Since you're one of my three main go-tos on tumblr for hockey knowledge: what're the differences in skill level between NHL and AHL (aka how much less interesting are games), ignoring variance between teams. I'm going out to Rochester NY over winter break to visit family, and am considering going to see an Americans game while I'm out there. Tickets are super cheap, but if it's going to be equivalent to a rec league game with a team I don't have much vested interest in, well...
Okay so, the AHL is absolutely Pro hockey - it’s basically just the NHL’s back pocket - the AHL teams are each directly associated with an NHL team.
It is only one step down from NHL and it’s actually full of NHL players - it’s got current NHL guys who are there for getting back up to full speed after an injury, guys who have the talent and are on the NHL team associated with that AHL team but are maybe not ready/mature enough for The Show or their NHL team is completely uninjured and thus too full (there’s only a certain number of spots at the top they’re allowed to have active), or guys who used to be in the NHL (or have been hovering on the cusp of it) but are maybe slowing down a bit even if they’re not ready to be done playing professional hockey and have tons of experience and great hockey to play and share with younger guys.
The Rochester Americans are affiliated with the Buffalo Sabres. So, you know, if you like the Sabres at all, the guys playing for the RA are guys you might see on the Sabres down the road.
So yeah, good hockey. And you can afford great seats that way!
In fact, in some ways it’s more exciting, (if you’re not personally attached to that one team’s winning). It’s going to be hockey at very nearly top quality, but with some extra dynamics thrown in. If you’re not in love with a particular set of players and team composition, it can be really fun to watch minor league sports of all varieties (personally I will only watch minor league for baseball) because it’s full of young people full of so much determination to make it up to the big show. The team makeup can also change a lot in the season - this is an upside and a downside both, because your fav might disappear up to the bigs and then you are sad and possibly a team that was doing really well will suddenly tank if their Major Affiliate has a rash of injuries and needs to scoop up all the best athletes - but it also means there’s room for different people to step up and perform in clutch moments and have to be innovative with their team and sometimes it means someone makes a rookie mistake that leads to wild and exciting and ridiculous plays (the only time I’ve ever seen a triple-play was in minor league baseball and it was very fun and exciting). So yeah… I wouldn’t worry that it’s going to be too “rec league-y” or anything :D
