MONDAY FEATURE: Florida, Seattle Work Together In AHL With Charlotte

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CHARLOTTE, NC - Among the many new looks to the American Hockey League (AHL) in the 2021-22 season is that of two NHL teams - the Florida Panthers and Seattle Kraken - working as one with the Charlotte Checkers.

The Panthers agreed to a new affiliation deal with the Checkers prior to the 2020-21 season, but were one of three AHL teams who opted out of the pandemic-shortened, limited or no fan attendance campaign. This is their first season working alongside Charlotte, who had previously been affiliated with Carolina.

The Kraken, in their inaugural NHL season as an expansion team, came to an agreement with Florida and Charlotte to house their near NHL-ready prospects and depth players for the 2021-22 season only. Seattle will have their own AHL team in California beginning next year with the 2022-23 season as the Coachella Valley Firebirds.

"At the very start, it was definitely - I won't call it weird or uncomfortable - It was just very, very different," Checkers forward and Seattle prospect Carsen Twarynski explained. "I think we started off the year, uncontrollably, kind of in your own cliques with Seattle guys and Florida guys [coming into the season from different NHL camps]."

Through the first quarter of the season, the Checkers (10-9-2) haven't strayed too far from .500 hockey in 21 games.

"I think we've gotten a lot closer, and all the guys are kind of with each other around the rink and hanging out and chatting and we're all getting a lot closer knit," Twarynski told Inside AHL Hockey back in November.

Undoubtedly, it has taken some time for the two sets of players to gel as one team, but through the initial stages the Checkers remain in the middle of the pack in the Atlantic Division with plenty of time to solidify their playoff position in hopes of avoiding the play-in round altogether this spring.

"You can tell on the ice now our games are starting to have a lot more chemistry. It's not just Seattle guys playing together, and then Florida guys playing together. We're all kind of mixed up," Twarynski said. "So I think we've made progress, but we still have a lot more to make."

If nothing else, it gives Charlotte - who still reigns as the league's defending Calder Cup Champions dating back to their 2019 championship - a chance to defend their title with the help from two NHL organizations' top crops of prospects. The Calder Cup wasn't awarded last season due the pandemic, and the 2019-20 season was cut short in early March.

"This is the only year we're gonna have it split. Next year, it's gonna be back to normal, so we've got to make the most of it," Twarynski said, adding, "We have a lot of talent, a lot of young guys but a lot of good skill and work ethic on our team. So I think we have a solid shot, if we can keep progressing like this."