Comets Changing Conferences Next Year

The AHL is realigning conferences and divisions and on Tuesday announced the changes that will take effect for the 2015-16 season.

Instead of three, five-team divisions in each conference, the league will have two divisions in each the Western and Eastern Conferences. One division in each will have eight teams and the other seven.

The reorganization has the Utica Comets switching to the Eastern Conference where they'll play in the seven-team North Division, realigned with four other New York based teams including the Syracuse Crunch:

• Albany Devils (NJ)
• Binghamton Senators (OTT)
• Rochester Americans (BUF)
• St. John’s IceCaps (MTL)
• Syracuse Crunch (TB)
• Toronto Marlies (TOR)
• Utica Comets (VAN)

The rest of the league shakes out this way:

Eastern Conference - Atlantic Division

• Bridgeport Sound Tigers (NYI)
• Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR)
• Hershey Bears (WSH)
• Lehigh Valley Phantoms (PHI)
• Portland Pirates (FLA
• Providence Bruins (BOS)
• Springfield Falcons (ARI)
• Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (PIT)

Western Conference - Central Division

• Charlotte Checkers (CAR)
• Chicago Wolves (STL)
• Grand Rapids Griffins (DET)
• Iowa Wild (MIN)
• Lake Erie Monsters (CBJ)
• Manitoba Moose (WPG)
• Milwaukee Admirals (NSH)
• Rockford IceHogs (CHI)

Western Conference - Pacific Division

• Bakersfield Condors (EDM)
• Ontario Reign (LA)
• San Antonio Rampage (COL)
• San Diego Gulls (ANA)
• San Jose Barracuda (SJ)
• Stockton Heat (CGY)
• Texas Stars (DAL)