On pace for a 136-point season that would shatter league records, the Grand Rapids Griffins continue to dismantle opponents. Still trying to keep the Griffins in some sort of relative view are the Colorado Eagles, Laval Rocket, Providence Bruins and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. But the advantage the Griffins have over the competition is growing quickly.
Let’s break down the top half of the AHL.
1) Grand Rapids Griffins (–)
It was Week 3 of the FloHockey AHL Power Rankings when the Griffins took the top spot for the first time. They’ve stayed there ever since and are positioned to close out 2025 on Wednesday with what would be a franchise-record 16th straight win. Will this Griffins team have the best season in AHL history? That will be the story we need to tell in 2026.
2025 Milwaukee Admirals vs. Grand Rapids Griffins
2) Wilkes-Barre/Scranton penguins (–)
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s return from the holidays started well enough as the team buried the visiting Hershey Bears under five first-period goals last Saturday night. They dropped a shootout decision to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms the next day, but three of the four points make for a solid weekend.
3) Colorado Eagles (–)
There’s not much to say about the Eagles, who enjoyed a long vacation. Tuesday night meant back to work with a game in Calgary, kicking off a four-game road trip.
4) Providence Bruins (–)
The P-Bruins eliminated the Springfield Thunderbirds 7-1 last Saturday night in a dominant performance. Luke Cavallin made his P-Bruins debut and stopped 25 of 26 shots. With Michael DiPietro out, having Cavallin in reserve is another solid management move in Providence.
5) Laval Missile (+1)
In a showdown for the leadership of the Northern Division with the Syracuse Crunch, the Rocket took their stand. Back-to-back wins at Place Bell leave the Rocket in sole possession of the top spot going into the new year. This caps off an excellent 2025 for the Rocket, which saw them finish first overall in the 2024-2025 regular season and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. Even more could be in store for them in 2026.
6) Charlotte Checkers (+1)
Hampered by the weather, the Checkers got a late start on their return to action. But they got a late win in Hershey last Sunday and then went to Lehigh Valley and took an overtime decision there as well. But letting the Phantoms fall behind 2-0 with a pair of goals in the final minute of regulation can’t happen if a team expects to compete with the league’s top powers.
7) Chicago Wolves (+1)
Pyotr Kochetkov’s season-ending injury leaves the Wolves with slightly less flexibility in net should the Carolina Hurricanes need additional goaltending. They got a point in last Saturday’s home loss to the Iowa Wild. A trip to Rockford on Wednesday begins a stretch of twelve of seventeen games for the Wolves. That’s almost a quarter of the way through their season and will determine how much of a contender this team can be.
8) San Jose Barracuda (-3)
So far, the Barracudas have largely managed to overcome their defensive shortcomings. However, they rank 18th in the AHL in goals against per game, and this is a league that traditionally tightens considerably as the season enters the second half. Goaltenders Gabriel Carriere and Jakub Skarek both have an identical save percentage of .891. That should tap upwards.
9) Syracuse crunch (–)
That trip to Laval delayed what had been a pretty solid December run for Syracuse. They added some help from Iowa, bringing forward Michael Milne and defenseman Wyatt Newpower to Syracuse in separate deals. Next up for the Crunch is a New Year’s Day matinee in Toronto. The good news for them is that their January schedule includes four meetings with the Utica Comets, an opponent they have dominated this season.
10) Government of Ontario (+1)
For a team that has been without its top two goaltenders Erik Portillo and Pheonix Copley, the Reign have been able to pick up points here and there. Isaiah Saville has stepped in well for Copley in the recall for the Los Angeles Kings, posting two shutouts in that time.
11) Coachella Valley Firebirds (-1)
Jani Nyman, who scored 28 goals for the Firebirds as a rookie last season, has been assigned to the Firebirds by the Seattle Kraken. That’s a big offensive boost for a team that already ranks second in the AHL in scoring.
12) Bakersfield condors (–)
Quinn Hutson, the AHL’s leading rookie scorer, is back from the Edmonton Oilers. Along with fellow rookie Isaac Howard, the Condors have two of the best youngsters in the AHL this season.
13) Manitoba moose (–)
Like their Western Conference brethren in Colorado, the Moose have had a long holiday. Finally they get back to work with their traditional New Year’s Eve matinee. They have a chance to feast on the visiting Abbotsford Canucks, and they need to start racking up points in these games.
14) Rochester Americans (+1)
The Amerks earned three of four points in a home-and-home series with the Cleveland Monsters. There’s a quiet week ahead, with only a short trip to Toronto on the agenda this Saturday.
15) Henderson Silver Knights (+1)
During a trip to Colorado for halftime, the Silver Knights dropped a pair of overtime decisions. They get another chance this weekend in Colorado with a two-match set.
16) Hershey Bears (-2)
Hershey is slipping quickly after a nine-game homestand failed to give them much of a shock. They suffered two more weekend losses.
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