To have your group or birthday announced at a Hamilton Bulldogs home game, please call 905-529-8500!*
* $5 donation in support of the Hamilton Bulldogs Youth Fund required.
Bulldogs will play in newly formed 'North Division'
Wed, July 9, 2003
The American Hockey League unveiled today a new conference and division alignment and announced the
schedule format for the 2003-04 season. The Hamilton Bulldogs (affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens) will play
in the AHL's newly formed 'North Division' of the Western Conference. The announcement came from the AHL
Board of Governors' annual meeting on Hilton Head Island, S.C.
The AHL has returned to a four-division, two-conference setup, with seven teams in each division.
Also playing in the 'North Division' will be the Bulldogs' newest rival the Toronto Roadrunners (Edmonton Oilers
affiliate), as well as traditional rivals which include: the St. John's Maple Leafs (Toronto Maple Leafs affiliate),
the Manitoba Moose (Vancouver Canucks affiliate), the Rochester Americans (Buffalo Sabres affiliate), the
Syracuse Crunch (Columbus Blue Jackets affiliate), and the Cleveland Barons (San Jose Sharks affiliate).
WESTERN CONFERENCE
North Division
Cleveland Barons (SJ)
Hamilton Bulldogs (MTL)
Manitoba Moose (VAN)
Rochester Americans (BUF)
St. John's Maple Leafs (TOR)
Syracuse Crunch (CBJ)
Toronto Roadrunners (EDM)
West Division
Chicago Wolves (ATL)
Cincinnati Mighty Ducks (ANA)
Grand Rapids Griffins (DET)
Houston Aeros (MIN)
Milwaukee Admirals (NSH)
San Antonio Rampage (FLA)
Utah Grizzlies (DAL)
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlantic Division
Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR)
Lowell Lock Monsters (CAR/CGY)
Manchester Monarchs (LA)
Portland Pirates (WSH)
Providence Bruins (BOS)
Springfield Falcons (PHX)
Worcester IceCats (STL)
East Division
Albany River Rats (NJ)
Binghamton Senators (OTT)
Bridgeport Sound Tigers (NYI)
Hershey Bears (COL/TB)
Norfolk Admirals (CHI)
Philadelphia Phantoms (PHI)
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (PIT)
At the conclusion of the 2003-04 regular season, the top five teams in each of the four divisions will qualify for
the Calder Cup 2004 Playoffs, allowing once again for at least two-thirds of National Hockey League teams'
prospects to gain valuable postseason experience.
In each division, the fourth-place team will face the fifth-place team in a best-of-three qualifying round. Each
subsequent round will be a best-of-seven. In the division semifinals, the first-place team will face the qualifying
winner and the second-place team will face the third-place team from each division. The division finals will
match the semifinal winners within each division, with those winners advancing to their respective conference
final. Conference final winners will advance to the Calder Cup 2004 Finals.
*Fans can purchase their 2003-04 Hamilton Bulldogs season tickets now by calling the Bulldogs office at (905)
529-8500.*
