.
It's been an eventful week for Augustine. The junior won the Mike Richter Award given to the top goalie in the NCAA after going 24-9-1 with a 2.11 goals-against average and .929 save percentage in 34 games. He was also selected as the Big Ten Goaltender of the Year for the second consecutive season and was a Hobey Baker top 10 finalist.
Grand Rapids will go into the playoffs as the top seed in the Western Conference and a first-round bye.
