2002–03 AHL season

The 2002–03 AHL season was the 67th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-eight teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hamilton Bulldogs finished first overall in the regular season. The Houston Aeros won their first Calder Cup championship.

Team changes

Final standings

Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; OTL = Overtime losses; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points;

Eastern Conference

Canadian GP W L T OTL Pts GF GA
Hamilton Bulldogs (EDM/MTL) 80491984110 279 191
Manitoba Moose (VAN) 80373382 84 229 228
St. John's Maple Leafs (TOR) 80324062 72 236 285
Saint John Flames (CGY) 80324161 71 203 223
North GP W L T OTL Pts GF GA
Providence Bruins (BOS) 804420115104268227
Manchester Monarchs (LA) 804023116 97254209
Worcester IceCats (STL) 803527153 88235220
Portland Pirates (WSH) 803328136 85221195
Lowell Lock Monsters (CAR) 801951 73 48175275
East GP W L T OTL Pts GF GA
Binghamton Senators (OTT) 804326 92 97 239 207
Bridgeport Sound Tigers (NYI) 804026113 94 219 198
Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR) 803327128 86 255 236
Springfield Falcons (PHX/TB) 803438 71 76 202 243
Albany River Rats (NJ) 802537117 68 197 235

Western Conference

Central GP W L T OTL Pts GF GA
Grand Rapids Griffins (DET) 804822 82106 240 177
Rochester Americans (BUF) 803130145 81 219 221
Cincinnati Mighty Ducks (ANA) 802635136 71 202 242
Syracuse Crunch (CBJ) 802741 84 66 201 256
Cleveland Barons (SJ) 802248 55 54 203 286
West GP W L T OTL Pts GF GA
Houston Aeros (MIN) 804723 7 3104 266 222
Chicago Wolves (ATL) 804325 8 4 98 276 237
San Antonio Rampage (FLA) 80362911 4 87 235 226
Milwaukee Admirals (NSH) 80322714 7 85 247 251
Utah Grizzlies (DAL) 803734 4 5 83 227 243
South GP W L T OTL Pts GF GA
Norfolk Admirals (CHI) 80 37 26 12 5 91 201 187
Hershey Bears (COL) 80 36 27 14 3 89 217 209
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (PIT)8036327584245248
Philadelphia Phantoms (PHI) 80 33 33 6 8 80 198 212

Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

Player Team GP G A Pts PIM
Steve Maltais Chicago Wolves 79 30 56 86 86
Jean-Guy Trudel Houston Aeros 79 31 54 85 85
Michel Picard Grand Rapids Griffins 61 41 44 85 99
Mark Mowers Grand Rapids Griffins 78 34 47 81 47
Simon Gamache Chicago Wolves 76 35 42 77 37
Darren Haydar Milwaukee Admirals 75 29 46 75 36
Cory Larose Houston Aeros / Hartford Wolf Pack 82 27 48 75 77
Craig Darby Albany River Rats 76 23 51 74 42
Mark Greig Philadelphia Phantoms 73 30 44 74127
Keith Aucoin Providence Bruins 78 25 49 74 71

Calder Cup playoffs

Eastern Conference Qualifier
   
7 Hartford Wolf Pack 1
10 Springfield Falcons 2
Eastern Conference Qualifier
   
8 Portland Pirates 0
9 Manitoba Moose 2
Western Conference Qualifier
   
7 Milwaukee Admirals 2
10 Rochester Americans 1
Western Conference Qualifier
   
8 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 2
9 Utah Grizzlies 0
  Conference Quarterfinals Conference Semifinals Conference Finals Calder Cup Final
                                     
1  Hamilton 3     1  Hamilton 4  
8  Springfield 1     9  Manitoba 3  
2  Providence 1 Eastern Conference
7  Manitoba 3  
    1  Hamilton 4  
  3  Binghamton 1  
3  Binghamton 3  
6  Worcester 2  
4  Manchester 0   3  Binghamton 4
5  Bridgeport 3     5  Bridgeport 2  
  E1  Hamilton 3
(Pairings are re-seeded after the first round.)
  W2  Houston 4
1  Grand Rapids 3     1  Grand Rapids 4
8  Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 1     4  Chicago 0  
2  Houston 3
7  Milwaukee 0  
  1  Grand Rapids 3
  2  Houston 4  
3  Norfolk 3  
6  San Antonio 1   Western Conference
4  Chicago 3   2  Houston 4
5  Hershey 2     3  Norfolk 0  

All Star Classic

The 16th AHL All-Star Game was played on February 3, 2003 at the Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland, Maine. Team Canada defeated Team PlanetUSA 10-7. In the skills competition held the day before the All-Star Game, Team Canada won 15-13 over Team PlanetUSA.

Trophy and award winners

Team awards

Calder Cup
Playoff champions:
Houston Aeros
Richard F. Canning Trophy
Eastern Conference playoff champions:
Hamilton Bulldogs
Robert W. Clarke Trophy
Western Conference playoff champions:
Houston Aeros
Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy
Regular season champions, league:
Hamilton Bulldogs
Frank Mathers Trophy
Regular season champions, South Division:
Norfolk Admirals
Norman R. "Bud" Poile Trophy
Regular season champions, West Division:
Houston Aeros
Emile Francis Trophy
Regular season champions, North Division:
Providence Bruins
F. G. "Teddy" Oke Trophy
Regular season champions, East Division:
Binghamton Senators
Sam Pollock Trophy
Regular season champions, Canadian Division:
Hamilton Bulldogs
John D. Chick Trophy
Regular season champions, Central Division:
Grand Rapids Griffins

Individual awards

Les Cunningham Award
Most valuable player:
Jason Ward - Hamilton Bulldogs
John B. Sollenberger Trophy
Top point scorer:
Steve Maltais - Chicago Wolves
Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award
Rookie of the year:
Darren Haydar - Milwaukee Admirals
Eddie Shore Award
Defenceman of the year:
Curtis Murphy - Houston Aeros
Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award
Best goaltender:
Marc Lamothe - Grand Rapids Griffins
Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award
Lowest goals against average:
Marc Lamothe, Joey MacDonald - Grand Rapids Griffins
Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award
Coach of the year:
Claude Julien & Geoff Ward - Hamilton Bulldogs
Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award
Sportsmanship / Perseverance:
Chris Ferraro - Portland Pirates &
Eric Healey - Manchester Monarchs
Yanick Dupre Memorial Award
Community Service Award:
Jimmy Roy - Manitoba Moose
Jack A. Butterfield Trophy
MVP of the playoffs:
Johan Holmqvist - Houston Aeros

Other awards

James C. Hendy Memorial Award
Most outstanding executive:
Jeff Barrett, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Thomas Ebright Memorial Award
Career contributions:
Bill Watters
James H. Ellery Memorial Awards
Outstanding media coverage:
Joe Conklin, Grand Rapids, (newspaper)
Dave Ahlers, Portland, (radio)
Rogers Sportsnet, (television)
Ken McKenzie Award
Outstanding marketing executive:
Don Helbig, Cincinnati Mighty Ducks
Michael Condon Memorial Award
Outstanding service, on-ice official:
Marty Demers

See also

References

Preceded by
2001–02 AHL season
AHL seasons Succeeded by
2003–04 AHL season
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