Roadrunners Finish As The AHL’s Most Improved Team From 2022-23 To 2023-24
Tucson, AZ- The Tucson Roadrunners finished as the AHL’s most improved year-to-year team with differentials of +23-poins, +13-wins and +.160-winning percentage. The team ended the season with a 43-23-4-2 record, .639 winning percentage and 92 points.
The Wilkes Barre/Scranton Penguins had a +13-win differential from last season as well.
The other three teams in the top five of win differential from last season include: the Grand Rapids Griffins (+9), Hershey Bears (+9) and Ontario Reign (+8).
Tucson also tied first for the most improved division standings placement; moving five spots from seventh place in the Pacific Division to second. They joined only the Cleveland Monsters and Grand Rapids Griffins; who also moved up five standings spots in their respective divisions.
Out of the entire AHL rankings, the Roadrunners moved up the most spots from last season; climbing 22 places from 27th place in 2022-23 to 5th place in 2023-24.
The Roadrunners, Griffins and Penguins were the only three teams to finish with winning records this season after sub .500 records last year.
Out of the Pacific Division: the Tucson Roadrunners, San Diego Gulls and Ontario Reign finished within the top five of most improved teams in the league point differential wise.
San Diego finished 2022-23 in last place with a 20-49-2-1 record, .299 winning percentage and 43 points, but improved their point differential by +21 this season. The improved points were second in the AHL despite still finishing in 28th place; with a 26-35-10-1 record, .438 winning percentage and 64 points.
Ontario’s improved season in point differential ranked fifth in the league and third in the Pacific Division; going from a 34-32-5-1 record, .514 winning percentage and 74 points in 2022-23; to a 42-23-3-4 record, .632 winning percentage and 91 points in 2023-24.
Other Pacific Division season to season differential improvements include: the Bakersfield Condors +6 points with +2 wins and the Henderson Silver Knights +1 point.
The Abbotsford Canucks stayed even with their 87 points and 40 wins from last season; while the Coachella Valley Firebirds had the same number of points at 103; with two less regulation wins.
The teams that did not improve this season in the Pacific division include: the Colorado Eagles, San Jose Barracuda and Calgary Wranglers.
Colorado had the same number of wins from last season at 40, but had three less points; while San Jose finished with seven less points and seven less wins from last season.
Calgary had a 51-17-3-1 record, .746 winning percentage and 106 points in 2022-23; which were both first in the AHL and Western Conference. In 2023-24, the Wranglers finished with a 35-28-6-3 record, .549 winning percentage and 79 points. The -27-point dip and 16 less wins both ranked last in the AHL; including dropping 19 spots from first in the league to 19th. Only the Texas Stars went down 19 spots as well from last season; going from fifth place in 2022-23, to 24th place in 2023-24.
