AHL targeting February 5th as start date for the 2020-21 season

The Jets have a number of prospects training or already playing overseas or getting ready for college or junior hockey.  However there are also a number of Winnipeg drafted players who will be looking to continue their development in the American Hockey League during the 2020-21 season.

According to hockey insider Elliotte Friedman the AHL is targeting February 5th as a start date for next season.  The AHL has now confirmed this report.  Of course quite a bit will have to happen between now and that time.

Which means players who were likely to start with the Manitoba Moose like CJ Suess, Logan Stanley, Dylan Samberg, Jonathan Kovacevic, Skyler McKenzie, Luke Green, Declan Chisholm, Kristian Reichel and Eric Comrie will have to continue to train absent game play while they wait for the AHL season to get underway.  If the NHL begins earlier perhaps it will include an expanded roster so these players will get some more meaningful work in but quite a bit remains up in the air.

This isn’t insignificant given that the players who were with the Moose last season last played a game on March 8th of 2020 meaning it would almost be 11 months between games.

There also remains the issue of crossing the border although this could perhaps be resolved if the AHL moves to an all Canadian Division similar to what is being discussed for the NHL.  Already Belleville (Senators), Toronto (Leafs), Laval (Habs) and of course Winnipeg (Moose) are based in Canada with three franchises located in the United States being Stockton (Flames), Bakersfield (Oilers) and Utica (Canucks).