PORTLAND – The decision by the American Hockey League to reduce the number of regular-season games from 80 to 76 won’t necessarily hurt the Portland Pirates.

“From an economic perspective, that could have a positive impact,” Pirates CEO/managing owner Brian Petrovek said. “(The change) is primarily driven for player development, and we’ll make it work financially.”

The league also plans to lengthen its playing calendar by one week, eliminate all sequences where teams play four games in five days, and reduce the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs to a best-of-five series.

“Over the past few years we have been working with the National Hockey League and with the Professional Hockey Players’ Association to seek a solution to what has become a very onerous playing schedule,” said the AHL president, Dave Andrews. “As our league has grown and our game has become faster and more physical, the wear and tear on our players from the frequency of games and travel has begun to affect player development and at times the quality of competition.”

Petrovek welcomed the moves. “I actually chaired a commitee of owners that looked at this issue for three years,” he said, “and I’m thrilled the league has done something positive about it.”

Petrovek said the loss of revenue from two fewer home games could be partially mitigated by the reduction in costs from playing two fewer road games. 

– Paul Betit

 

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