The Charlotte Checkers are your AHL back to back champs!

It's obvious that is has been a huge year for the Florida Panthers organization. After a disappointing news where GM PKayne learned that the 10-seasons veteran for the team Carey Price was seriously injured and wouldn't be able to get back to play in the 2022-23 season, he had to make a trade for another top goaltender and that's when he landed Frederik Andersen from the New York Rangers. That was a really emotional moment for everybody involve since Coach Hartley had to make the heartbreaking decision to sit Carey Price and put Frederik Andersen in his spot to end the season, which was, afterwards, the best decision he could do.

The Panthers went on a huge streak and were able to make it to the Eastern Conference Finals after beating the Bruins and the Islanders but they had no answers against the Red Hot New Jersey Devils who just won the Cup last night.

But at least, the Charlotte Checkers made it to the AHL Finals and raised the Calder Cup last night! What's even more impressive is that the Checkers (Thunderbirds at this moment) won the championship last season too! So they are back to back champs! 

The team changed a bit from last season but Cayden Primeau was last year's MVP and, in my opinion, is also the MVP of this years' playoffs, ending with a 1.91GAA and a .947 save percentage. Which is huge! 

Erik Brannstrom was the best Dman for the Checkers in the 2020-21 playoffs and he remained red hot for this year's playoffs, with an impressive 17 points in 25 games, which makes him 8th in the scoring leaders board and 1st among defencemen. 

The first line of Brandon Pirri, Rem Pitlick and Kiefer Sherwood also brought some huge moments to the team. Pirri ended up being the points leader in the postseason, recording 11 goals and 16 assists for 27 points in 25 GP. Sherwood scored an impressive amount of goals: 16! He added 10 assists and finished the postseason with 26 points, good for the 2nd seed of the scoring race. Pitlick had 18 points.

It was most likely the last game of this line together as Rem Pitlick will probably be promote to the NHL team next season. But that's what you want from your AHL team: Developing bodies to help the pro team. Brandon Pirri is a pending UFA so will most likely hit the target and Kiefer Sherwood is a RFA and is, according to some sources, already in talks to extend his contract in the Florida organization.

When asked about his AHL team for next season, PKayne told me that he wasn't worried at all (about losing some key players), that he will do what he got to do to ice a competitive team next season and go for the threepeat!

So, I'm asking you the question... Charlotte Checkers: A Dynasty In The Making?